TC how to

[orange]

I fancy a go at Fermentalls best turbo cider to date. I however can't find the detailed "how to" for turbo cider. Can anybody point me in the right direction please?

Thanks

Neil

 

[31bb3]

Apple juice from concentrate supermarket cheapo stuff tannin or pint of strong cold tea cider yeast

 

[Mark1964]

there are loads of people who will tell you lots of different ways which all work but all we do is buy aldi apple juice cider yeast and 250g sugar. So you sterilise demijohn add juice dissolve sugar in pre boiled hot water add to juice add a cup of strong tea then sprinkle on yeast and thats basically it. Ferment under airlock till bubbles stop rack in to 1 pint bottles primed with 1 teaspoon sugar. Leave for a while :thumb:

 

[orange]

Ok. Thanks. I've got to go to Aldi tonight anyway so the AJ is sorted. Gonna do a batch and use one of my cornies for the first time.

Neil :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Depends on what you want. If you want a quck fizzy cider then just use apple juice and yeast. This will give a dry cider of about 6% and should be drinkable in 3-4 weeks. You can sweeten with artificial sweetner ie splenda.

However if you want to improve it and make a half decent cider, add 1tsp of tannin per gallon or make a cup of very very strong black tea, a tsp of malic acid per gallon and use a cider yeast. However the most important bit is give it time to mature after fermentation in bulk under airlock and in the bottle. I leave mine for at least 6 months.

 

[alphacento]

You can also use "better" apples juyces than the one from Aldi. I tried a couple of bio ones and it came it out better. They are slightly more expensive but they are worth it!

 

[oldbloke]

Lidl apple nectar is better than Lidl apple juice
Morrison's value juice is about the same as Lidl nectar
Earl Grey for the tea adds interest
Favourite yeasts so far: SB24, Gervin D

 

[graysalchemy]

I used a yeast which I harvested from a bottle of westons cloudy cider. It does make a difference along with adding tannin and malic acid. I have also used earl grey tea for the tannin which was good.

 

[Scorrie]

I've just made up a demijohn with 4ltrs cheap juice, 1/2 pint of strong tea and 250g sugar. Plus half a sachet of cider yeast.

Am I right in thinking it should be fermenting at around 20C? I've just put a bitter on to ferment and am planning on putting the cider in the same temperature area.

 

[oldbloke]

20C will be fine. I generally chuck in some yeast nutrient too, but if it looks to be starting OK, don't worry about it.

Also I make 2 demis at a time, with half a sachet each, as once opened I don't think the dried yeast stays viable all that long.
This also lets me make a slight difference between the two demis, to see what effect variations in the recipe make. Eg I just bottled a gallon of aj+cranberry+earlgrey alongside a similar gallon that also had 4 cloves in it. Sneak taste off the syphon says they'll both be nice, but the cloves are a nice extra (for when you're in the mood for that kind of flavour - with 4 in the gallon, clearly there but not _too_ upfront).

 

[Fergmeister]

+ 1 to the advice given so far. My first attempt was literally just 5 gallons of cheap Apple juice and yeast (I think I used youngs super wine yeast compound) and then some priming sugar. The sugar in the juice took mine to 6% so I was very happy with it (it isn't far off a sort of strongbow sort of taste). Apart from that its entirely up to you!

 

[Bluebottle]

I've got a demi-john of TC on the go at the moment. Thought I would try it out and I have to say I'm very excited. I feel like a big kid waiting for Christmas and love watching how it fizzes so much.

I just used cheapo apple juice, a mug of black tea and Youngs super wine yeast compound. Dead cheap and dead easy to get hold of. I haven't used any extra sugar as yet as I'm going to see what it is like then adapt accordingly.

It really is fierce at fermenting though. when I left for work this morning I was getting 3 or 4 bubbles a second but by the time I got home it was warm to touch and no bubbles or fizz. Thinking it had burnt itself out with the exothermic heat I thought I'd rescue it by topping up with more jucie and adding more yeast, how wrong was I? Less than 2 minutes after adding the juice its off again, 5 minutes later its almost bursting out of the top of DJ :shock: :rofl: I f***ing love it..

The sample in the trial jar calculated to 5.3% so by the time its properly done, and I give in and add some sugar it'll be a good strength tramp fuel. Didn't get to taste it though as my 10 year old daughter stole and drank the contents of the jar whilst I had my back turned putting the remaining juice in the fridge, little monkey.

:drunk:

 

[Dave1970]

I used a yeast which I harvested from a bottle of westons cloudy cider. It does make a difference along with adding tannin and malic acid. I have also used earl grey tea for the tannin which was good.

Probably obvious, but just wondering how you harvested the Weston's Yeast. Guessing from how I'd do beer I'd leave half an inch in the bottom of the bottle, swirl and tip into 500mls of apple juice, swirl to aerate then keep under an airlock for 4 or 5 days. Maybe add more AJ if the ferment starts to slow down. Does this sound about right?

Anyone know which supermarket ciders are suitable for this?

 

[graysalchemy]

That sounds about right, once you have got 500ml going you can transfer to dj with another 4l and your other ingredients. Once you have got that you can harvest it after primary and reuse or use in a 5 gallon batch. Remember the best way to keep a yeat cake is to put in a pet bottle filled with cider and a half a tsp of sugar and bottle condition. This way it is under co2 and won't get infected. I have got beer yeast cakes in 2l pets one from 5 months ago.

With regards to which supermarket cider you will be best trying a cloudy one. As long as they haven't been pasteurised they should be ok. I used a westons 'cloudy' infact it was crystal clear bar a thin layer of yeast on the bottom.

 

[Fergmeister]

I used a westons 'cloudy' infact it was crystal clear bar a thin layer of yeast on the bottom.

Would that be from a 2l glass bottle of scrumpy? I have of those at home and I am prepared to drink it in the course of an evening this week, purely in order to liberate the yeasties of course.

 

[graysalchemy]

Yes that would be worth a try. I had a 500ml bottle but I can't remember which one it was it may have been Old Rosie.

:thumb: