Magnum pear cider kit

[brenmcc1]

For crimbo I got a magnum pear cider kit. This will be my first ever attempt at a homebrew so go easy! Now the instructions state that I should put in 2kg of sugar. I read somehere that I could replace this with apple juice. Is this true? If so how much? ... Maybe it could lead to a more unique taste.

 

[A T]

Good luck with your first brew :thumb: I'm afraid i'm not much help as i'm not a cider maker/drinker but the apple juice sub for sugar sounds about right to me. I'm sure somebody who knows about this will be along soon :

 

[Jonnyv]

Go to your local supermarket and find the cheapest 1 litre 'value' apple juice cartons from concentrate. Check the side of the carton and it'll tell you how much sugar is in it. If I remember correctly Tesco value apple juice has about 250g per litre - so four of these for 1kg of sugar.

 

[NickW]

Sounds like a good idea... BUT, I'm sure the apple juice will change the flavour or the brew to an extent.. It will probably be a nice cider, but you may get a pear/apple magnum cider!

Also, if you do decide to do the apple juice idea, make sure its 100% juice with no preservatives!

 

[brenmcc1]

I've just gt back from Tesco to read your post. By chance I happened to buy 12 cartons of juice. Each contail 27.8g per 250ml so 111.2g per carton. Reading the leaflet again it sais to add 1.3KG of sugar so works out roughly 11 and a half cartons :thumb: perfect :)

So i'm going to end up with a pear/apple cider...

Would I still need to add the same amount of water it sais to use or should I just top it up to 5 gallons?

 

[brenmcc1]

crE - Thanks for the tip, I got the same juice as pictured with BrewStew to be on the safe side. :)

 

[NickW]

Good stuff!

For next time, I can guarantee the value apple juice is just fine, no preservatives or anything.. It'll save you a little cash - to be honest, I think its the same stuff, just in a different carton!

 

[Jonnyv]

I've just gt back from Tesco to read your post. By chance I happened to buy 12 cartons of juice. Each contail 27.8g per 250ml so 111.2g per carton. Reading the leaflet again it sais to add 1.3KG of sugar so works out roughly 11 and a half cartons :thumb: perfect :)

So i'm going to end up with a pear/apple cider...

Would I still need to add the same amount of water it sais to use or should I just top it up to 5 gallons?

Ah I slightly overestimated how much sugar was in each of those cartons. Thanks for posting the value tho :)

This is how I would start the kit:

1. Sanitise fermenting bucket & all other equipment (spoon, hydrometer etc). [/*:m:16dhkcsd]
2. Stick the can of pear concentrate into a bowl of hot water for ten minutes, this helps it soften up a bit so it comes out the can better.[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
3. Open the can using a sanitised can opener. [/*:m:16dhkcsd]
4. Pour the concentrate into your fermenting bucket and rinse the can out with boiling water - be careful as the tin conducts heat rather well - use oven gloves when handling the tin.[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
5. Now add your 11 or 12 apple juice cartons - get some good splashing going to aerate your juice.[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
6. Top up with cold water to the 5 gallon mark. [/*:m:16dhkcsd]
7. Stir vigorously with a plastic or metal spoon to mix all the ingredients well[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
8. Take a hydrometer reading[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
9. Give the juice a good thrashing with a sanitised plastic/metal spoon to oxygenate your juice[/*:m:16dhkcsd]
10. Check the temperature of the juice (make sure it's less than 30 degrees) then put the packet of yeast in. [/*:m:16dhkcsd]
11. Snap the lid on the bucket and leave a little gap for CO2 to escape. [/*:m:16dhkcsd]

You should see a nice yeast head after 24-48 hours and it'll be done fermenting in 7 to 14 days depending on temperature. Try and keep it around 20 degrees.

Any other questions, just let us know :)

Jonny

 

[BrewStew]

that's all cracking advice guys :thumb:

 

[brenmcc1]

Thanks for all the advice. I've been ill lately so i'm a tad delayed in taking the next steps however I have just finished sticking it all in the fermenter :)

I did change my mind about the juice though and used the sugar instead as I couldnt find pear juice anywhere and thought this could be my only chance at 100% pear so i'll keep the apple for TC which i'll try next.

Anyway,

temp is around 26C

and my first hydrometer reading was 1.042(I think I read it properly)

Any idea is this is a good/bad thing?

 

[NickW]

Watch the temperature, dont let it get any higher. It may be better to keep it at around 20'c-21'c if possible.

 

[brenmcc1]

ok, thanks...ill keep it in my room which is around 20...

 

[A T]

Room temperature needs to be around 18 if possible because the fermenting liquid generates a few degrees of heat itself. When you hear people speak of fermentation temperature they are usually talking of wort temperature and not air temperature

 

[brenmcc1]

right, i better buy me another blanket then!

 

[brenmcc1]

ok so its day 6 of my brew and it the fizzing seems to have settled alot. I just took a hydro reading and its in the yellow bottling limit but not quite at 1.000 yet. The thing is I have tasted a little and its horrible!!!!

Should it be like that? - Should I have even tasted it? I have to go away untill Sunday evening so i wont be able to rack(if this is the correct term) it untill then, so I hope i wont harm it. I'm going to stick it in a few plastic pop bottle things(the big ones of course)

 

[NickW]

I found the taste wasnt too pleasant at first. Resting it a month or two does improve it, and its a drinkable cider.

I dont want to push you but... take a look at the turbo cider brewday thread :thumb:

 

[brenmcc1]

It doesn't smell or taste nice to be honest :S

I've seen the TC thread and as soon as I get this I'll start filling it with apple juic for a bash at that.

 

[Jonnyv]

Sulphurous smell?

 

[brenmcc1]

Yes it is kind of like that. A few days in I found a piece of plastic inside which I don't know where it came from! I think that might have contaminated it and now it's gone off.

 

[Jonnyv]

If it smells like bad eggs, don't worry. Perfectly normal for some yeasts to kick off a right nasty smell - it will dissipate with time. Leave for a few more days, 10 days in the fermenting bucket should do the job to clear up any nasty whiffs.

So leave it alone for a few more days and the smell should go. I've found this with a few kits, some lagers I've made and some wines. Eventually the smell goes.