I don't actually like cider but...

[Darcey]

... my friends do. :

However what they call cider is something akin to Strongbow which has seen less of an apple than your average penguin. Back to the point!

In my LHBS while waiting for the owners to rapidly confuse fellow shoppers with dubious brewing lingo and tall tails I often find myself window shopping the kit cider section. Are they the same as the kit beers can and sugar jobs? If I wanted to make something passable as a 'cider' for my friends would anyone recommend one? I have a fairly good beer homebrew set up and most of the basics as well as the cornelius system so I will force carb it to be fizzy as they expect.

Any advice for a cider n00b? :wha:

 

[Aleman]

Cans can be a good way to make cider. . .If you want to give it more of an appely taste use 10L of apple juice instead of the sugar and some of the water the kit tells you to add

 

[oldbloke]

At 6 weeks in bottle this tasted just about exactly like "ordinary shop cider". Roughly 5%abv

2011-06-26
4 litres of Lidl Solevita apple nectar
1/4tsp nutrient (end of the tub)
1/4 mug well-stewed tea
Young's cider yeast (rehydrated on some of the juice)
2011-06-27
Topped up with more apple nectar
2011-07-05 Bottled


If you want a slightly better dryer cider, use a bit more tea and a Gervin D yeast

 

[tommy]

i also use a simular recipe as you old bloke,apart from i use youngs wine yeast as i like really dry cider,my last one i did i heated up half a pint of juice with 2 full cinimmon sticks and left to simmer for 10 mins then added to rest of juice then ferment,was really nice added a little bit of warmth and flavour,ginger is also good aswell, give it a try darcey and look for them apple juice offers lol!! ps make sure theres no preservatives in ya juice or it wont ferment!!

 

[oldbloke]

Yeh, the Gervin D is a wine yeast, gave great flavour and we like it dry here too.
I've done 8 1gall batches now, varying the yeast and amount of tea, but mostly stuck with that one juice. Time to start thinking about extras - like the idea of cinnamon, will ask t'missus (it's her I make it for really)

 

[tommy]

yeah i def think the wine yeast gives it a much cleaner taste great if you like it dry,although i did add a some splendor one time to sweeten was ok for a change,but il stick to dry,i have a lidl round the corner so very handy for keeping an eye out for the apple juice bargains lol!! am a beer man myself but always have the odd dj full of cider nice for a change and will always brew it. :

 

[anthonyUK]

I can recommend the Magnum elderflower cider kit. Turned out really well.