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[fatman300lb]

hi sorry if this has been posted, i have acquired a strongbow beer pump, i am looking at setting it up, the method i am going to use is a corny keg setup stored in a kegerator, i am wanting to make a TC, i have read so many recipes, i want one that would be similar to strongbow or other commercial pub ciders, also can it be made as clear as that or will it go cloudy, also when it is transferred to the corny keg will it need carbonating in the keg or will the co2 give it carbonation, any help and tips will be muchly appreciated, thanks

[oldbloke]

As long as you don't use a cloudy juice it ought to clear perfectly all by itself, mine always do. I let them ferment until they are clear then bottle - you'd transfer to your cornie. I prime with 1tsp sugar per 500ml bottle, should work in the cornie but once you've dispensed a bit you might need to repressurise artificially.

Ages ago I had one we thought tasted very like Strongbow, but as we rarely drink Strongbow we may have been mistaken. It will have been (per gallon) 4l of Morrison's cheapo AJ plus half a litre of something else - probably cranberry. A tsp or so of tannin powder. 1 to 2 tsp artificial sweetener. Can only guess what yeast it had though - I default to Young's cider but have had excellent results with Munton's Gold and have tried many others.

[fatman300lb]

thanks, i have found many different recipes now including fruit ciders as well which the wife loves, now all i need to know is carbonating it, do i carbonate it before i put in my corny or do i prime the corny, or will my co2 carbonate it when its all attached to the corny, thanks

[oldbloke]

Never used cornies so can't really say - I'd guess, do whatever works for beer but you want up to twice as much gas.

[fatman300lb]

i have never used them either, i have only brewed a kit beer once, primed bottles with sugar, i was just going to make a big batch of TC, then transfare to a corny, i was unsure if i would need to prime the corny or if the co2 would give it its fizz, i could be wrong but i though kegs of beer you get in pubs was not fizzy inside the keg, i thought when you connect the line the co2 gives it its fizz

[och29]

Some places do inline carbonation. The easiest thing to do I. Your situation is 'force carbonate' which means using CO2 from a tank to carbonate. All you have to do is connect the tank to the corny, set a pressure based on how fizzy you want the cider (measured in volumes of CO2/vols) and the temperature of the keg. Leave it for a few days and it's ready to go.

[fatman300lb]

thanks, keg will be going in a homemade kegorator to keep it cold at all times, just need to see if my mam can order be a co2 bottle but smaller then she uses in pub as it wont fit in the fridge im using, or if anybody knows where i can buy them online that would be great, just pricing all equipment up at the min, thanks guys

[och29]

http://gascylindersuk.co.uk/shop/index. ... &cat_id=56

[fatman300lb]

Cheers for that och29, i have just had a look, is the +£40 deposit for the bottle, and when you decide you want to return the bottle i am assuming you get the £40 back, cheers

[och29]

Often places will refill for less than £20. I suggest you look for a local place though. There's a spreadsheet somewhere on the forum with a list of suppliers in different areas. Have a search for that or let us know where you are and someone might be able to help.

[fatman300lb]

im good on the pub side as my mam runs pubs, she currently has 2, her gas re fill is around £7.50 if i remember rightly, when it comes to things like needing a co2 regulator im gonna have a browse in the cellar see if any lying around, cheers guys

[jmc]

I have an Aspall cider font fed from a small corny of cider in my kegerator, so it sounds like a similar setup to yours

Kegerator is kept at 12C as I have 2 ale cornys in there as well.
I normally force carbonate cider at 20psi and then serve at about 8psi, but I don't like really fizzy cider so you may want it higher.

I have 2 secondary gas regulators to feed gas to the kegorator.
I split one gas line with a tee inside to feed 1 ale corny and the cider.
The other gas line if for an ale on hand pump so that's <5psi

I have 10lb / 6kg pub cylinder outside kegerator and feed gas through holes in the side.

If you don't have spare kit in the pub I'm sure the pubs cellar-service staff will give you some advice or just ask on here.

Your TC will be much dryer than commercial cider like Magners / Strongbow BUT it will have better flavour and more body as long as use use 100% juice and don't thin it down by adding water and sugar.
I've heard that Splenda (sucralose / E955) is the best of the sweeteners to use, but they all have a bit of an after taste to me so my advice is try out the TC as it is without sweeteners and your palate is likely to change to love it. If you must sweeten you can always mix TC with apple juice / fruit cordials when you serve it.

More Info
Carbonation Chart
Turbo Cider (Good recipe to start TC)
Kegerator build