Turbo Cider Experience

[MrBarrySir]

Hi Rob

Just noticed your costings. I know it was last year but it seems a bit pricey.
Did one last weekend, as follows:

22 x Lidl Basic Apple Juice @ 0.49 per L = £10.78
2 x Morrison's Basic 340g Honey @ 0.99 per jar = £ 1.98
1 x Young's Cider Yeast @ £1.05 per sachet = £ 1.05
6 x Teabags @ 0.6p each = £ 0.04
1 x 100g Sugar = £0.10

40 pints for £13.95, or just under 35p a pint! How bad's that?
The honey leaves a bit of residual sweetness so it's not a dry as a witches tit.
I tend not to muck about with flavours but I do like the idea of Wales' White Grape and Peach TC

Cheers

What % is that coming in at? Is the 100g sugar for priming?

[RobWalker]

Yeah priming. Most supermarket juices come out around 5%-5.5%, should be easily calculable with your hydrometer.

[JohnnyD]

Is this apple juice ok for turbo cider, its pasturised.

https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/P ... _SHELFVIEW

Thanks

JD

[oldbloke]

It doesn't have any nasty preservatives so should be fine.

[JohnnyD]

Thanks, ordered

Can anyone help with amount of ingrediants, i have 23L of apple juice, how much youngs super wine yeast, yeast enhancer, tannin and pectolase should i add to that amount of AJ? Also does it need to be at a specific OG ie will i need to add brewing sugar to the Bucket?

DJ

[oldbloke]

Thanks, ordered

Can anyone help with amount of ingrediants, i have 23L of apple juice, how much youngs super wine yeast, yeast enhancer, tannin and pectolase should i add to that amount of AJ? Also does it need to be at a specific OG ie will i need to add brewing sugar to the Bucket?

DJ

I've not used that yeast but a standard 5g or 7g pack of ale yeast is enough for that volume of ale so I suggest the same amount of the Young's will be OK. I mostly do I gallon demijohns and never use more than half a 5g pack, and have split a pack across 3 before with no problems.

Enhancer: I use 1 tsp of nutrient per gallon. So 5tsp

Tannin, about the same. Maybe err on the low side.

Pectolase, none. This is apple juice, not apples.

All juices sold for drinking as juice have sugar to get to about 5%ABV, maybe a little more, rarely less. That's a sensible strength. You'll get around an extra half % from the priming sugar at bottling/kegging time (cider wants a little more than ale, up to 1tsp/pint).

I always add some other juice (often cranberry) to broaden the flavour profile, but you don't have to. If you do, I use half a litre Other to 4l AJ. Just check there's no sorbates or sulphites in it.

[Pinto]

If you're using Youngs "Super Wine Yeast" - check if it's the straight yeast or the "compound" - the latter already contains nutrient. Dose reccomended is 1tsp/gallon for wines, so 1/2 tsp / gallon should be fine for a cider.

Dont worry about additional sugar - most straight juices contain enough to get in the 5-7% abv bracket (unless you want something lethal, that is )

[JohnnyD]

Thanks for the great tips guys, i have ordered Young's Super Wine Yeast Compound 60g so i miss out the yeast nutrient, is that correct ? 5-7% is fine for me, i don't want rocket fuel

JD

[Pinto]

Thanks for the great tips guys, i have ordered Young's Super Wine Yeast Compound 60g so i miss out the yeast nutrient, is that correct ? 5-7% is fine for me, i don't want rocket fuel

JD

Yep, nutrient not needed

[oldbloke]

I do make an 8% TurboCider occasionally, but 5 to 6 is better for normal use.
If you're going to get into TC do check out Suma AJ concentrate- it ups the ABV a bit, and the cost, but you can get more Apple per gallon, which helps a lot. If you search the forum for my name you'll probably find some recipes.

[JohnnyD]

I have spotted this Suma AJ on Amazon, there is a recipe by Baldie on the reviews page and he has used Malic acid with that juice, should i use that ? Also i am tempted by some oak chips in there too, when would i add those?

JD

[oldbloke]

I have spotted this Suma AJ on Amazon, there is a recipe by Baldie on the reviews page and he has used Malic acid with that juice, should i use that ? Also i am tempted by some oak chips in there too, when would i add those?

JD

The prices on Amazon are outrageous. I order from my local hippie food shop. Usually a slab of 6 500ml bottles of the non-organic. Occasionally the 5l poly container. 1 500ml bottle plus half or one litre normal AJ plus half a litre cranberry is pretty good, with some tannin, a little bit of sweetener, and the yeast of your choice. Currently enjoying ale yeasts.
Although the citric/malic balance may be a bit off, the total acidity is spot on diluted 1:6, so I don't add anything. People seem to like the stuff, not just me and t'missus.
Not tried oak chips, could be good.

[JohnnyD]

Can I add the oak chips tomorrow on day 4 of fermentation? Didn't have any until tomorrow's post arrives

[oldbloke]

Can I add the oak chips tomorrow on day 4 of fermentation? Didn't have any until tomorrow's post arrives

Dunno really. It's a post ferment thing as far as I know, like ageing whisky in old sherry barrels etc.
I have had carbonation problems when leaving TC too long before bottling, though, so...
I think I'd pop the oak in when I do the final top up at about day 4 or 5. Then bottle at day 10...20 depending how the ferment went. If you're kegging rather than bottling though I'd just chuck them in the keg.
Let us know what you try and how it turns out

[JohnnyD]

OK started at 1052, and now steady at 1002 so about 6%

It lacks a bit of depth but its quite pleasant, i can just taste the oak, what else can i put in the pressure barrel with it to give it a bit of body, obviosly it will have a bit more fizz, should i add some honey in with the priming sugar, if so how much ?

Thanks

JD