deanac19738
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Hi all, im looking at doing a 5 gallon batch of cider. i dont really want to go n buy 22/23 cartons of juice. is the a way to do it but with less juice . ty
5 gallon hard cider
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graysalchemy
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Why don't you want to use just cartons. Cider is purely apple Juice, no sugar or water. The only additions you should make is tannin and malic acid if you are not using the juice of real cider apples. If you wanted to cut back on the apple juice and just use sugar and water you will get a very insipid cider, apples are delicate enough at the best of times and you need 100% juice to give it a fighting chance to have any flavour. You could sub out some of the apple juice for another juice of you liking.
Feel free to try it with less juice but trust me you will be disappointed with the results.
:thumb: :thumb:
Feel free to try it with less juice but trust me you will be disappointed with the results.
:thumb: :thumb:
Tankboi
Well-Known Member
I'm in agreement with GA on this one, due to the fact that despite good advice on here I tried anyway and ended up throwing 2 DJs away as undrinkable...
Live an learn eh?
I suppose the first suggestion may work haven't really looked into it.. But I don't imagine it being a cider..
Live an learn eh?
I suppose the first suggestion may work haven't really looked into it.. But I don't imagine it being a cider..
The Suma concentrate works well, but with the price of it there's no point except to get more apple in the brew by diluting it less than you would for drinking as juice.
It does have the advantage you can buy it in 5l containers though, and there's a good price break there. That's equivalent to something like 35l of AJ IIRC.
It does have the advantage you can buy it in 5l containers though, and there's a good price break there. That's equivalent to something like 35l of AJ IIRC.
deanac19738
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I still want do use cartons but i was wondering can i do say 20 litres of it with say 12 cartons n topping up with water or does it have to be juice for the full quantity.
screamlead
Landlord.
I use dimes and Jucy here both are 100% Apple juice and both make a decent cider too. I am currently testing two different batches one with jucy and champagne yeast and the other with dimes and cider yeast.
I usually use 12 cartons of juice
1 ltr of strong turkish tea
3 ltr boiling water with 2 kg sugar dissolved
1/2 ltr warm water with 4 x pectolase, 4 x malic, 4 x nutrient
Yeast
Top up to just above the shoulder with cold water in a 19ltr water bottle add an airlock and off it goes.
Also just started off a 10ltr batch of fresh pressed apples too and its off like a rocket. :
I usually use 12 cartons of juice
1 ltr of strong turkish tea
3 ltr boiling water with 2 kg sugar dissolved
1/2 ltr warm water with 4 x pectolase, 4 x malic, 4 x nutrient
Yeast
Top up to just above the shoulder with cold water in a 19ltr water bottle add an airlock and off it goes.
Also just started off a 10ltr batch of fresh pressed apples too and its off like a rocket. :
deanac19738 said:
the more apple the better. try just over half pint of juice and top it to a pint and see what it tastes like. :sick:
if you only want to use 12Ls then brew 12L and dont top up it water. :thumb:
or if you dont want to open that many 1L cartons , lidi sell juice in 2L cartons :whistle:
deanac19738 said:
Some people do that, and add sugar (to the amount that would have been in the missing juice). An awful lot of us reckon you just don't get enough apple in it that way though.
Considering what you get out of it, using the full volume of juice isn't expensive.
I do use some-other-juice for around 10% of the volume though, to make it a bit more interesting than you get with just apple. Current favourite is cherry.
It does feel a bit silly lugging 23+ cartons of apple juice to the till in a supermarket, and you do need a car or taxi to get them home! But it's worth it, rather than diluting the juice. The cartons are often displayed in boxes of 12, so you just need to lift two boxes really! You can always pick up a few more later in the week to top up the bucket if you need to. My buckets are about 30l volume, so I usually top up as much as I can to get the most cider out of a batch, remembering extra tannin and acid if using. If a supermarket queries why you're buying so much apple juice (Lidl have a notice up saying they won't sell if they think you are buying for a company, but I've never been questioned), just say you're turning it into cider and they will be amazed 
You might be able to buy juice in larger quantities from a farm shop or local orchard who makes their own juice. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the 2l Lidl AJ cartons are 100% juice - always check, as they may have added water, sugar and sweeteners you don't want.
Cider made with drinking apple juice can taste a bit plain and thin as it is - adding water and sugar will produce an alcoholic drink, but not necessarily a nice one! If you want an easier option (although opening and pouring 2 dozen cartons isn't too hard), you could try a kit cider to which you add water and sugar to make it up to the final volume.
You might be able to buy juice in larger quantities from a farm shop or local orchard who makes their own juice. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the 2l Lidl AJ cartons are 100% juice - always check, as they may have added water, sugar and sweeteners you don't want.
Cider made with drinking apple juice can taste a bit plain and thin as it is - adding water and sugar will produce an alcoholic drink, but not necessarily a nice one! If you want an easier option (although opening and pouring 2 dozen cartons isn't too hard), you could try a kit cider to which you add water and sugar to make it up to the final volume.
RobWalker
Well-Known Member
I shouldn't worry what the girl at the checkout thinks. she can think what she wants when you're drinking 5 gallons of good cider :lol:
(btw, Americans call what we call Cider Hard Cider, and what we call Cloudy Apple Juice is what they call Cider.)
(btw, Americans call what we call Cider Hard Cider, and what we call Cloudy Apple Juice is what they call Cider.)
Tankboi
Well-Known Member
I like to think of it this way.. AJ costs around £1 per L so about £4-£5 for a DJ which is probably not even 2 pints in a pub.. And about £1 cheaper than buying 2L bottles of box standard cider. Yeah its an **** carrying it about but the end product is worth it.
Tankboi
Well-Known Member
Haha I did say about £1 meaning no more than £1 sainsburys basics never fail.
