HomebrewandBeer.com forum

HI, I just put together my first apple cider. And after reading through some of the different receipes on the forum
I thought I would try to be a bit adventurous. This is only my third brew in total so i'm still new to the home brew scene (but loving it).
Could anyone tell me if I went a bit overboard?
this is the mix -

1 Briglow apple cider kit
500g Dextrose
2.4 ltr apple juice
2.4 ltr apple & pear juice
500 grams of honey
1 stick of cinnimon
4 cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
*also added a extra bit of yeast nutrient
Starting Sg 1.049

any feed back would be great!!!

Cheers, Dave.

Well it won't be lacking in flavour that's for sure. Will be interested to see how turns out for you. Keep us posted.

doubledogdave wrote:any feed back would be great!!!

My first comment then would be that the best time to ask for this would be before you put it down.

My second would be that the Brigalow kit is not entirely well regarded but I think that generally people who put that kit down don't use all the extras you have so it should turn out pretty good. Make sure you let us know - it certainly looks nice to me. Only change I might suggest would be to just use all apple juice instead of a kit. Slightly more expensive but definitely worth it.

I've only done one apple cider - about six months ago - and I still can't be bothered to drink it! It was a Country Brewer kit, made to 17 litres, with only the kit and no extras. At the time, and after reading some recipes of this forum, I did ask the HB guy whether I should use some juice instead of water and he told me no. Well, it's weak as.... water! And DRY!!

If I ever do a cider again I think I would use pretty much your recipe - or maybe all juice as Bum suggests. Oh, and I'd add at least 300 gm lactose, cause it was nowhere near sweet enough for my liking! (Lactose doesn't ferment)

Hey, this brew was bubbling away nicely for the first 4 days, and now it's stopped. temp was between 24 -27 deg. Is this normal? after reading other posts, it sounds like it should stay in the fermenter for a few weeks? not sure what to do.

Have you tested it's SG? If it stays the same for 2 days, it should be ready. But I'll check my records tonight and let you know tomorrow what my SG readings were and how long I left it in the fermenter. (Can't remember off hand - too long ago.) Apart from that, I always leave all my brews in primary for 2 weeks now. Bubbling stopping doesn't mean zilch! Anna

Checked my records: My Country Brewer cider OG was 1.040 and took 2 weeks to get down to 1.008 at 22 deg. C. But I did use all water (17L) - might be different if you include juice. Anna

Hey Guys,
I bottled my cider around 3 weeks ago. I did what you said Anna and left it for 2 weeks. I had a taste and it was nice. but in saying that, there was a strong alcholic taste to it and the final reading was 1001.
I think it's going to blow the wifes head off when she drinks it.
How long sould I leave it? 3months, 6 months????

If it taste OK, drink it now! I only left mine to see if it would improve. It's been over 6 months now and is better, but still tastes too dry and watery for my liking. I'm going to do another one with all juice shortly. Anna

PS: About the wife - you're right! Mine isn't as alcoholic as yours and it certainly knocks my socks off!! (Of course, you may prefer her without socks.....)

DDD, if it is too strong for her liking a dash of apple juice in the glass should sort that out.

G'day Dave.
Just curious to know how the cider tasted and if the other half liked it. I would like to make some for my wife in the near future when i find the right recipe, one that won't take 3 months would be good. Was is similar to Strongbow Dry in any way.
Cheers

Rotten,

My second try at Apple Cider turned out great! It was Dr Smurto's advice to go "all juice" that did the trick! Of course, I like it sweet, so here it is:

15 litres pure apple juice (from the supermarket - no preservatives though)
500 gm lactose (omit if you don't want sweet)
2 old Coopers kit yeasts for nutrient
1 Coopers kit yeast for fermentation

Boil the lactose and nutrients in 2 litres water for 10 mins, add to fermenter with juice, pitch yeast when temp. is around 24 deg. C.
Ferment and carbonate exactly the same as for beer. Couldn't be easier!

Four weeks later this cider was a hit - even with my husband! And even better after a few months Anna

Just what i was looking for Anna.
I took bums advice on all juice, bought nearly twenty ltr today. Funnily enough it was cheaper at the supermarket then at the Berri factory. I was advised to use a champagne yeast but couldn't find one to save myself, got a cider yeast instead under duress. If you say leftover coopers yeasts are the go for nutrient then i will go with that, would have to use one for pitching too then so will see how i go.
New fermenter sterilising tonight to brew tomorrow.
Cheers

Good work! I'd better do another one - OH drank the last bottle last night! Watch it though - I had the worst hangover last weekend after a whole longneck of it!! Anna

Just put the cider down. only had 1 pack coopers yeast for nutrient but nearly 2 kg natural sugar in 20 ltr apple juice so should be fine still. did a 1.5 ltr boil with one pack, don't like letting worts sit to cool. put it all in fermenter and pitched coopers yeast at 24c.
OG 1042, what should i expect the FG to be? thinking of letting this sit for two weeks anyway.
Cheers

I don't have that info with me at the moment. I'll have a look at my records tonight and let you know tomorrow. However, I only made 17L, so it might be different for you. Maybe someone can clarify? Did you use lactose?

No lactose, going for a dry version which is why i was after champagne yeast. It's only the first one so will just have to see if the missus likes it!
Cheers

Gday all. bottled cider a week ago now. FG 1006 which is good, won't be over the top abv wise, about the same as most of my beers. will be nearly two weeks old this weekend so may have to give one a go. Primed with normal rate for longies, used P.E.T bottles (knew they would be good for something besides spares). Anyway will let you know about taste test. Thanks everyone for help.
Cheers

rotten wrote:Gday all. bottled cider a week ago now. FG 1006 which is good, won't be over the top abv wise, about the same as most of my beers. will be nearly two weeks old this weekend so may have to give one a go. Primed with normal rate for longies, used P.E.T bottles (knew they would be good for something besides spares). Anyway will let you know about taste test. Thanks everyone for help.
Cheers

Hi Rotten! Did you crack a bottle? How was it?

I put another all-juice/lactose brew on yesterday - OG 1.050, bubbling nicely at 20 deg. Hope it's as good as the last one!

Anna

Haven't tried it yet. Will see if i can talk the missus into trying one or two with me this weekend. I have been enjoying beers too much to give it a go.
Cheers.