Recent content by Anton

I'll have another look - thank you.

The missus has a couple of crab apple trees as part of a flower garden. Never occurred that I might use them for this - thank you.

Did he say where he got the apples? My own scrat and press efforts in my garage made an awful mess, but gave me unpasteurised juice, presumably with wild yeast. I'm considering getting juice pressed by local farmers, but they say they are obligated to pasteurise it, so no wild yeast.

I had a few of those in my shopping trolley a week ago, intending to use them for cider. I know ascorbic acid is an acceptable additive (anti-oxidant), but I believe there are other things some manufacturers add (preservatives) which make it unsuitable for cider. I scrutinised the carton on...

Interesting. Did you just let the wild yeast on the apples do it? My very first attempt at going the whole hog, using windfall apples that I collected, also had no added yeast. After 4 years, to my surprise, it turned into a very palatable cider, have gone through a really rough patch.

Thanks @Scrattajack - I found a Wikipedia article which sounds like the one you referred to - very interesting. The leaflet that came with the culture suggests 2-4 weeks - is that your experience?

Thanks for all the replies. I've set the apple jiuce down in clear containers to let most of the particles settle out, after adding the pectolase. Haven't started the brewing yet - too cold. I'll try the chalk in my next batch - thanks @johncrobinson . I agree that clear juice would work better...

Thanks for that - I've ordered the first of the two products, expecting it soon. Presumably one adds the MLF culture after the main fermentation has ceased? Another question, if I may? Do you clarify your cider, or leave it hazy/cloudy? I love the colour of the cleared cider, and it seems to...

@Scrattajack i didn't know there was a culture that would do it. What is it called?

Thanks @Clint . I did think of something along those lines, but I was hoping there was a way to reduce the tartness without making it sweet. I guess I really want to reduce the acidity (raise the pH), rather than mask it with sweetness. And prevent the next batch from being too tart, if possible.

I've been making turbo cider (cloudy apple juice from Sainsburys, ascorbic acid additive, EC-1118) for a couple of years. The second batch is drinkable, and my wife kindly says she likes it, but I find a bit tart (but thankfully not vinegary). I added half a dozen oak chips per 5 litres to this...

That was most informative - thank you. I've ordered te filter kit, due Wednesday. I've just checked and found that EC-1118 works down to 10°C, so I'll start a new batch of mead now. Do you have any recommendations for the honey? I used Bulgarian wild flower honey.

Thanks for all that detail @johncrobinson - very kind of you! My brewing place is a repurposed old Argos wardrobe in our garage. Even with a cupboard warmer on "high", it's around 13-14°C now, which I believe is a bit too cool for yeasts? Hence the plan to wait for warmer weather. it sounds...

Thank you - that's very useful. Looks like it's going down the sink, and I'll have another crack at it after winter. Is adding tartaric acid a better option than hoping the raisins will do it? I did, incidentally add yeast nutrient - Young's diammonium phosphate, ammonium sulphate. I had...

Thanks @johncrobinson .The brew is a few weeks past first ferment - is there any point in adding the acid now, or should I just write it off as a failed experiment and pour t down the sink?