Quick and simple Cider - Epic Fail

[rossc0]

Hi All,

I have made a simple cider twice now.

From this recipie -
5ltr water bottle - emptied
4.5 lts Tesco Value apple juice
250g sugar
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp nutrient

Sanitised everything as per instructions every time, thing is I used some free yeast when I bought Pat mack's brewing caps, the OG was good at 1068 and the FG was 1002.

I bottled it for a couple of weeks and it tastes horrible - really bitter

So I did another one - used mollasses sugar - OG was 1090 FG was 1000, real strong and again used Pat mack's yeast but tasted really bitter and not nice. (500g sugar used on this one).

So I have some youngs yeast to try another one this week.

Has anyone else used that Pat mac's yeast????
Is it worth leaving the racked bottles? Will they improve?

On another note - used a coopers IPA kit 2 weeks ago and hopped it with challenger - it is pure amazing..7% and a lovely colour and nice wee heid too!

rossc0

 

[iceo]

i use that set up for my cider. you need to back sweeten with splender and or only brew for 4 days then chill as the yeast makes a dry cider. i dont add any sugar just use whats already in the apple juice. you could try adding 1L of a cranberry juice drink or some thing along those lines as it is already sweetened.

 

[rossc0]

i use that set up for my cider. you need to back sweeten with splender and or only brew for 4 days then chill as the yeast makes a dry cider. i dont add any sugar just use whats already in the apple juice. you could try adding 1L of a cranberry juice drink or some thing along those lines as it is already sweetened.

cheers! :thumb:

 

[Kinleycat]

I made a similar recipe a month or three back.
I put most into a cornie and the surplus into bottles.
The stuff in the cornie took an age to clear but was really nice, the stuff that went into primed and backsweetened bottles was crystal clear and (initially) very chemically in both smell and taste (polar opposite results from the same brew.)
The cornie eventually cleared (though not as clear as the bottles) and was a really nice drop, the bottles though in the end was better.
Crystal clear and the chemically taste vanished after about 4-6 weeks, so maybe if you leave it long enough it will sort itself out!! :thumb:

 

[rossc0]

appreciate the feedback cheers, I notice you have a coopers european larger on the go - me too, let me know how yours turns out...

I made a similar recipe a month or three back.
I put most into a cornie and the surplus into bottles.
The stuff in the cornie took an age to clear but was really nice, the stuff that went into primed and backsweetened bottles was crystal clear and (initially) very chemically in both smell and taste (polar opposite results from the same brew.)
The cornie eventually cleared (though not as clear as the bottles) and was a really nice drop, the bottles though in the end was better.
Crystal clear and the chemically taste vanished after about 4-6 weeks, so maybe if you leave it long enough it will sort itself out!! :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

Can't find any info on what sort of yeast the Pat Mack stuff is, so that may be the problem.
Or maybe when you sanitised those caps you didn't rinse enough...
Turbocider does want a bit of an extra dimension if you're not doing secondary malolactic fermentation so you want to get something else apart from apple juice in it - I like cranberry or blueberry or cherry, at 1/2l per gallon. Doesn't taste of what it is at that level, just helps broaden the flavour from the AJ. Those are juices, not "juice drinks", so all their sugars also ferment, and therefore you may want to add a little Splenda to sweeten slightly (though I like it dry)

 

[rossc0]

Oldbloke - is there a post on secondary MLF? I need to know more i feel....

Thanks for the feedback too!

rossc0

Can't find any info on what sort of yeast the Pat Mack stuff is, so that may be the problem.
Or maybe when you sanitised those caps you didn't rinse enough...
Turbocider does want a bit of an extra dimension if you're not doing secondary malolactic fermentation so you want to get something else apart from apple juice in it - I like cranberry or blueberry or cherry, at 1/2l per gallon. Doesn't taste of what it is at that level, just helps broaden the flavour from the AJ. Those are juices, not "juice drinks", so all their sugars also ferment, and therefore you may want to add a little Splenda to sweeten slightly (though I like it dry)

 

[Kinleycat]

appreciate the feedback cheers, I notice you have a coopers european larger on the go - me too, let me know how yours turns out...

