Making cider for wedding favours...first time brewer

[calumscott]

Thanks calumscott for your help :)

sorry for all the questions.
ive just ordered 3 kgs fo brewing sugar for the 2 kits. Does this go in with the original mix and then i use normal sugar when bottling?
Do i have to use bottled water or is tap ok?

I was planning of replacing 2-4 litres of the water with fruit juice, I.e raspberry juice for rasberry and lime kit and mixed fruit juice for mixed fruits kit, would ocean spray juice be fine? do i need to adjust for the sugar by using the juices?

the kits say 23 litres but am i better in making them up to say 20 litres for more flavour?

thanks

As a first time brewer, I would heartily recommend brewing them straight. Until you know what you're going to get from a kit what will you do by trying to change it?

Remember Ritchies will have spent a lot of time and money formulating the kit to produce something that is palatable to the consumer. Start adding stuff and you are into unknown territory. Who knows what it'll taste like? And with a 12 month lead time, you don't have time to find out that it didn't work...

What will you do by trying to change it? You'll introduce risk. You'll have enough stress on you nearer the time without having to replan and refinance different favours.

Brew them straight and carefully. The only place where you should deviate from the instructions is time. AT LEAST two weeks in primary irrespective of what the kit says. :thumb:

 

[RobWalker]

i agree calum. everybody wants to get creative early on, but when you're supping on 40 pints of fruity cider, you realise it's not worth it until you have a grip on it :lol: