Slightly unsure about about a few things I've bought

[Badger]

I plan to make cider very soon and having scoured many forums but still unsure what recipe / variation I'll be going with. Still a bit :| about what I've got / setup.

I'll be using one of these

I've got a bigger container to put ^ that into that I'm hoping to fill with water and use a fish tank heater to keep at a certain temp. I've got Pectolase, malic acid and a Youngs Cider Yeast Sachet.

I've also got one of these for ... carbing the cider?

All feedback appreciated!

 

[stu]

I'm fairly new to this, but one thing I've learned is that you can't have too many FVs.

Not sure whether others would agree, but I've been putting everything into secondary, not only to clear, but to ensure all proper fermentation has occurred.

I'm about to keg a Stout and I'll be batch priming the keg.

 

[bobsbeer]

What you have is fine to start with. As Stu says an extra bucket won't go amiss. But for your first brew you can get away with racking from bucket to pressure barrel.

 

[Badger]

Thank you! Hopefully going to make a start on it this weekend!

 

[Jonny69]

I would do a single gallon first if it's your first brew, then try different apple juices until you find the one you like best before committing to 25 litres...

 

[oldbloke]

I would do a single gallon first if it's your first brew, then try different apple juices until you find the one you like best before committing to 25 litres...

I've not noticed any substantial difference between juices.
What does make a difference, in my mind, is:
(a) whether you go for MLF, and what adjunct juice you use if you don't go for MLF
(b) concentrate vs juice (either from or not from concentrate), coz the concentrate gets more apple into it
(c) ABV, coz of the mouthfeel of the alcohol
...and of course, cloudy/clear juice - dunno about taste, but cloudy juices give cloudy cider.

 

[Badger]

I would do a single gallon first if it's your first brew, then try different apple juices until you find the one you like best before committing to 25 litres...

That would be the most sensible thing but where's the fun in that? :lol:

In about 5 days it'll be time to open her up and take a hydrometer reading but the first I took read at 1050.

Cheers for the feedback tried a few different juices before finding a really tasty one from 100% concentrate!