Apple cider

[Hops are tops]

Apple cider that tastes like apple.hows it done , every time I try it’s bland or flat .
Thinking I might Mangrove Jacks New Zealand cider kit any ideas ?

 

[MaggieO]

It's the quality of the juice. Fresh, no preservatives. If you can get it with sediment in the bottle
all the better. Also, it helps "enhance" the flavor if you can put some frozen concentrate in your
recipe too.

Lot of store bought apple juice is a blend. It's bland because they don't want to overwhelm the kiddies with
actual flavor.

 

[Hops are tops]

Thanks for your reply,MaggieO.Iwas thinking of using a mangrove jack New Zealand cider kit for back ground ,12 litres golden circle apple juice, 11 litres water, 1.5 kg sugar ,250 dried corn syrup( sweetness) ,champagne yeast ..I would like to make semi sweet cider if you could give some hints or a maybe recipe that would be great ..thanks again

 

[Hangover68]

I've used the brigalow cider kits 3 times now, first as per the directions which was pretty bland, 2nd using 8ltrs of home brand juice which was much better, 3rd used 8ltrs of apple & blackcurrant and its a much better drop. Only change i will make is to back sweeten before bottling just to take the edge of the yeasty after taste.

 

[gap]

Use real apples and juice them or next best store bought juice.
Those kits use apple concentrate giving you little chance of getting real apple flavour.
Best cider I have ever made used fresh cider apple juice from somebody at Bathurst

 

[Hops are tops]

I've used the brigalow cider kits 3 times now, first as per the directions which was pretty bland, 2nd using 8ltrs of home brand juice which was much better, 3rd used 8ltrs of apple & blackcurrant and its a much better drop. Only change i will make is to back sweeten before bottling just to take the edge of the yeasty after taste.

Thank you for your response,Did you add sugar to fermentation,I was thinking I might add corn syrup for sweetness.

 

[Hops are tops]

Use real apples and juice them or next best store bought juice.
Those kits use apple concentrate giving you little chance of getting real apple flavour.
Best cider I have ever made used fresh cider apple juice from somebody at Bathurst

Thanks for your response. Yes fresh is best .i might make a apple press .

 

[Hangover68]

Thank you for your response,Did you add sugar to fermentation,I was thinking I might add corn syrup for sweetness.

no sugar/dex added and it wont add sweetness, it will just increase the ABV. You can use lactose to add sweetness but i will try adding juice for back sweetening as it just needs a tiny increase.

 

[CaptainMachSnot]

I like a good cider. Having trouble making one though. Mangrove Jacks has been the best one I've tried so far, but dislike the artificial sweetener taste (want it a bit above super dry). I haven't tried straight apple juice yet. Just made a mangroves with 500g lactose, and at this stage tastes like it has no sweetness to it. Does need a bit longer to age (even in the keg) to taste good, so will have to wait and see. Next try was going to be campden and potassium sorbate to stop fermentation.
@Hops are tops , one piece of info I have read is to not use champagne yeast if you want a sweeter cider, that stuff makes it go bone dry.

 

[Hops are tops]

I like a good cider. Having trouble making one though. Mangrove Jacks has been the best one I've tried so far, but dislike the artificial sweetener taste (want it a bit above super dry). I haven't tried straight apple juice yet. Just made a mangroves with 500g lactose, and at this stage tastes like it has no sweetness to it. Does need a bit longer to age (even in the keg) to taste good, so will have to wait and see. Next try was going to be campden and potassium sorbate to stop fermentation.
@Hops are tops , one piece of info I have read is to not use champagne yeast if you want a sweeter cider, that stuff makes it go bone dry.

Thanks for your information . my last cider was black rock cider 250 lactose 1 kg dex premium cider yeast 13 days In fermenter 2 sugar drops per 740 bottle now one month in bottle ,all most flat slight yeast taste almost no apple taste as bitter as stout .HELP anyone please

 

[Hops are tops]

no sugar/dex added and it wont add sweetness, it will just increase the ABV. You can use lactose to add sweetness but i will try adding juice for back sweetening as it just needs a tiny increase.

Thanks ,will keep trying.

 

[CaptainMachSnot]

One thing i have read. You can have fizzy cider or sweet cider, but not both unles you force carb. Seen some info on bottling before fermentation complete, then let ferment in the bottle and kill the yeast by boiling the bottles. Sounds dangerous to me, fast way to get bottle bombs. Might have to get some sort of artificial sweetener. Some people have success with adding apple schnapps flavour for that apple taste, but im putting my effort into getting the sweetness i like through kegging. I also found that my bottles tasted way better after 2 to 3 months aging. Give the mangrove jacks a go, i only used half the sweetner in it (comes in a seperate packet) as i only wanted semisweet, and was quite good, just not upto the standard of some of the commercially produced ones.
Think cider has a way to go yet to catch upto the leaps home brewing beer has made since i last tried it 15 years ago.

 

[Hops are tops]

no sugar/dex added and it wont add sweetness, it will just increase the ABV. You can use lactose to add sweetness but i will try adding juice for back sweetening as it just needs a tiny increase.

Thanks for reply.when you say back sweetening when do you add apple juice

 

[Hops are tops]

One thing i have read. You can have fizzy cider or sweet cider, but not both unles you force carb. Seen some info on bottling before fermentation complete, then let ferment in the bottle and kill the yeast by boiling the bottles. Sounds dangerous to me, fast way to get bottle bombs. Might have to get some sort of artificial sweetener. Some people have success with adding apple schnapps flavour for that apple taste, but im putting my effort into getting the sweetness i like through kegging. I also found that my bottles tasted way better after 2 to 3 months aging. Give the mangrove jacks a go, i only used half the sweetner in it (comes in a seperate packet) as i only wanted semisweet, and was quite good, just not upto the standard of some of the commercially produced ones.
Think cider has a way to go yet to catch upto the leaps home brewing beer has made since i last tried it 15 years ago.

Thanks for responding, like the schnapps tip ,powder lactose should add sweetness but how much do you add ?in my experience you have to use a lot to get any improvement

 

[Hangover68]

Thanks for reply.when you say back sweetening when do you add apple juice

Just before bottling.

 

[CaptainMachSnot]

Just before bottling.

How do you stop them fermenting out the sugars? Is it a matter of letting them ferment a bit, then cooling to slow the process or boiling to kill the yeast?
Also @Hops are tops , i added 500g lactose and cannot even tell its there

 

[Hops are tops]

Use real apples and juice them or next best store bought juice.
Those kits use apple concentrate giving you little chance of getting real apple flavour.
Best cider I have ever made used fresh cider apple juice from somebody at Bathurst

Thanks for your reply,will give fresh juice a go

 

[CaptainMachSnot]

Thanks for your reply,will give fresh juice a go

Can sometimes get fresh apple juice from farmers markets