Its excellent!!! well worth the messing about trying to keep it cooler.
Without doubt this is the most lagerish of all the lager style kits i have brewed. :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

Oldbloke - is there a post on secondary MLF? I need to know more i feel....

Basically you need to use a yeast known to carry the lactobacillus, or buy a culture, and give it lots of extra time for the bacteria to do their stuff.
Check the HowTo section for GraysAlchemy's post on recovering suitable yeast from a bottle of Old Rosie

 

[Tyronnster]

I'm currently doing European lager lol

 

[wilsoa1111]

agreed, prob mix of funky yeast and not leaving long enough. temperature being too high might be a issue aswell. ideally use top quality champagne yeast (keep cool, if in doubt below room temp) and leave for a good bit of time in the bottle.

 

[Gayle]

Personally I haven't liked the ciders I've made with added sugar, although they get ya super-drunk, sugar dilutes the apple flavour. I'd leave out the sugar in future, so you can get an idea of what it's like on it's own. You probably need tannin too, which is added either in powder form (available from homebrew shops/online/forum sponsors etc), or as a small mug of horribly strong tea (two teabags in the mug, cover and leave for half an hour is what I do, or use teapot leftovers). This helps give mouthfeel to cider, rather than flavour, but improves it very much.

However, if you leave your stronger stuff for 6-12months, you may find that it tastes fantastic then - time can do a lot for yuck cider, but maybe next time use a reputable yeast too.

 

[iceo]

i think the yeast is a cider/champagne as i was told it dont make a very good ale, i found you get a better cider if you keep the temps quite low 16-18c, a mug of tea and juice of half a lemon or lime really helps,

 

[rossc0]

thanks Gayle - great info and advice....

Personally I haven't liked the ciders I've made with added sugar, although they get ya super-drunk, sugar dilutes the apple flavour. I'd leave out the sugar in future, so you can get an idea of what it's like on it's own. You probably need tannin too, which is added either in powder form (available from homebrew shops/online/forum sponsors etc), or as a small mug of horribly strong tea (two teabags in the mug, cover and leave for half an hour is what I do, or use teapot leftovers). This helps give mouthfeel to cider, rather than flavour, but improves it very much.

However, if you leave your stronger stuff for 6-12months, you may find that it tastes fantastic then - time can do a lot for yuck cider, but maybe next time use a reputable yeast too.

 

[iceo]

i have had an message back from pat macks homebrewing caps about there yeast.
hope it helps

The yeast provided with the kits is a bespoke champagne yeast strain. I chose to provide a champagne yeast strain for its higher alcohol tolerance. It works as a good all round yeast but more specific yeasts could be used to provide better quality drinks. Here's a bit more info from my website:

"It’s a very resilient strain of yeast from the Champagne region of France that is quick starting and is clean and neutral. It gives a consistently strong fermentation, and has a HIGH alcohol tolerance (up to 22%). As i mentioned it is well suited for home brewing Champagnes, wines, ciders and beers, and many more drinks, as well as secondary ferments, restarting stuck fermentation, and late harvest wines. Temperature range tolerance is around 6-35°C."

I should add that it's flocculation level isn't as high as other yeast strains but this is normal for a champagne yeast.

The beer yeasts provided with the beer kits are Gervin English Ale yeast and Muntons Beer yeast.

I hope that helps.
Kind Regards,
Pat Mack.

 

[oldbloke]

So, the yeast isn't the problem.
And you didn't add tannin which most of us do, yet it's bitter. Hmmm
You do mean bitter and not sharp? It's always sharp when young.
Maybe the Tesco juice isn't great for TC, but I think I recall other people using it OK
Maybe you just need to let it age

 

[iceo]

iv not a problem with my yeast from pat mack's . i use tesco, asda, lidl and aldi apple juice but a few tea bags helps a lot. it comes out a some where between strongbow and stowford press after a few weeks in the bottle