# Pure aldi cider need help



## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

Hi I am currently in the process of making a %100 aldi juice cider I used 20L of berry juice no added sugar or preservatives ! I boiled 2 litres of it and added 500g lactose 500g ( white sugar ) been told it was better to use melted i to the 2L of boiled juice and also half of a brew starter 1 kit as well as my champagne yeast how do you think this is going to turn out ? After 15 mins I did the og reading it was ( 0.82 ) after 6 days there is no bubbling going on ? Why is this ? And I tested with my hydrometer and its reading ( 7.2 ) what has gone on with this cider !!!!!!!

Can anyone either tell me how this is going to go or should I have done things different I really was wanting a sweet cider ! Has anyone got an easy way to re create bulmers ? Specially a black current one


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## manticle (31/3/13)

Happy to try and help but your post is a bit hard to follow.

You're making a 100% aldi cider but using berri instead of aldi and intsead of 100% juice, you have also added lactose, white sugar and something from some kind of kit?

By .82, do you mean 10.82? 

Anyaway, regardless of the above, airlock bubbles are not a reliable indicator of fermentation. Hydrometer readings, done properly, are. The fact that your cider has dropped gravity points suggests it is fermenting fine.

500g lactose will hold your cider back from being bone dry but it won't be super sweet. Cider will generally ferment right out to dry unless you add sweeteners, backsweeten, bottle pasteurise, halt fermentation early (don't do this if bottling unless pasteurising) or keeve.

Adding blackcurrant juice or cordial to your finished cider as you serve it is probably the easiset way to get a blackcurrant cider that has some sweetness.


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## givemeamash (31/3/13)

mate, next time just use the juice and some decent yeast. you will get a dry ish cider but I did the same and back sweetened with 2L and it has turned out great, nothing lie a mainstream cider, but great all the same.


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

Sorry I'm still pretty new to brewing but the first of reading was from the top of the hydrometer where you have the 0.990 it was above that so I just put it down as .82 and after those 6 days and tested the hydrometer rose and its at 7.2 or is it 70.2 ? As for the juice I brought it from aldi it's the ( westcliff ) brand that aldi stock with no added sugar or preservatives and its an apple & black current juice !
And for the kit I was talking about it was half of the coopers brew started #1


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## manticle (31/3/13)

If the hydrometer reading has changed, then it is fermenting.

The bulbous/heavy end goes in the tube, give it a spin and let it settle, then read the number at the liquid line. It should sink, not rise as fermentation occurs (so the numbers get closer to 1.000 over time)


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## Bribie G (31/3/13)

Lactose doesn't ferment so will give you a few points of "gravity", such that the reading will never actually get down to 1000. Your recipe sounds fine for an Aldi cider and it seems to be fermenting out well.


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

Few wipes forehead thought it was going go to go belly up and a waste of time ! I'll check the gravity again tomorrow and ill get back to you all well I have not checked it today ill go do it now


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## Ducatiboy stu (31/3/13)

Aldi juice is made by Berrie


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

Ok here is a pic taken just now of the hydrometer and also the cider itself ! Got the wife to taste it its more of a very fizzy champagne then a cider ! I used laval champagne yeast ! Shoud I have just used a apple cider kit then used juice instead of water ?


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## bum (31/3/13)

She's still got a long way to go.

Let it ferment out and add sweet juice to taste on serving if the lactose you've added doesn't get you there.


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

bum said:


> She's still got a long way to go.
> 
> Let it ferment out and add sweet juice to taste on serving if the lactose you've added doesn't get you there.




Sweet juice ? And when do I add it


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## bradsbrew (31/3/13)

Slyr31 said:


> Sweet juice ? And when do I add it


Fresh juice from the bottle and you add it to the glass when you pour one of your bottled cider. You could use blackcurrent juice at this point to get closer to the flavour profile you like.

cheers


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

What about if I put so many MLS per bottle while bottling of black current syrup ?


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## Ducatiboy stu (31/3/13)

That would work. And it.would add to carbing up in the bottle. Easiest way would be to bulk prime.


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## bradsbrew (31/3/13)

Slyr31 said:


> What about if I put so many MLS per bottle while bottling of black current syrup ?


No.* Unless you are able to get the perfect calc of juice per bottle.* The juice will ferment out and the blackcurrent flavour profile will ferment out as well. More importantly as the extra juice ferments in the bottle it will carbonate and could cause your bottles to explode. you do not want to be around if a bottle explodes. Google bottle bombs.

cheers

edit *


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

pre prime as in add it to it now after fermentation ? and what about carbonation drops would I still add 2 per bottle or 1 or none ?


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## bum (31/3/13)

Oh, is it IP-check o'clock already?! Where does the time go?


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

ummm ok !!! thanks for trying to help a person to brewing !


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## Slyr31 (31/3/13)

does anyone else have any advice or how one can replicate a bulmers next time around ?


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## Slyr31 (1/4/13)

bradsbrew said:


> No.* Unless you are able to get the perfect calc of juice per bottle.* The juice will ferment out and the blackcurrent flavour profile will ferment out as well. More importantly as the extra juice ferments in the bottle it will carbonate and could cause your bottles to explode. you do not want to be around if a bottle explodes. Google bottle bombs.
> 
> cheers
> 
> edit *


Seen on YouTube and sure do not want to replicate any of them


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## Deep End (2/4/13)

I just made a cider out of apple and blackcurrant juice, has a nice black currant finish in the mouth, I like it. Worth a try if you like that flavour.


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## Slyr31 (2/4/13)

Deep End said:


> I just made a cider out of apple and blackcurrant juice, has a nice black currant finish in the mouth, I like it. Worth a try if you like that flavour.


Oh yeah nice how did you go about making yours ? That's what I was wanting to aim for more of the current side of flavour !


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## Bribie G (2/4/13)

Aldi Apple and Blackcurrant is the same price as the pure apple. One tantalising thing they also have is Apple and Mango for a buck a litre. Now I reckon that would be nice. I think there used to be a mango version of Passion Pop back in the days before RTD leg openers got popular 

I find that using the Black Rock kit plus juice isn't all that more expensive per glass and gives more of a Bulmers / Mercury flavour, probably all in the Kiwi apples they use. It's going to be difficult to get that sweetness when bottling - kegging is easy, just brew over strength to about 6.5% and cut it back with a litre or so of juice into the keg then chill straight away.

Edit: Coles do 3L juices at the same price and the same flavour range as Aldi, no doubt they are all from Berri anyway.


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## Deep End (3/4/13)

I just used a brigalow kit and replaced about 6 litres of the water content with apple and blackcurrant juice, and then put another 4 litres of apple and blackcurrant juice on top to make up 23 litres or so, came out around 7.5 % al/vol and has a definite black currant aftertaste, got the exact recipe written in my brew log if you want the exact details. But it was pretty much follow the can directions and switch a bit of water for juice + a bit more juice for more end product and a bit higher alc content.


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## Deep End (3/4/13)

BTW I cant drink Mercury Draught anymore after making my own, much prefer the taste of my own product.


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## Slyr31 (3/4/13)

Deep End said:


> I just used a brigalow kit and replaced about 6 litres of the water content with apple and blackcurrant juice, and then put another 4 litres of apple and blackcurrant juice on top to make up 23 litres or so, came out around 7.5 % al/vol and has a definite black currant aftertaste, got the exact recipe written in my brew log if you want the exact details. But it was pretty much follow the can directions and switch a bit of water for juice + a bit more juice for more end product and a bit higher alc content.



I like the sound of that !!!!! And also sounds easy !


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## Slyr31 (3/4/13)

Deep End said:


> I just used a brigalow kit and replaced about 6 litres of the water content with apple and blackcurrant juice, and then put another 4 litres of apple and blackcurrant juice on top to make up 23 litres or so, came out around 7.5 % al/vol and has a definite black currant aftertaste, got the exact recipe written in my brew log if you want the exact details. But it was pretty much follow the can directions and switch a bit of water for juice + a bit more juice for more end product and a bit higher alc content.



So you didn't use any extra sugars or anything ?


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## Slyr31 (3/4/13)

Wow just tested my cider seems to going good still but taste test blower my. Head off tasted like straight alcohol


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## of mice and gods (3/4/13)

I can imagine it'd be pretty full on especially so young and with such a high OG

If you're original reading was 1082, you'd be expecting something around 10% (ish) if it got down to a final gravity around 1012 and I would imagine it'd probably go lower, my apple & black currant (apple cider kit with 6 litres of apple & black currant juice - total brew about 18 L in primary) got down to about 1006 and had a nice black currant finish.

That said, i've tried a few times with other juices and haven't been able to replicate that original batch.

I know you probably wouldn't (I don't even know why I tried it but just in case - never use ribena.. it ferments out to a pretty vile flavour.

