Gaymers olde english recipe.

[Clint Eastwood]

Hi Guys,
I used to love Gaymers olde English cider in the brown glass bottles back in the 80's. The modern stuff seems to have changed and does not have that combo of sweet, bitter and tang.
Does anyone have a recipe with % of cider, cooking, dessert apples to come up with a brew with similar taste.
I have a bramley tree in my garden and a fruit press and was toying with the idea, you know how it is. :

 

[michaelaston]

The reason it dose not taste the same is because they no longer make it in attleborough norfolk in fact the orchards they had there is now all houses.

 

[graysalchemy]

Unless you have access to the apple varieties they used then its not going to be possible but a good cider can be made from carton apple juice. Search Turbo cider on here there is plenty about it, you can also make west country scrumpy styles as well. :thumb:

 

[Clint Eastwood]

The reason it dose not taste the same is because they no longer make it in attleborough norfolk in fact the orchards they had there is now all houses.

That will explain that one then. :thumb:

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Unless you have access to the apple varieties they used then its not going to be possible but a good cider can be made from carton apple juice. Search Turbo cider on here there is plenty about it, you can also make west country scrumpy styles as well. :thumb:

Thanks mate, I will do that.
I suppose the juice is blended anyway so will probably have a bit of everything in there which should ensure consistency.
This forum is great.

 

[graysalchemy]

No Cider apples are different to the apples the we eat or use in fruit juices.

In order to make it more like a cider you need to add tanin and malic acid both available at a homebrew shop or online. You need 1 tsp of each per gallon. You will also need 1 tsp of pectolase if you want clear cider and 1 tsp of nutrient won't go a miss. Ferment 100% juice no sugar or water cider is delicate enough in flavour without altering the balance with sugar. Then leave it well alone for a few months before bottling it.

If you want a west country cider you need to make sample of yeast from a bottle of Westons Old Rosie this is infected with bacteria which will cause Malolactic fermentation where the malic acid is metabolised to lactic acid and a whole bunch of other flavours and aromas which gives scrumpy cider its distinct farmyard twang. Again it needs to mature for 2-6 months or longer before bottling.

The scrumpy thing may not be your thing but just making the additions I suggested will make a far better simple cider than the Turbo Ciders you see on Youtube. :thumb:

 

[Clint Eastwood]

No Cider apples are different to the apples the we eat or use in fruit juices.

In order to make it more like a cider you need to add tanin and malic acid both available at a homebrew shop or online. You need 1 tsp of each per gallon. You will also need 1 tsp of pectolase if you want clear cider and 1 tsp of nutrient won't go a miss. Ferment 100% juice no sugar or water cider is delicate enough in flavour without altering the balance with sugar. Then leave it well alone for a few months before bottling it.

If you want a west country cider you need to make sample of yeast from a bottle of Westons Old Rosie this is infected with bacteria which will cause Malolactic fermentation where the malic acid is metabolised to lactic acid and a whole bunch of other flavours and aromas which gives scrumpy cider its distinct farmyard twang. Again it needs to mature for 2-6 months or longer before bottling.

The scrumpy thing may not be your thing but just making the additions I suggested will make a far better simple cider than the Turbo Ciders you see on Youtube. :thumb:

Thanks for that. : The last time I made cider it was a kit back in the 80's. It was dreadful even after maturing.
I had to add a vial called "Cider Hexo flavour" or something similar before bottling.
I'm really looking forward to trying this out. :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

If scrumpy ciders with a farmyard twang are your thing they are not hard to make but they need time and you need to get Malolactic fermentation going which can take a few months. You will get a brown scum forming on it but this is normal. You will also need to culture a yeast from a bottle of Old Rosie see here

It is worth it :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Clint Eastwood]

If scrumpy ciders with a farmyard twang are your thing they are not hard to make but they need time and you need to get Malolactic fermentation going which can take a few months. You will get a brown scum forming on it but this is normal. You will also need to culture a yeast from a bottle of Old Rosie see here

It is worth it :thumb: :thumb:

Thanks graysalchemy. A really good write up and interesting read. I am definitely going down that route. :thumb:

 

[markclitheroe]

to the person looking for olde eniglish in the brown bottle...i remember my dad buying it..i used to have a drink at Christmas..lovely..but now you cant find it anywhere..but there is a cider that tastes identical..called Henneys dry cider..i tried it from morrissons...shut your eyes and taste...olde english brown bottle !

 

[doyley]

I remember Gaymers Olde English well and have more recently supped a few
w bottles of Henneys dry Cider. I would have said that the Olde English was more medium than dry, but then it it a long time since I had any. Henneys Dry is one of my favourite bottled ciders.