Turbo cider first?

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ben9393

Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:41 pm

I'm using 100 percent apple juice from concentrate is that ok? Also do I need to add pectin? Also would it need watering down due to it being apple juice from concentrate I imagine it being a bit strong tasting of apples or does fermentation change the taste.

McMullan

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by McMullan » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:56 pm

You probably don’t need to add pectin. I’m guessing the apple juice you’re using has been filtered. Pectin would be added to freshly pressed, unfiltered apple juice, if aesthetics dictated. Do add yeast nutrient, as apples are surprisingly deficient of them. What you could add, after a few months in a maturation vessel, is some mailc acid and tannin to mimic the unmistakeable quality of real cider apples. Much more rewarding than fizzy apple juice, IMO. Just takes a little patience :wink: I have a fantastic book about making cider. I'll dig it out and post a note of the reference.

jayjt29

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by jayjt29 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:01 pm

Enjoy your Turbo cider and rough head after :) Agreed no need to use Pectin. What apple juice are you using? I usually just use the cheap asda stuff

Cheers
Jay

ben9393

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:29 pm

Ok I have the stuf coming can I not mature it in bottles instead as don't want to have 5 gal containers sortin around for months at a time. I have the morrisons cheap apple juice from concentrate a gervin cider yeast young yeast nutrient. Was going to let it ferment and sit in fermentor about 4 weeks then bottle and leave for about 4 months then drink?

ben9393

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:41 pm

I read up using tea to get the tannin do I just make a very strong mug of tea with 3 or 4 teabags and bung it in at the beginning before fermenting. Also do you leave the teabags out or do they go in the fermentor too?

McMullan

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by McMullan » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:42 pm

ben9393 wrote:Ok I have the stuf coming can I not mature it in bottles instead as don't want to have 5 gal containers sortin around for months at a time. I have the morrisons cheap apple juice from concentrate a gervin cider yeast young yeast nutrient. Was going to let it ferment and sit in fermentor about 4 weeks then bottle and leave for about 4 months then drink?
Do want you can and what works with your equipment and circumstances. It's difficult to get it wrong. Here's the book reference: 'Craft Cider Making' (2015) by Andrew Lea. Nothing wrong with using cheap apple juice, it just needs some minor additions to make it cider.

Secla
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Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by Secla » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:02 pm

When I did it I did 18 litres of apple juice 4 litres of cranberry juice and 1 litre of strong tea (about 4 teabags) don't put the tags in

Tasted good but was a bit on the strong side 6% or so, if I did again I'd probably water it down to around 4-5%

oldbloke
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Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by oldbloke » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:06 pm

ben9393 wrote:I'm using 100 percent apple juice from concentrate is that ok? Also do I need to add pectin? Also would it need watering down due to it being apple juice from concentrate I imagine it being a bit strong tasting of apples or does fermentation change the taste.
Yes it's OK. No you don't need pectin. It's from concentrate but diluted to make an acceptable drinking juice, so is fine - don't water it down, it only just has enough apple flavour as it is. In fact I use actual concentrate - to get MORE apple flavour. Sadly it ups the ABV a bit but not too much.
It's a good idea to use half a litre or so per gallon of SomeOtherJuice to broaden the flavour profile. I like cranberry or pomegranate. Just avoid anything containing sulphites or sorbates.
It could do with some tannin - I use powdered but a mug of very strong tea will do.
It tends to ferment to VERY dry, so I add a tsp of sweetener to each gallon, just to take the edge off, not to make it sweet.
An ale yeast will likely give a slightly softer flavour than a cider yeast. I've had good results with Munton's Gold
A wine yeast may give a fruitier finish
If working in demijohns, leave a litre of headspace for the first 4 days

ben9393

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:40 pm

I'll be using a fermenter and can't you boil juice with sulphites and sorbates? Also can I add a sweetener at the end like a tablet sweetener to each bottle along with sugar for priming?

ben9393

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:58 pm

I was going to use strawberry Ribena cordial and boil for 20 mins

WalesAles
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Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by WalesAles » Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:03 pm

ben9393 wrote: Was going to let it ferment and sit in fermentor about 4 weeks then bottle and leave for about 4 months then drink?
ben,
HaHaHaHaHa!..........................
You are talking Turbo Cider Here! :D
2wks in FV, Bottle then 2wks in front room, 2wks in fridge, then drink! :D =D>
One of mine was so nice after 10 days in the bottle, I drunk the lot in a weeK! #-o

WA

jayjt29

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by jayjt29 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:44 pm

Yep and easy 6 weeks from cheap cartoon to glass :)

oldbloke
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Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by oldbloke » Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:03 am

ben9393 wrote:I'll be using a fermenter and can't you boil juice with sulphites and sorbates? Also can I add a sweetener at the end like a tablet sweetener to each bottle along with sugar for priming?
Some people make that work. Others struggle. A litre of cranberry is only about 60p, why mess about with anything complicated?

oldbloke
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Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by oldbloke » Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:04 am

It does improve if you can leave it a while, but it's good enough from the off.

ben9393

Re: Turbo cider first?

Post by ben9393 » Tue Mar 29, 2016 4:57 pm

I just like the taste of strawberry Ribena I don't mind boiling it for 20 minutes to be honest its first one if it don wor I won't use it again I prefer sweeter cider so I don't mind if it doesn't ferment dry.

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