Al


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## Deep End (3/4/13)

Just a kilo of sugar as required by the brigalow kit


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## Bribie G (3/4/13)

That's what I've found with my ciders so far, with beers that often attenuate at, say 1012 then an OG in the fifties gives you a nice special bitter and you tend to fall into that "groove" when thinking about strengths. However as ciders ferment right down then a similar OG tends to make jungle juice. :chug:


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## Slyr31 (3/4/13)

Bribie G said:


> That's what I've found with my ciders so far, with beers that often attenuate at, say 1012 then an OG in the fifties gives you a nice special bitter and you tend to fall into that "groove" when thinking about strengths. However as ciders ferment right down then a similar OG tends to make jungle juice. :chug:


Jungle juice  think I have just made 20L of it lol


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## Slyr31 (20/4/13)

Deep End said:


> Just a kilo of sugar as required by the brigalow kit


I have just made this new cider up as my last one well lets just say I have tasted metho even better as the picture I am about to put up will show u where it has been sitting for the last 4 days ! And further below I have put a new one in to brew have a look and tell me what you think


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## Slyr31 (20/4/13)

Some reason my iPads not letting me put pictures up !!! Well as for the metho  it's been sitting at 2.50 for the last few Days and tasted crap and smelt crap so I script that and went and got an apple brigalows cider kit and added 1kilo of white sugar and then added 8l of Aldo apple and black current juice topped up to 18L with water ! How will this turn out I tested 5 mins after adding yeast and it was sitting at 5.900 smells great compared to the last one !


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## Howlingdog (20/4/13)

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread - started at one then read 34. I make a simple cider + time. i.e. 18 litres Aldi apple juice fermented at 18 deg.C with US-05. When nearly 1.006 tfr to keg. - Shyte taste for the next 6 months. Leave for 2-3 years back of garage. Then its foirtin cider.
HD


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## Bribie G (20/4/13)

Getting brilliant results with juice plus sugar - however I'm on my fifth cider now and always used "cider yeast" as supplied with the Black Rock kit. I know other guys use beer yeast but this cider yeast seems to be another species altogether, After fermentation it sticks to the bottom of the fermenter and you just about have to take a paint scraper to it. Also it looks and behaves like very pale peanut butter - gooey and almost oily in character, but makes ripper cider. Currently drinking one with my mate that was only kegged on Thursday and it beats the shyte out of the five seeds we had at the club over lunch.

I'm new to this but I'd stick my neck out and say, on my limited experience so far, that if you want to make a lager you don't use Wyeast West Yorkshire, if you want to make a Merlot you don't use Tandaco bakers yeast and if you want to make a cider.......


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## Grainer (20/4/13)

I put down an aldi apple with 1kg mixed frozen berries and .. damn does it taste good so far,, put in bout 500g lactose/500g glucose


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## Dave70 (20/4/13)

A word on ALDI juice.
I dumped 8L with half a kilo of brown sugar on the cake from a 10L batch I made from apples I juiced myself. (S04)
I kegged the self juiced apples, then dumped the finished ALDI batch in to top it up.

Although I'm not much of a cider fan, I made it principally for my wife, that could all change. Its the first one I've made that actually tastes 'like apples', It's delicious.

Based on the mighty evidence of one result, I'm convinced if you can source fresh apple juice or be arsed juicing some, the results are well worth the effort.
It makes a profound difference, in my opinion anyway.


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## New_guy (22/4/13)

I did a really basic cloudy apple juice cider - 10.5lts of Juice with SO4. Added 1kg of lactose for body and sweetness near end of fermentation. 
Started at 1.048 and went like the clappers to 1.001
Took a few weeks to taste good. 
I was suprised that 1kg of lactose didn't really make it "sweet" as such.
Going for fresh juice from the orchard next with a mix if apple / pear 
Any ideas on ratio of apple to pear ?


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## 431neb (24/4/13)

Such a shame about freight costs as there is a fella on King Island with an apple orchard that has a selection of cider apples. He supplies the Island with apple juice. 

Imagine being able to order cider apple juice for a turbo cider. Quality would step up markedly from the juice many of us use currently..


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## Greg.L (24/4/13)

Just plant yourself an apple tree, pretty easy to do if you can be patient.


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## of mice and gods (27/7/13)

Greg.L said:


> Just plant yourself an apple tree, pretty easy to do if you can be patient.


...and drink beer for the next 10 years 

Sorry, couldn't help myself Greg.

Slyr31, I've got to say dude, your hydrometer readings are confusing the hell out of me. I'm not quite sure where you're deriving your numbers from? To have numbers like 2.5 and 7.22.. are we talking about Plato? In which case ignore me, because I don't use Plato.

From the pic of your hydro in post #11 I would see that as 1.030 (or sometimes written 1030). As others have said, as your cider fermenters you would expect the hydrometer to sink and give you a number closer to 1.000.

You should also take into account possible temperature corrections as your hydro is probably calibrated to a set degree which should be written or stamped somewhere on the hydro itself.

Al


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