Glad to see this thread here, as I am still waiting for my request to start a On the Rocks cider review.
I made a batch of this stuff up after my sister saying she really wanted to try the home brew, but didnt really like beer, saying she is onto the flavoured ciders from the likes of Kopperberg. So I bought this kit and made it as per the instructions. The result really is the dogs nadgers. It tastes alsolutely lush at bottling, when it is still flat and has its priming sugar and colouring/flavouring mixed in. A bit like an alcopop! For some reason, I needed about 5 bottles less to bottle it in, compared to a usual 5 gallon batch.... :whistle:
Once its conditioned in the bottle, its an excellent drink. Have given away a lot of this to family and friends to try and they cant seem to get enough of it. In fact, when I went back to the local brew shop for another kit, they had run out of it, such had been the demand.
Have since made a Spiced Apple kit and a Blueberry kit, both from the same range. The spiced apple is a bit of an acquired taste, and akin to a bramley apple pie, and not so popular. The blueberry is possibly even better than the raspberry and lime and is again going down a treat with all who try it! Its especially popular with the ladies.
To clarify for the making of it, you siphon it out of the kirn into another clean (sterilised) container and stir in the priming sugar and the little sachet of colouring / flavouring that comes with the kit. Then bottle it from that container, seal and condition in the usual way. Clears lovely - The Raspberry and Lime to a subtle pink blush, the Blueberry to a more vivid pinky purple.
It is a bit powerful, but then I was maybe a bit cack handed with the sugar..... :whistle: Have known some alleged hardened drinkers to be wasted after 3 bottles of it! :rofl: