Turbo Cider

[BrewStew]

Did a TC today along with the sake :party:

was nice and simple and only took 20 mins:

here's the stuff all ready to go (and some of the sake ingredients too)

i sanitised my trial jar, hydrometer, plastic spoon, in the fermenter...

popped the lid of one carton and took a hydro reading:

1.050.... hmmmm... that'll come out about 4-5% ish... lets push it higher..

1kg of sugar later and all mixed in the fermenter i took another reading:

1.064

that's better and shouldn't thin it out too much either.


Safale 04 yeast in, a good mix and

lid snapped on and into the bedroom for it to do its thing

at 73% ish attenuation, this should reach a Final Gravity of 1.016 and a respectable 6.3% :twisted:

 

[J_P]

at 73% ish attenuation, this should reach a Final Gravity of 1.016 and a respectable 6.3% :twisted:

Hmmmm 1.016 is awful high for TC in my experience, I reckon if you left it to go until it stopped it's going to end up somewhere around 0.990 which will be nearer 10% (ish)

 

[BrewStew]

really? i've never had one fall that low :hmm: mind you i probably never gave it chance as i racked it when it reached the yeasts apparent attenuation.

if i notice it going lower i'll rack and fine it to stop the yeast in their tracks like i did last time. last time i used S04 for TC i racked it at it's attenuation point and it was a nice 6.5% and still had the apple nose and flavour.. not thin at all and wasn't dry either i prefer a hint of sweetness to ciders :thumb:

thanks JP i'll keep a careful eye on it :thumb:

 

[Wez]

BS I agree with JP - TC can go very low :)

 

[Kingfisher]

Wonder what a TC and sake mixer's like

 

[Wez]

That sounds like the start of a scene from Casualty :shock:

Me and Mrs Wez have just shared a bottle of TC that I made a few weeks ago - just AJ and Youngs Cider Yeast - it's a winner :thumb: Crystal Clear and tastes great - dry but not too dry :thumb:

 

[A T]

You're drinking this for the next drinking competition Stew :lol: Seriously though do they look at you at bit strange in Tesco when you roll up to the counter with that lot? I'll be interested to hear how the sake turns out :hmm:

 

[BrewStew]

i ordered online... the delivery driver did wonder, but saw the fermenter i had ready and said "i wondered what you needed all that apple juice for" :lol:

no way am i drinking this at the next comp... besides, i believe you and MEB are the next up?

 

[A T]

MEB :? I believe he's contracted to Sky and i'm contracted to Setanta so i can't possible see how we could agree terms :lol:

 

[BrewStew]

:rofl:

cold feet mate? :lol:

 

[A T]

:rofl:

cold feet mate? :lol:

Not at all I think i need to step up a weight though and we'd have to split our timezones. Seems like a lot of work to get ****** up :lol:

 

[BrewStew]

bah it'll be worth it

and funny as feck from our point of view :lol:

 

[A T]

bah it'll be worth it

and funny as feck from our point of view :lol:

Ok i'll go into training camp tomorrow in an undisclosed position somewhere in Russia watching some idiot pulling tyres through the snow and lifting weights in sub zero conditions as i sup beers beside a huge log fire thinking about girls :lol: Luckily for you guys they have high speed broadband so i can keep you all informed of my progress

 

[BrewStew]

this ones not yet started fizzing

gave it a stir and will see what happens tomorrow

 

[BrewStew]

added another pack of yeast yesterday as i still saw no sign of action.

today it's fizzing away nicely :thumb:

 

[percival]

thats a mighty fine sized jar o' marmite mmmmm

did the delivery driver know it was going into a sake brew?

i'm curious, does a homebrew TC come out more like a cider or a scrumpy? much sparkle or not? depends on what you aim for and the method you use? does it need long to condition? As a kid i liked sweet ciders of course, then got more into dry as is normal. My wine tastes have gone the other way tho with me liking chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc (where's that kiwi guy who will know of many producers of yummy kiwi Sauvignon blanc), shiraz (rather than bulls blood, corvo and chateau neuf du pape) these days. I could be tempted into making a TC tailored to my taste as this seems to pass the quick, simple and quaffable criteria i so like. And i guess i could also put it in nice big wine bottles with a cork, or champagne type bottles if it has a neat sparkle?

 

[percival]

the bottle in the corner containing a dark liquid looks like it could become a very nice 1/2 gallon demijohn type thing (is that about a 1/2 gallon). ideal for those small wine brews (like my mint) or those extra litres left over after primary fermentation which could be used to make experimental small scale brews (done one myself with excess blackberries and a carton of orange juice). Tasted a bit weak at first racking tho. All it needs is a drilled lid, a small piece of siphon tube and an airlock. i wouldn't throw it away, but i do have strong urges to collect junk like that!

 

[BrewStew]

the bottle in the corner is a 3L robinsons blackcurrent bottle... and yes, i do keep and use them i've got one holding some left over Merlot in my bedroom :thumb: i use another to make the starter for the sake

TC's can be whatever you want.. sparkling, scrumpy style, dry or sweet. to control the sweetness though you'd need to rack it early (so would have to keep an eye on the hydrometer). but like i said earlier, i'm fairly sure the S04 yeast i used last time finished at it's normal attenuation level and didn't go lower, which left it a nice medium-dry and still had a hint of apple in the flavour and smell. it was crystal clear straight out of the fermenter after just 7 days. if you want it super dry, then champagne or wine yeast would do that job... but of course it would be falling down juice :drunk:

as for sparkling or still, that's just a matter of priming. add sugar to your bottles/keg for sparkling, dont for flat

 

[percival]

Thanks, good info, i'll stick it on the back boiler and see if it forces its way out into my forthcoming brew plans

 

[Frisp]

That will be mighty posh TC you made there stew wot with it being the expensive juice.
I have to say I prefer this TC lark to commercial fizzy.
Im a tight git and always use the cheap Tesco juice with youngs cider yeast and let it ferment out and rack it clear into a cornie after 3 weeks. Gas it up at 10C and 10PSi for another3 weeks Once you get past the 1st hazy pint its crystal clear and sooooo much better than blackthorn etc. Usually starts at 1.056 and ends up around 1.010. 5.6 ish% . lovelly with a nice curry or im my case singapore chop suey extra hot and spicy with curry sauce and chips in a container.
It may be a short life but it will be a happy one...