Cider from bought juice

[brewer_bob]

Started my second batch of cider from bought apple juice, after bottling the first batch, yesterday. This second batch is using the yeast from the first. All going nicely and I'm looking forward to the results.

Has anyone had any experience of fermenting bought juice, or have any recommendations?

 

[graysalchemy]

Welcome to the forum Brewer bob. :thumb:

There is plenty on the forum about juice cider ot turbo ciders. One thing worth pointing out is that the juice you are fermenting is desert apple juice and not cider apple juice. Dessert apples do not have much tannin or malic acid in them both of which are important to give the right flavour profile. You need to add 1 tsp of each per gallon. It does however depend on what you are used to drinking, if you like proper west country ciders then definately add them but if you are used to drinking more run of the mill mass produced ciders then you could cut back a little on them. Cider will ferment out dry so if you want sweeter then you can back sweeten with artificial sweetners.

Don't be tempted to add sugar to increase the ABV all you end up doing is diluting the flavour of what will already be a fairly insipid taste.

Finally give it time cider improves no end by being aged in bulk and also in the bottle, at least a couple of months in bulk and a couple in the bottle.

:thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

[quote="brewer_bob"
Has anyone had any experience of fermenting bought juice, or have any recommendations?[/quote]

It's a huge subculture...
Several HowTo threads on it on this very forum...

My personal preference is Suma apple juice concentrate, the acid balance is spot-on, the taste is excellent, and as it's a concentrate you can get more apple per gallon (though it does up the ABV a bit).

 

[brewer_bob]

Thank you both for your replies. I will explore both of your suggestions and undoubtedly many more as I read through more of the forum!

 

[simmo3801]

It's a huge subculture...
Several HowTo threads on it on this very forum...

My personal preference is Suma apple juice concentrate, the acid balance is spot-on, the taste is excellent, and as it's a concentrate you can get more apple per gallon (though it does up the ABV a bit).

Where do you get the Suma from?

 

[oldbloke]

Hippyfood shops.
They'll likely have only the organic version in - unnecessary expense.
Order a slab of 6 500ml non-organic bottles (or even the 5l container if you're going to make a vast amount) and use the fact it'll be in and out in hours with no shelf space wasted to get a 10% discount. Where I shop, Suma deliver on Thursdays. If you're near Halifax, you can get it fro their warehouse.
My standard recipe for 1 gallon is 500ml Suma, 500ml ordinary AJ, 500ml Cranberry, 1tsp tannin, 1 tsp nutrient, yeast.
For special occasions you can use a bit more of any of the juices....

 

[Boatbrewer]

The last couple of batches, I have added half a litre of pineapple juice for each 5 litres of apple. You cant taste the pineapple but it really adds to the apple flavour. I am guessing its all to do with the acidity.

 

[simkin]

The last couple of batches, I have added half a litre of pineapple juice for each 5 litres of apple. You cant taste the pineapple but it really adds to the apple flavour. I am guessing its all to do with the acidity.

Nice tip. I'll try that next batch :)

 

[Lampie]

I make also add pomgranate juice it gives the cider a nice colour and a nice taste. also found some pomgranate raspberry juice that i added to my apple juice. Just bottled it so needs a bit more time to prime and then have a taste :). I always use 4 parts AJ and 1 part other juice.

 

[brewer_bob]

I just finished some apple with cranberry. Although I mistakenly bought cranberry juice 'drink' it didn't have anything dodgy in it and worked out OK.

I'm going to give apple and pineapple a go next but at 1:3 ratio as five litres won't fit into a demijohn.

 

[Lampie]

mixing the cider with an other juice takes a bit longer in secondary. I usually leave it for at least 3 months the taste and colour improve a lot :)

 

[Bud]

I notice on here it mentions ageing in bulk for a couple of months plus. Would this be ok to do in a 25l PET container if so could you cap it for ageing or would it need to be under airlock. I would be using tannin but no malic acid in this batch.