Turbo Cider - Some newbie Advice needed please

[funstuie]

Helllo All,

I have managed to scrounge a couple of manky old demijohns off the local freecycle to make a batch of Turbo Cider.

I have read so many different recipes on the net that's getting a bit confusing. I want to make up a batch to bring back home to Ireland at Christmas. My dad is a cider drinker and he would be impressed with a homemade variety to try over the festive season.

He really like Magners (Bulmers in Ireland) or Strongbow so I would like to make up a batch with similar tastes. If mine goes well and he likes the taste I have no doubt he will try his own.

So I have the 2x demijohns (which need a really good clean) and I have also ordered 2x 5g packets of champagne yeast, 1x demijohn brush, 100g of youngs steriliser and 2x plastic bubblers and bungs from ebay. Due to the current Royal Mail strikes I have no idea when I will ever receive this lot. I have about 10x 1L plastic bottles (Tonic Water bottles) would these be OK for bottling?

What else do I need to get to get up and running with this? Is any one brand of apple juice better than others?

And lastly can someone post a/the recommended Turbo Cider recipe?

 

[Aleman]

Simple answer is you will be fine with what you have ordered . . . Using champagne yeast could result in a mouthpuckeringly dry cider though so you may have to sweeten back.

Juice . . . use what you like, I just buy whatever's cheapest in the supermarket . . .aiming for something that contains 110-120g of sugar per litre (for around 5-6% abv)

Recipe . . . 5L of apple juice . . . Yeast . . . Done
Put 4L into the demijohn add yeast . . . add airlock . . .wait . . . when fermentation slows down top up to the shoulder with the remaining apple juice.

When clear bottle . . . you PET Bottles are fine for short term storage.

If the cider is too dry . . . when you pour it add some apple juice to sweeten it.

 

[funstuie]

Simple answer is you will be fine with what you have ordered . . . Using champagne yeast could result in a mouthpuckeringly dry cider though so you may have to sweeten back.

Juice . . . use what you like, I just buy whatever's cheapest in the supermarket . . .aiming for something that contains 110-120g of sugar per litre (for around 5-6% abv)

Recipe . . . 5L of apple juice . . . Yeast . . . Done
Put 4L into the demijohn add yeast . . . add airlock . . .wait . . . when fermentation slows down top up to the shoulder with the remaining apple juice.

When clear bottle . . . you PET Bottles are fine for short term storage.

If the cider is too dry . . . when you pour it add some apple juice to sweeten it.

Thanks for replying mate.

Couple of questions.

Why are the PET bottles only OK for short term use?

Also is there anything I can add at the start (or along the way) to make it less dry. I am not looking to make a really strong (alcohol) Cider but I have read online about others adding yeast etc to sweeting it up.

 

[MEB]

Simple answer is you will be fine with what you have ordered . . . Using champagne yeast could result in a mouthpuckeringly dry cider though so you may have to sweeten back.

Juice . . . use what you like, I just buy whatever's cheapest in the supermarket . . .aiming for something that contains 110-120g of sugar per litre (for around 5-6% abv)

Recipe . . . 5L of apple juice . . . Yeast . . . Done
Put 4L into the demijohn add yeast . . . add airlock . . .wait . . . when fermentation slows down top up to the shoulder with the remaining apple juice.

When clear bottle . . . you PET Bottles are fine for short term storage.

If the cider is too dry . . . when you pour it add some apple juice to sweeten it.

Thanks for replying mate.

Couple of questions.

Why are the PET bottles only OK for short term use?

Also is there anything I can add at the start (or along the way) to make it less dry. I am not looking to make a really strong (alcohol) Cider but I have read online about others adding yeast etc to sweeting it up.

Yep, BIN THE CHAMPAGNE YEAST. A small clue here is that it's called champagne yeast. If you use it DON'T CARBONATE your cider. It'll end up like babycham or some similar fizzy nondescript stuff. I've used champagne yeast a few times cos I bought 4 packs. Wish I'd just thrown it away rather than ruining some TC with it. Also used S04 for cider-YUK, MEGA YUK. If you want decent tasting cider use cider yeast. :thumb:

 

[granda]

i found to make a better cider i used pressed apple juice out of aldi(its a little dearer but not much), it gives a much nicer taste.after fermentation and stablizing (very important or your bottles may explode) i had 5l to each bottle i added different strengths af simple syrup(40g,50g,60g,70g,and80g)i drank each one and then decided which one i liked best(40g and 50g).i didnt clear the cider as the apple juice was cloudy to begin with.

 

[funstuie]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The problem I have is there is nowhere local (south east London) where I can get homebrew supplies so I am stuck ordering from the internet and with the current state of the postal system I have receiving nothing.

The local wilkos has one small shelf for homebrew stuff and they never have any yeast in stock.

 

[funstuie]

One last question.

My local Tesco always has the fresh apple juice on offer as it reaches sell by date. This is supposedly "pure" apple juice with nothing added but it also has bits. Would this stuff be OK for TC?

 

[tubby_shaw]

The local wilkos has one small shelf for homebrew stuff and they never have any yeast in stock.

Ask at the helpdesk in your local Wilko they will order in yeast etc for you