Thinking of giving a cider kit a go

[-Bezza-]

As the title says, I'm thinking of giving a cider kit a try to give an alternative to beer over the summer months and until my apple trees are anywhere near big enough to harvest.

Mangrove Jack seem to have a good range and I like their [beer] yeasts so tempted with one of them. Can't find much in the way of review on here, so wondered what the experiences were and if this was a good starting point. Or indeed if there are any other kit suggestions? Looking for good flavour of course, and generally prefer my cider to be medium dry.

Can I just use my beer FV or is this a bad idea? I'm assuming I can get rid of any residual flavours and yeast with VWP but worth checking.

To serve, I'm thinking I would force carbonate in a corny keg. Again, just wanted to check this isn't a bad idea.

Looks like cider kits ferment out pretty quickly. Is it the same as with beer and you want to leave it at least two weeks for the yeast to tidy up after itself, even if fermentation appears to have finished, or is that less of an issue with cider?

Thanks in advance.

 

[-Bezza-]

And having read the reviews of the various cider kits, it doesn't look like any are much crack.

Looks like a turbo cider is the way to go!!

 

[Clint]

I was about to suggest that! Get to asda...20 or so litres of smart price pure juice,some nutrient,a 6 tea bag black tea and a pkt of yeast...not sure if I put citric acid in last time..have to check my notes..but dead easy and very nice!!

 

[-Bezza-]

I was about to suggest that! Get to asda...20 or so litres of smart price pure juice,some nutrient,a 6 tea bag black tea and a pkt of yeast...not sure if I put citric acid in last time..have to check my notes..but dead easy and very nice!!

Thanks. Looks to all be a similar cost and could do a smaller batch as a tester first. Hadn't thought about the yeast nutrient but that's a good point.

When you say our juice, I'm assuming the juice that contains a bit of antioxidant and flavourings is ok? Would probably use this in any case, which is "100% juice"

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-apple-juice-2l

Thinking I might do an apple cider and then back-sweeten with some apple and elderflower.

 

[GerritT]

Thanks. Looks to all be a similar cost and could do a smaller batch as a tester first. Hadn't thought about the yeast nutrient but that's a good point.

When you say our juice, I'm assuming the juice that contains a bit of antioxidant and flavourings is ok? Would probably use this in any case, which is "100% juice"

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-apple-juice-2l

Thinking I might do an apple cider and then back-sweeten with some apple and elderflower.

Bulldog has some nice ones: one with berries and one with pear.

 

[-Bezza-]

Bulldog has some nice ones: one with berries and one with pear.

The Bulldog one was one of the ones that at least got some favourable reviews, but even then it was a bit of a mixed bag: https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/bulldog-mixed-berries-cider-review-brew.50571/

Given I vaguely know what I'm doing with fermentation, I think a turbo cider probably makes more sense.

 

[Leon103]

Another thumbs up for a TC. Got one on the go now. Apple and Cranberry.

 

[britton]

Another thumbs up for a TC. Got one on the go now. Apple and Cranberry.

Same here

 

[Drunkula]

These articles about yeast choice might be of use. I've got wlp002 / London ESB 1968 / cultured from Fuller's beer yeast so might try a turbo cider again. The ones I did before were ok but nothing amazing.

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0001/5982/Cider_Yeast_Comparison__final_.pdf

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/results-from-juice-yeast-and-sugar-experiments.83060/

 

[Frogbrew]

I do loads of tc's, but I find the On the rocks kits are a great kit (Richie's I think). The strawberry n lime being my favourite. Around £20 delivered.

 

[dad_of_jon]

As the title says, I'm thinking of giving a cider kit a try to give an alternative to beer over the summer months and until my apple trees are anywhere near big enough to harvest.

Mangrove Jack seem to have a good range and I like their [beer] yeasts so tempted with one of them. Can't find much in the way of review on here, so wondered what the experiences were and if this was a good starting point. Or indeed if there are any other kit suggestions? Looking for good flavour of course, and generally prefer my cider to be medium dry.

Can I just use my beer FV or is this a bad idea? I'm assuming I can get rid of any residual flavours and yeast with VWP but worth checking.

To serve, I'm thinking I would force carbonate in a corny keg. Again, just wanted to check this isn't a bad idea.

Looks like cider kits ferment out pretty quickly. Is it the same as with beer and you want to leave it at least two weeks for the yeast to tidy up after itself, even if fermentation appears to have finished, or is that less of an issue with cider?

Thanks in advance.

I've used MJ's cider yeast 3 times and love it. Mango & Pineapple was especially refreshing.

 

[BeerCat]

I found a crate I made 18months ago. Tastes great with some juice, no tea bags or nutrient.

 

[Mavroz]

I'm not really a cider fan but made a kit up maybe June time last year, for others when we have bbq's.

Anyway bought this kit and followed instructions.

https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/ciderworks-superior-apple-cider/

Fermented, Carbonated, left to sit until end of August, then tried it. At first it seemed fine, a bit tart and tangy. It also had an odd taste, a funny taste, possibly the artificial back sweetener?

Anyway, I put it in the back of the garage with the other beers and didn't touch it again until November time. The funny taste and now a smell were definitely still there, maybe because cider isn't my thing, I don't know.

Forgetting about it until a couple of weeks ago, in truth I was going to open the 40 ish bottles and dump the contents as bottles are getting tight again building the beer stock.

Cracked open a bottle, noticing it was more than crystal clear, it looked like a shop bottle of cider. Poured into a glass, not expecting much. First sniff, apple smell, the odd whiff that was there was gone, apparently. Braved up and took a good mouth full and well, the change is unreal. The cider is now very nice to say the least. On the sweet side, lovely apple taste.
Had another with ice in the glass to chill down, even the mrs said it was nice.

So, rambling on, from making the cider up, it has taken pretty much a year to come good, wintering in the cold garage etc, it is now a good cider in my opinion.

Hope this helps.

 

[electronurd]

I really don't think you can go wrong with the Turbo Cider recipe that is pinned in the cider recipes sub-forum. The only difference for me was to use a cider yeast with sweetener:

https://brewmart.co.uk/yeasts-for-h...ast-sweet-for-home-brewing-5031174300028.html

I brewed some for the first time following the instructions and a few youtube videos for help and it has turned out lovely and I have only just bottled it so I'm sure after a few weeks i'll be more than happy with the end result. By way of comparison I had some thatchers gold the other day and my other half said "when yours carbs up, it will taste better than this!" and I think she may be right. I'm going to brew a second batch this weekend.

If you would like a fruit flavoured cider (which is what I am doing next in a few demijohns) i've heard you cant go far wrong by using the TC recipe and adding a perservative free syrup of your choosing.
There is a Polish brand called Lowicz that I found in my local sainsburys. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/263204408

Or

You could use the following syrups from Monin
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Moni...hash=item2cd823d237:m:ms8UOZ5CPTR3i7lvEP7sFVQ

Not tried them yet but as you can see from their flavours.... the world is your oyster. Blackberry to Toffee Nut (in time for Christmas).