OK, quick recipe :
Morrison's 'value' apple juice, cider yeast, yeast nutrient, sugar.
I added a packet of yeast and the nutrient to 4 litres of apple juice in a 5 gallon FV on day 1, then added 4 more litres each day for the next 4 days, making 20 litres in total (I read this as a recipe to keep more of an 'apple' taste and avoid it becoming over dry).
Gravity after all the apple juice was in (not really SG, as fermentation had already started) was 1070, which dropped to about 1002 over a week.
At this point I racked it a couple off times over the next week and then added another 4 litres of apple juice, as to my tastes, it was still a bit too dry.
After another 24 hours, I bunged half of it into 2 litre bottles 'as is', then the following day, I bunged the rest into bottles with 3 teaspoons of sugar in each.
As there was still a bubble going through the ailock every 5 minutes or so, I thought I'd get a fizzy cider out of it - and that's been the case!!
I've only tested the 'unprimed' stuff - and even though it's still a bit cloudy (and sediment is still collecting in the bottom) it's a CRACKING drink!!
Perhaps a touch on the dry side, but the addition of 25% of apple juice per glass makes it into a drink that's more than a match for the only commercial cider that I like (Magners).
Question for the experts - how long can this stuff be stored for?? Is it likely to 'go off'?? I've not used any preservative (if such a thing exists) so I've no idea.
I'd like to store it to see if it improves, although I'm more than happy to just drink it...... :
Morrison's 'value' apple juice, cider yeast, yeast nutrient, sugar.
I added a packet of yeast and the nutrient to 4 litres of apple juice in a 5 gallon FV on day 1, then added 4 more litres each day for the next 4 days, making 20 litres in total (I read this as a recipe to keep more of an 'apple' taste and avoid it becoming over dry).
Gravity after all the apple juice was in (not really SG, as fermentation had already started) was 1070, which dropped to about 1002 over a week.
At this point I racked it a couple off times over the next week and then added another 4 litres of apple juice, as to my tastes, it was still a bit too dry.
After another 24 hours, I bunged half of it into 2 litre bottles 'as is', then the following day, I bunged the rest into bottles with 3 teaspoons of sugar in each.
As there was still a bubble going through the ailock every 5 minutes or so, I thought I'd get a fizzy cider out of it - and that's been the case!!
I've only tested the 'unprimed' stuff - and even though it's still a bit cloudy (and sediment is still collecting in the bottom) it's a CRACKING drink!!
Perhaps a touch on the dry side, but the addition of 25% of apple juice per glass makes it into a drink that's more than a match for the only commercial cider that I like (Magners).
Question for the experts - how long can this stuff be stored for?? Is it likely to 'go off'?? I've not used any preservative (if such a thing exists) so I've no idea.
I'd like to store it to see if it improves, although I'm more than happy to just drink it...... :