Wilkinson Apple Cider

[Deaconbrau]

I've made this several times now and it always goes down a storm.
It can seem to take a long time to ferment (in comparison with beer kits) and is in no way ready in three weeks as claimed on the label.
However the results are surprisingly nice, especially brewed slightly short to 20l. It seems to to have a slight haze, which adds to the scrumpy feel and it definately improves with age.
It is really easy to make and the detritus made a firm cake at the bottom which made racking nice and simple. The predicted 5% abv was surprisingly accurate with plenty of scope for more experienced brewers to tinker with and improve to their own taste.
I generally brew for friends and currently have three fermenters on the go to meet the requests for my next re-enactors fair.
They can't all be wrong can they?

 

[wardy86]

Pleased to see good comments about this kit as I currently have one on the go. I also brewed short to 20L with 1kg of brewing sugar and 6L of apple juice from concentrate. Got SG of 1050 and took 3 Weeks to ferment out and got a surprising FG of 1002. I racked to secondary a few days ago to try and help it clear before bottling. Had a quick taste and was happy with the strong dry flavour it gave.

This is my first cider kit and will be putting the Wilko Forrest Fruits on tomorrow.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I got two of these in the sale. £7 a pop.
I have been reading in the us about Graff and decided to do an all grain with the cider kit.
I thought it better to try it with a kit than 23 litres of Aldi apple juice.
It should be a laugh anyway whatever happens. :)

1 wilco 40 pint cider kit
3kg Crisp malt
800g wheat malt
250g caramalt
0.5oz willamet hops
5g Nottingam yeast
1 whirlfloc tablet

1.5 hour mash @65c
1 hour boil
OG 1053
It smells gorgeous.

 

[harrysachs]

brewed this last sunday,had a quick look to see how fermentation was going,all good,yet there was a strange sulphur type smell alongside the usual brewing smell,is this normal? the "eggy" smell only lasted for about 40 seconds :hmm:

 

[Clint Eastwood]

brewed this last sunday,had a quick look to see how fermentation was going,all good,yet there was a strange sulphur type smell alongside the usual brewing smell,is this normal? the "eggy" smell only lasted for about 40 seconds :hmm:

Sulphur is normal mate. Just make sure you allow it to sit a while after fermenting to let the yeast clean up after itself. The yeast is having lots of fun and gorging itself.

 

[Deaconbrau]

I've found that with all the Wilko's cider kits. They all smell quite chemically at first, but it does fade.
Also, if you can rack into a secondary fermenter as recommened, you will notice the difference.

 

[Deaconbrau]

I added a spoon of pectolase into each of my last two kits.
A week after final botling and it is crystal clear and looking lovely - Just like you'd expect to see on a supermaket shelf.
I'd reccomend this for all Wilko Cider kits as they're based on the same juice...

 

[stanglish]

When do you add in Deacon?

 

[Deaconbrau]

I just add it in at the beginning while mixing the original kit. It happily dissolves along with the sugar.

 

i just had to chuck one of these wilkos apple ciders down the drain all 40 pints...
after waiting 3 months it was like vinagar ...
every bottle ...

i have another one on the go as we speak ...
i hope its better ...

that was the only kit iv had to throw away ...
im not impressed...

my sanitisation was very good ...
so dont no what went wrong ...
if this other one goes the same way...

ill not ever do one again.. .

regards mick... :hat: .

 

[Deaconbrau]

Oh you've had a nightmare there Mick!

Its never nice to have bin a whole load

 

Oh you've had a nightmare there Mick!

Its never nice to have bin a whole load

i no iv never had to bin any before and the worst bit is i dont no why it was like it ... :? .

regards mick... :hat: .

 

i bottled my other wilkinson cider today .. :thumb: .

i think this one is going to be ok :pray: ...
well it tasted ok so fingers x ...

regards mick... :hat: .

 

[Deaconbrau]

Looks fantastic Mick!
Glad you've had a bit more luck this time! :grin:

 

Looks fantastic Mick!
Glad you've had a bit more luck this time! :grin:

thanks bud...
im so happy this one is ok .
just have to play the waiting game now

then its :drink:

regards mick...

 

[Ken L]

I did the pear version and my only advice to anyone thinking of doing the same os DON'T !

It is simply vile with an overpowering smell and taste of chemical pear drops - isoamyl acetate and ethyl acetate.

I will shortly be tipping the whole lot down the drain.

 

[grogmonster]

Hi Im just going to going to rack off into a king keg after 3 weeks of fermenting. the drip on the end of the hydrometer tasted great even tho i did get it down to 1.003. hope its ready for Xmas with you saying it gets better with age..
Momdego Reserve medium dry rose on next.

 

[Lesinge]

Like Mick, this is the only brew, in 25, that I have had to throw away. Not sure what the issue was but after tasting great for the first couple of weeks in conditioning the bottles started fountaining like they had an infection. Never had one before and because I ensure really deep cleanliness, I can only think I had fruit fly activity at some stage.

Have got another one so will try that to see if I can get one to work.

 

[Lesinge]

An update to this kit. The one that started to fountain I believe was down to me adding too much sugar to the bottles – can’t be totally sure but that is what someone else said on the web. These I dumped.
So I did another one back in late September. Kept the sugar level down to one half teaspoon per bottle and it was fine and didn’t fountain at all when sampled after about three weeks in the bottle but was very cloudy. I assumed that it would always be that way.
After two months or so in the bottle it was clearer but very very dry and not that pleasant unless you really like a dryness that makes you want water..
After four months it was still sitting in the garage and I wondered if it should go as I could use the bottles for something else. Had one final taste and well…it is great! As good as a commercial cider (I am not a big cider drinker but have had a number of different types in my life) and as clear as one too.
The dryness has gone as has the cloudiness and now I have to keep my hands off it as my wife would like to have some in the summer. So I will buy another one (and try out the Fruits of the Forest and Pear too) and leave for at least four months.

 

[yason2004]

I have just finished brewing one of these kits, and being my first atempt at brewing I followed the instructions exactly. It has been in the pressure barrel for a few days now, and although it should be left a few weeks I have sampled a small amount. It is very watery, is this something that will improve over time?