Bramley Apple Cider

[MJP]

I tried to make cider from our Bramley apples last year, and it didn’t work - the fermentation was short and sharp, and I was left with something which although alcoholic tasted of vinegar.

I’m assuming that the problem was relying on Bramley apples alone so this year I was thinking of adding a sweeter dessert apple or Supermarket apple juice.

Any recommendations please?

 

[Graz]

I'm led to believe that the juice from cooking apples can give you the sh*ts quite badly as can eating them uncooked. I expect the same to be true if turned into cider but maybe not.

I think you can add a quantity with other apples to add a tartness to the overall cider but you don't want many.

Shame really as we have a cooking apple tree in the garden and some years it fruits very heavily.

 

[Cwrw666]

I made cider last year from mostly cooking apples plus about 30% Tesco's apple juice. It was drinkable but definitely inferior to even straight turbo cider. I've heard others say 20% cookers is ok but no more.

 

[Clarence]

I tried to make cider from our Bramley apples last year, and it didn’t work - the fermentation was short and sharp, and I was left with something which although alcoholic tasted of vinegar.

I’m assuming that the problem was relying on Bramley apples alone so this year I was thinking of adding a sweeter dessert apple or Supermarket apple juice.

Any recommendations please?

Only vinegar tastes and smells like vinegar and the flavour is quite distinctive. A cider made from all bramleys, though, will be sharp enough to strip the skin off your teeth without there being anything technically wrong with it apart from the apple mix. If it hasn't turned to vinegar, and if you keep it for several months, the acidity will soften as the malic acid changes to lactic acid. Whether it will soften sufficiently is another question.

 

[Sneedhearn]

We made a very small batch (5L) of cider last year with 80% Bramley and 20% Katy. The result turned out to be crisp, sharp and very dry which I quite like, but the sharpness is not for everyone that's for sure.

 

[MattH1973]

i'm sure if cider tastes of vinegar then it has oxidised somehow, so check you are keeping everything airtight.

Most of my cider comes from cookers, and neither the raw juice nor the cider adversely affects my (excellent and very regular, touch wood) bowel function.

 

[Vindicator]

To say you cannot make good cider with bramleys is not true. Mine is 100% Bramley and I entered my small batch production it in to a show winning a higher medal than many commercial producers using more traditional apples.

Bramleys are very acidic and lack tannin - did you make any adjustments?

the vinegar is certainly oxidation not the apples.

 

[Mikey Pee]

To say you cannot make good cider with bramleys is not true. Mine is 100% Bramley and I entered my small batch production it in to a show winning a higher medal than many commercial producers using more traditional apples.

Bramleys are very acidic and lack tannin - did you make any adjustments?

the vinegar is certainly oxidation not the apples.

Hi. Interesting to read about your Bramley cider and great to hear it's winning medals! We have a Bramley and various eaters in the garden and I've been experimenting with various ratios over the last 4 years with mostly very satisfying results. I've also experimented with yeasts but have gone back to the wild yeast method as I think it gives a more pleasing multi-dimensional funky taste. Apart from adding crab apples, I haven't experimented with any additions. I like it but some folks find it a bit sharp / acidic so I'm curious to know how you balance the acidity and lack of tannin in your method if you'd be happy to share? Thanks.

 

[Vindicator]

Hi. Interesting to read about your Bramley cider and great to hear it's winning medals! We have a Bramley and various eaters in the garden and I've been experimenting with various ratios over the last 4 years with mostly very satisfying results. I've also experimented with yeasts but have gone back to the wild yeast method as I think it gives a more pleasing multi-dimensional funky taste. Apart from adding crab apples, I haven't experimented with any additions. I like it but some folks find it a bit sharp / acidic so I'm curious to know how you balance the acidity and lack of tannin in your method if you'd be happy to share? Thanks.

i make a few small adjustments to pH (bring up to 3.2/3.4 from 2.8/3.0, add wine tannin (0.5 tsp per 5L), bump sugar levels up to 1.055 with dextrose if I need. Yeast is Gervin cider yeast.i try and ferment slow and low (otherwise whatever temperature garage is, so at this time of year could be 0-12 degrees. I tend leave in secondary for 3/4 months to mellow a bit then at least 1-2 m in bottle.

i plan to not cheat as much in future by adding some Kingston black apple Juice from a tree I just bought.

but saying that… one of the best I ever made was NOT altered at all. pH2.8, SG 1.040 and bottle conditioned such that it came out very light and acidic much like an apple Prosecco.