My TC. AKA, Karma Cider

[Freddyokel]

For about 4 years now, I've been making an annual batch of cider.
This year is V4, and now I'm going for quantity.

I started off with my standard apple juice mix, which is 1L of Lidl cloudy (black carton) to 1.5L of Lidl from Concentrate (green carton).
First 2 years, I shoved in a minced up non-treated apple and let it ferment for 3 weeks in the open air before taking it to Glastonbury in bottles. This was a little hit and miss. The 2nd year was better than the first.
Version 3 was a washout.
However, now I'm on version 4.
Still the same mix, but in a standardised 15L (6 cartons of each) batch in a 23L airlocked fermentor.
Sterilise everything with Milton, then bang in the juice and 5g of Youngs cider yeast (Bayanus).
Leave for 2 weeks, then rack off into another 23L under airlock.
The first batch I bottled a week later and drank a week to 2 weeks after that. It had aquired a strange smooth, almost plastic mouthfeel.
This batch, I've just racked 2 days ago (2 week ferment), and it's tasting mighty fine already. It would seem that time degrades the stuff and I'm best off drinking it soon.

Anyhow, that's my recipe. Hope you enjoy it if you try it...

Fredd

[ebbadger]

Milton??? was gonna use that myself but after seeing on here so much about how hard it is to remove by rinsing and giving a bit of a taste I went for the bleach route to sanitise

Only time will tell if i made the right choice

Cheers Steve

[Freddyokel]

Bugger, I always forget to mention the 150g of unrefined brown sugar that should be dumped in the mix prior to fermentation.
Ooops...

Fredd

[Freddyokel]

Milton??? was gonna use that myself but after seeing on here so much about how hard it is to remove by rinsing and giving a bit of a taste I went for the bleach route to sanitise

I'm considering that maybe the Milton is responsible for the mouthfeel.
I'm gonna run a test batch soon, about 1L, probably Lidl Black, using Cs-137 Gamma irradiation to sterlilise and then 0.2g of the Youngs cider yeast to ferment.

Fredd

[Crossbow]

using Cs-137 Gamma irradiation to sterlilise

That's probably the most flavour neutral solution there can be...... but not one that's available to most people

[Freddyokel]

using Cs-137 Gamma irradiation to sterlilise

Hmm, payed for by UK taxation. How ironic...

I've also got access to big centrifuges...

Fredd

[Crossbow]

I've also got access to big centrifuges...

If I was still at university, I'd be more interested in the distillation equipment, and a GC to test the end product

Incidently, which uni?

[ebbadger]

The caesium should do the trick but why not try a Betatron.. get the job done a bit quicker... as long as your house has a supply slightly above the 30 amp norm , especially if you dont get on with your neighbours in the adjacent 5 houses in the direction you fire ..... several birds with one stone

Cheers Steve

[Freddyokel]

Incidently, which uni?

No, this ain't no uni...

Fredd

[ebbadger]

Yep I think the NHS in the profile gives the non Uni bit away

Cheers Steve

[chrisbooth0070]

Best quality TC I made has to be one I made with Coppella pressed apple juice. Bear in mind that it cost about £2 a litre though unless you get it on offer.