Cider

[Cummy]

Hi, I was wanting the do a cider but only a small batch (10l). I don't have access to fresh juice so I was thinking either store bought juice or a MJ kit. Is one better than the other. I know it will be dry but am happy to sweeten with a shot of juice.

 

[manticle]

In my experience juice is better than kit but I prefer dry, scrumpy or french style to sweet magners, flavourless pipsqueak or syrupy rekordelig.

Can't get the funk I want yet in my home mades like a good breton but will keep trying.

My tips for store bought - go for good quality, low/no preservative and use a blend of a few rather than all one type. Ferment low and slow, add malic and/or tannic acid for some extra complexity. Don't need much. 5-10g per 25L max, juice and personal taste dependent.

 

[sp0rk]

I add some earl grey, frozen berries (nuked and then blended to break em up) and a little lactose to my ciders
They turn out slightly sweet and always keep mrs happy

 

[kalbarluke]

What sort of yeast do you use?

 

[manticle]

Yeast choice is a bit less important with cider in my experience because most yeasts will ferment cider right out and you aren't chasing phenolics or esters.
I always ferment low and slow and would be keen to try a lager yeast one day.

I've used various wine yeasts, wyeast cider and wyeast sweet mead and also added the dregs from a breton to a batch which gave a great result.

Tried reculturing from a few normandy/bretons but had no real success.
I know people have used 04 and 05 with success and I think whitelabs also have a cider yeast. Wine yeast includes champagne yeast.

 

[earle]

Mangrove Jacks also have a dry cider yeast which you can buy separately to any kit. I used it in my last batch which was a spiced cider.

16L aldi apple juice, some malic acid, boiled a little water with some brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel. Fermented at about 18C. The finish was not super dry but I backsweetened with 2l of apple juice in the keg as my wife wanted it a little sweeter. Drinking very nicely now.

 

[DU99]

Was in wollies looking at Juices and came across Golden Circle apple/pear and raspberry juice.had no preservative..Price was 4 litres for $5 ..my question is has anyone made a cider with this type of juice....

 

[Tropico]

Was in wollies looking at Juices and came across Golden Circle apple/pear and raspberry juice.had no preservative..Price was 4 litres for $5 ..my question is has anyone made a cider with this type of juice....

Came across this too. Another ad hoc cider for me, currently being fermented with 1 Black Rock Apple cider tin, 2.4 litre Berri apple juice and 4 litres of the Golden Circle apple pear and raspberry.

Just over 50% pear from memory and I thought this might make it a little sweeter OG 1038. Currently day 3 of ferment.

 

[Nurple]

Recently kegged my second batch of cider which I used 27L of the 3L homebrand apple juice this time from woolies along with lemon juice from one lemon, 1 black tea and 2 earl grey tea bags steeped in 750ml hot water and added after cooled. Fermented with US-04 at 16 degrees for 3 weeks then 20 degrees for 1 week and it turned out great!

Didn't have to back sweeten as the yeast finished at 1.010 after 10 days and wouldn't go lower but still happy with result as are the rest of the people who drink it.