Son likes Westons Cloudy Still Scrumpy

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knapman

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Son wants me to try & copy Westons Cloudy Still Scrumpy,whats the best
way to do it.
Do i just buy a kit & let it ferment to a stop then bottle it including
the yeast with some Sorbate or is there any way to improve the kit.
Anyone know of a kit which is similar to Westons.
Have only 3 gallon tub so a smallish kit would be best.
Completely new to all this so please be patient with me. :(

Bob
 
the best way...and it's still pretty easy...

First, you need to get a few bottles of Old Rosie. Leave them to settle out, and you'll notice a layer in the bottom of the bottle. you need to pour the bottle off (into your glass/mouth etc) and leave a lot of the sediment in the bottle - the slurry from a couple of bottles will be enough. Blend them together, add some sugar, make it up to about 300ml and cover it loosley. you'll notice it starts fermenting - this is old rosie yeast, and imperitive to the flavour.

after that, just buy 3 gallons of apple juice and ferment it using this yeast. Add 1tsp malic acid to the blend. After a couple of months, it will form a white layer - this is malo lactic fermentation, which is what gives your cider the farmhouse taste.

I realise this is a lot of work, so it's up to you really. There are scrumpy kits, but they're just cloudy apple cider kits, and won't taste "scrumpyish."
 
May I add that you need to add 1 tsp per gallon of malic acid and 1 tsp per gallon of tannin. You will need to culture up a a yeast from old Rosie which you can do by following my how to here

Westons ciders undergo malolactic fermentation in which malic acid is converted by bacteria to lactic acid and more importantly a whole host of 'aromas' of the farmyard variety. The old rosie yeast is infected with the bacteria so growing a culture from this will give you an authentic Westons yeast and the MLF bacteria. Unfortunately the Westons Cloudy still is pasteurized and though does have yeast in it it is all dead.

The reason for the malic acid and Tannin is to make the carton apple juice similar to cider apples.

You will also need to give it plenty of time it will probably need 3-6 months bulk maturing before bottling. You will get a white film on it if it is undergoing the MLF. Probably the most important step in making a scrumpy style cider.

Hope that helps.

:thumb:
 
Thanks for the in depth answers,i think he has a long wait (he wanted it for Christmas!)
When you say carton apple juice will that be "made from concentrate" or does it
need to be pure unadulterated juice?

Bob
 
No from concentrate is fine as long as it is 100% apple juice with no water or artificial sugars. :thumb:
 
from concentrate is fine - just needs to have no additives except for vitamin c. anything with "sodium" or "potassium" in the name on the ingredients will probably make it a no-no.
 
Hi Guys,
Sorry if i'm being a bit dense here,
would I carry out the first section here in a demijohn with an airlock, if so how long for?
And would I then transfer it to a fermenting bin?, and syphon off through the white head in 6-9 months.
Sorry pretty new at this game and could really do with all the help i can get?

Thanks in advance.
Jellboy
 
Hi guys - this is great advice, just what I was looking for. I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions:

- Do I actually need a demijon, or can I do the whole thing in a fermenting bin before bottling?
- To give it a slight sparkle (a la bottled Old Rosie), would I just prime bottles as for sparking wine? (I've only ever made elderflower champagne before)

Thanks a lot!

Dave
 

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