Turbo cider & Hydrometer help!

[Dicky]

hi all! i am going to make my first TC very shortly, maybe thinking about putting some berries in there for a bit of flavour.

i only have gallon containers at the moment, so only small quantities to start with
my recipe is going to be roughly as follows:

4.5 litres apple juice (i have a netto nearby, might see what they have)
youngs super yeast (thoughts please, only stuff i can get atm)
if i decide to go down the fruit line some mixed red berries, pressed and extract the juice (would i need to boil/ CT these?)
tannin (probably tea)
citric acid (does this add a tang or take the tang away?

ive looked through the forum, and online, but i need a chart to help me use my hydrometer. can anyone link me up with a post/website to understand how to use this effectively? i understand to make fizzy cider i need to stop it before the yeast ceases, enabling the sugar you prime bottles with to use?

im probably going to give one batch a bash without the hydrometer to see what happens, then use my headache the next day to gauge alcohol %!!!!

cheers guys, Rick

 

[HLA91]

Dont know of a site for Hydrometer instructions as I use my book, but google gave me this, use google I would http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/hydrometer_use.htm.
I would say CT teh extracted fruit juice, I have heard boiling can cause difficult pectin hazes, make sure you do use pectolase though. :thumb:
To make fizzy cider you dont need to stop the yeast, let it ferment out then when you bottle prime with 1-2Tsp of sugar and stand in a warm place for 7 days (not hot) then the yeast will feed on the sugar and give of gas carbonating your bottles. I would use 2L pop bottles as well

 

[Dicky]

that website is a great help, and their calculator page looks good too! http://www.grapestompers.com/calculations.htm

yeah i forgot the pectolase, ive got that too. i understand this stops haziness? but if i didnt use fruit i wouldnt need pectolase, correct?

im using plastic bottles as i cant get my hands on many glass bottles. im using mineral water bottles, still ones, but i guess these will be ok.

what about this young's super yeast? am i going to end up with a high alcohol, tasteless mess? it says especially for high alcohol. im not bothered about high %, but its the only stuff i could get, bar bread yeast!

whatever results im sure i will drink anyway, and the fun is trial & error. id just prefer as least error as poss!

any other funky ingredients you can recommend to give interesting flavours?

 

[HLA91]

Right lets break this down

yeah i forgot the pectolase, ive got that too. i understand this stops haziness? but if I didn't use fruit I wouldn't need pectolase, correct?

Correct, fruit contains pectin so therefore you should use pectolase. bear in mind some fruit ie Bananas contain starch so then you need to use amylase.

im using plastic bottles as i cant get my hands on many glass bottles. im using mineral water bottles, still ones, but i guess these will be ok.

I would say so just take it easy on the priming. For 2L bottles I would estimate no more than 2 Tsp so 1Tsp per L

what about this young's super yeast? am i going to end up with a high alcohol, tasteless mess? it says especially for high alcohol. I'm not bothered about high %, but its the only stuff i could get, bar bread yeast!

No. The alcohol % depends on the amount of sugar present.
The more sugar the more the yeast has to feed on the higher the sugar. Plain TC without additional sugar is around 4-5% but you would need to check how much sugar is in the juice you are using. There is nothing wrong with the Young's Super Wine yeast (SWY).
As for using bread yeast that can leave a bad taste if I remember correctly so best to avoid that. Young's Dried active yeast or SWY will do you, then you can move onto other ones if you fancy a change ie Cider yeast :thumb:

 

[evanvine]

As it is your first TC, don't mess about!
4.5 ltrs super market apple juice, 1 sachet cider/white wine/champagne yeast.
Ferment 10 days!
Add 2 tbl spoons Splenda, tea from 1 T-bag and 1 campden tablet.
Bottle in 500ml PETs and store for min 8 weeks.
You will NOT need sugar, pectolas or yeast nutrient!
After that you can start experimenting as you will now know what the basic TC tastes like. :thumb:
Try here for advice on using Hydrometers, TS seemed to know what he was talking about on this occasion!

