Okay, I've seen recent threads advocating adding tea and bramley apples (and also citrus powder) to TC to boost taste ?
Tea - black I assume, how much to a 5ltr batch?
Bramley - what does it do? Do I peel it first?
Citrus powder(?) - why, how much, what is it and would lemon juice do?
I cracked a bottle of my pearapple tc last night (tinned pear halves) and it was the best ever; could that be because of the fruit or the syrup it came in? My thrill in TC experimentation has been reawoken...
Boosting TC
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Bryggmester
Re: Boosting TC
I got a batch of enhanced TC yesterday based on Dreadskin's recipe. The way I did it for a one gallon batch was to use two Yorkshire teabags to a cup and make a strong brew for the tannin, this is added with the apple juice to the demijohn. I peeled a Bramley apple which was then pureed and added to the rest. This will be fermemted until the apple crud sinks to the bottom, then I will rack it off and top up with apple juice. Dreadskin adds honey to his but I find it the TC to be strong enough without this. I have never used anything like citrus powder as I tend to be a bit conservative in my TC making. Anyway, I find the tea gives the TC a richer, fuller flavour along with a more "appley" taste due to the bramley.
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PMH0810
Re: Boosting TC
Maybe I'll step it up in stages then; grate a bramley into this batch, bramley and tea in the next and see how it goes.
Thank you!
Thank you!
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DREADSKIN
Re: Boosting TC
HEY ALL, YEAH, I MAKE THE TEA IN A POT WITH ABOUT 4-6 TEABAGS AND LEAVE IT UNTILL EVERYTHING ELSE IS DONE. SO ITS GOOD And strong.
as for the bramley this adds acid and balances the juice (which comes from desert apples) this is how they make country cider in kent, were there are no west country cider apples. the bramley or any cooker balances the sweet apple juice. as for the bramleys dont blend the core. its full of pectin. and i dont put the skins in as the apples have been stored in a warehouse. i work in a warehouse. the skins aint going near my brew!
there is no need to add lemon juice or citric acid as this is what we are doing with the bramley.
the honey will give it a different flavour, but i now prefare to add brown sugar. tho be warned, its rocket fuel!
as for the bramley this adds acid and balances the juice (which comes from desert apples) this is how they make country cider in kent, were there are no west country cider apples. the bramley or any cooker balances the sweet apple juice. as for the bramleys dont blend the core. its full of pectin. and i dont put the skins in as the apples have been stored in a warehouse. i work in a warehouse. the skins aint going near my brew!
there is no need to add lemon juice or citric acid as this is what we are doing with the bramley.
the honey will give it a different flavour, but i now prefare to add brown sugar. tho be warned, its rocket fuel!