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Manitude

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
52
Reaction score
18
Location
Near Chester
Just thought I'd briefly introduce myself :hat:

I've been attempting to brew cider* for nearly a year now, though only started taking it more seriously in the last month or so...and I thought it would be good to have somewhere to ask a few questions from time to time.

I'm currently based in Lancaster for most of the year (term time), and Cheshire for the rest.

I guess I'm mostly going to be making cider, though I've acquired a twenty year old (or thereabouts) tin of "geordie scottish export", and I found a few interesting wine recipes I'd like to try too.

When I'm not drinking/brewing/thinking about doing either of the previous two I study physics.


*I believe the term for what I've been doing is "turbo cider": supermarket apple juice, caster sugar and, sin of sins, baking yeast, in 2L lemonade bottles/5L water bottles. I've since acquired a 25L FV, demijohn and currently have an On The Rocks kit doing its stuff in there. Hoping to start shifting it into another large container in the next few days. I'm putting it off because a) it smells slightly sulphurous although this has reduced in the last few days, b) I have a cold and chest infection - I'm worried I'll end up adding dangerous bacteria to something I will be drinking if I start using my siphon. To add to this misery, my antibiotics mean I can't drink, even if I could taste properly.
 
Thank you all for the kind words :D
I'll be heading over to the cider forum soon-ish to discuss my current batch!
 
Cononthebarber said:
Hello and welcome :cheers:

Get well soon and then you can get the brew and the drinking on proper :thumb:
Cheers. I'm starting to feel human again, only getting coughing fits once or twice a day.

Ah yes, I have missed drinking although having a week off is probably good for the old liver. I managed to acquire a decent bottle of vodka on the cheap while I was coming back from Geneva this summer which I've yet to even open, so I'm looking forward to knocking some of that back ;)
 
Manitude said:
*I believe the term for what I've been doing is "turbo cider": supermarket apple juice, caster sugar and, sin of sins, baking yeast

Just my opinion:
Dump the sugar, it doesn't need the extra strength; get some very strong tea in there, for tannin; use 1/2l pomegranite per gallon - I've been trying various juices for the last 1/2 l, just tried my first one with pomegranite and it's far and away the best for a while. Although - it was made with .5l Suma concentrate + 1l AJ, rather than 3.5l AJ, so it's more apply than standard too.
It's funny, but any yeast seems to work for TC. I wouldn't like to claim any as 'best' but I mostly use young's cider yeast.
 
oldbloke said:
Manitude said:
*I believe the term for what I've been doing is "turbo cider": supermarket apple juice, caster sugar and, sin of sins, baking yeast

Just my opinion:
Dump the sugar, it doesn't need the extra strength; get some very strong tea in there, for tannin; use 1/2l pomegranite per gallon - I've been trying various juices for the last 1/2 l, just tried my first one with pomegranite and it's far and away the best for a while. Although - it was made with .5l Suma concentrate + 1l AJ, rather than 3.5l AJ, so it's more apply than standard too.
It's funny, but any yeast seems to work for TC. I wouldn't like to claim any as 'best' but I mostly use young's cider yeast.
Interesting. I'm probably going to be purchasing a couple of 1G bottles to experiment with this weekend so I can potentially be attempting this tomorrow...I think I ought to be able to get pomegranate juice from the supermarket and we've always got tea bags in. Won't they make the colour very dark though?
 
Use the tea bags just to add Tanninn to the cider. Make a strong black cup of tea with 5 tea bags soaked in boiled water for half an hour, throw the tea bags away and add the " juice " to your cider brew.
Or add 1tsp of Tannin powder from the wine shop.... :tongue:
 
Manitude said:
oldbloke said:
Manitude said:
*I believe the term for what I've been doing is "turbo cider": supermarket apple juice, caster sugar and, sin of sins, baking yeast

Just my opinion:
Dump the sugar, it doesn't need the extra strength; get some very strong tea in there, for tannin; use 1/2l pomegranite per gallon - I've been trying various juices for the last 1/2 l, just tried my first one with pomegranite and it's far and away the best for a while. Although - it was made with .5l Suma concentrate + 1l AJ, rather than 3.5l AJ, so it's more apply than standard too.
It's funny, but any yeast seems to work for TC. I wouldn't like to claim any as 'best' but I mostly use young's cider yeast.
Interesting. I'm probably going to be purchasing a couple of 1G bottles to experiment with this weekend so I can potentially be attempting this tomorrow...I think I ought to be able to get pomegranate juice from the supermarket and we've always got tea bags in. Won't they make the colour very dark though?

Not especially, my last lot came out the colour of strong urine, which OK is darker than a lot of commercial cider, but looks perfectly OK to me.
 
oldbloke said:
Manitude said:
oldbloke said:
Just my opinion:
Dump the sugar, it doesn't need the extra strength; get some very strong tea in there, for tannin; use 1/2l pomegranite per gallon - I've been trying various juices for the last 1/2 l, just tried my first one with pomegranite and it's far and away the best for a while. Although - it was made with .5l Suma concentrate + 1l AJ, rather than 3.5l AJ, so it's more apply than standard too.
It's funny, but any yeast seems to work for TC. I wouldn't like to claim any as 'best' but I mostly use young's cider yeast.
Interesting. I'm probably going to be purchasing a couple of 1G bottles to experiment with this weekend so I can potentially be attempting this tomorrow...I think I ought to be able to get pomegranate juice from the supermarket and we've always got tea bags in. Won't they make the colour very dark though?

Not especially, my last lot came out the colour of strong urine, which OK is darker than a lot of commercial cider, but looks perfectly OK to me.
I can live with that then. Going out to sainsburys and my local brewing shop later to get some supplies. :D
 

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