 

[Dicky]

HLA91, cheers for your advice! i have a fair idea of what to do, i bought a very comprehensive home brewing book from the charity shop next door for 50p! i just need guidance from experience which i guess books don't do.

evanvine, i think you're right. my first batch i should just make it a trial run to get experience. rather than mess around with fruit i could add a carton of different juice i guess?

i need to go to the supermarket and buy some cheap mineral water, empty it and use the bottles for my cider! ive just set another wine kit going so one DJ is used up! i keep looking in my charity shop for DJ's but no luck!

you guys have been a fantastic help!

Rick

 

[Wraeccan]

i need to go to the supermarket and buy some cheap mineral water, empty it and use the bottles for my cider!

If that's what you're doing, don't! Buy super cheep lemonade bottles instead. The higher pressure rating of the bottles will be a huge benefit if something goes slightly wrong. :thumb:

 

[Dicky]

ok thanks for that. i guess the ribbed sides of mineral water might be weak. i also read somewhere you should squeeze all the air out before you put the lid on, allowing a space for CO2 to build up, this correct?

Rick

 

[HLA91]

No problem Dicky, my first TC was vanilla (ie plain) then with 1 mug of tea then my 3rd was with 250g of sultanas, 1/2 chopped and 1/2 whole.

 

[Dicky]

how much did the tea alter the taste?

 

[HLA91]

To be honest I cant remember. IIRC Tesco AJ produced a nicer TC than Asda which also foamed everywhere, my sultanas TC is refusing to clear so I might just bottle it anyway as I need the DJ back.

 

[evanvine]

how much did the tea alter the taste?

Initially it tastes quite sharp/bitter, but matures after several weeks to balanced mellow flavour, much improves the TC.

 

[Dicky]

well, ive gone against my better judgment. ive made a batch 3.5 litres apple juice, one litre raspberry & cherry juice (straight from fruit, unsweetened)

put a scoop of pectolase in, half a spoon nutrient, and teaspoon young's super wine yeast. after about an hour i had a nice froth at the top which is bubbling nicely. should i keep mixing this in as all the activity is at the top of the DJ, nothing in the rest of the juice? or will the yeasties find their way through the whole lot? getting one big bubble every 20 seconds or so.

however this turns out im going to drink it, i will just perfect it next time of anything goes wrong :)

rick

 

[pjbiker]

should i keep mixing this in as all the activity is at the top of the DJ,

No, you dont need to mix it. The yeast will do it's job

 

[bluebell]

First TC was going like the clappers when I went away on Monday today Wednesday whilst I can still see a few bubbles around the top the airlock appears to have stopped completely (WOW beside it has also stopped) could this be a reaction to the extreme heat here in SE? Should I test SG to see if it really has burned itself out? ps it is only about a week old.

 

[bluebell]

Just measured SG at 990 so bottled most with a little sugar and a couple with a little apple juice to see what happens. Have to say it tasted excellent after a few weeks in the bottle it should be magic - cant wait!

 

[Dicky]

hi guys, the cider is slowing right down now after a few days, one bubble every 30 seconds.

i just have a question regarding bottling. i understand i have to prime the bottles with sugar, but if i have racked it off, would there be any yeast in the cider to continue fermenting in the bottle? i thought it all sinks to the bottom thats all. or is there a little inactive yeast suspended? or should i bottle it before fermentation ceases?

cheers, Rick

 

[evanvine]

but if i have racked it off, would there be any yeast in the cider to continue fermenting in the bottle?

More than enough, panic not! :thumb:

 

[Dicky]

excellent! i was just a bit puzzled that's all. its slowed right down so im going to leave it another week or so, which i presume won't do it any harm, rack, prime, bottle, drink! how long before the "fizz" is imparted after bottling?

Rick

 

[evanvine]

how long before the "fizz" is imparted after bottling?

1 week at room temp, then as many as you can in the cool!