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Ive never done a cider and would mind making one simalar to strongbow........ Mates has just tried it so i might give it a shot cause then ill have some one to drink it with........
Any ideas people?? Methods etc..... Im not fused just wana make a good cider

Here's what i did:
Black Rock Cider Kit
Brew Enhacer #1
150g Lactose
4 Granny smith apples
Made up to 20L

What I found it was watery with a sharp granny smith apple aftertaste up to about 4 weeks. After that the strong granny smith apple taste really mellowed and it became alot smoother.
Its only getting better as time goes by.
Next time i'm going to use 2 cans in a 23L brew for a strong cider.

let us know how that goes.

Following the accumulated advice in these forums, I'm putting on the following in the next couple of days:

Black Rock tin,
1kg sugar (probably part coopers brewing sugar, part brown sugar)
6L apple juice
made up to 23L

By all accounts, adding some real apple juice counteracts the tendancy of the kits to taste watery.

T.

I have read on this forum that the apple juice has to be no preservatives but is it ok to use juice that is 99.9% apple juice containing food acid, flavour, colour, etc or does it need to be 100% apple juice? Does anyone know of a brand that is definately 100% apple juice?

The 99% ones contain citric acid and ascorbic acid (vit. C), which although not named as such are there to act as preservatives, however, at the levels they're present in won't inhibit the yeast.

T.

Im going to have a look at the HBS this week so any more recipes would be great

Timmsy, try this. I have just bottled this and it is very good.
8x2.4ltr Long Life Apple Juice
1kg Raw Sugar
.500gm Dextrose
.300gm LDM
200gm Lactose
1 Satchet Lalvin Champagne Yeast.
Bring 1 ltr water to the boil with fermentables and Lactose, add cooled Apple Juice and fermentables and pitch yeast. Don't worry about temp too much as the yeast will work from 15c -35c. I had mine set at 18c.Took around 2.5 weeks to ferment but is very good.
Cheers,