Tannins and cider

[oblivious]

Hi all

Just seen does any add tannins to their ciders, especially cider made for shop bought apple juice?

[Gurgeh]

I don't - and whilst i don't use shop bought apples, they are generally 'eaters' as opposed to cider apples.

plenty of tannin in the core of any apple i should think???

[oblivious]

I use juice, it not from concentrate and cloudily, but it’s selected for drink and from what I have found cider apple are not good for eating or juice. Just see if I could improve my cider

[johnmac]

oblivious, I think you're onto something there. I find TC lacks something. I already add citric acid and next time maybe I'll add a pot of tea as well.

Twenty - odd years ago, I remember walking around the back of Sheppy's cider farm, trying to find someone to sell me some cider. There were fifty gallon drums of citric acid lying around and also drums of something else. I wonder if the "something else" was tannin?

[Gurgeh]

oops - didn't spot the 'juice' bit in the original post, sorry!

[Camper]

I already add citric acid

Interesting.

How much would you use for, say, a 25 litre batch?

[johnmac]

One teaspoon to start and see how you go. My daughter likes that citric taste, so I have put up to three tsp in five gallons with no complaints.

[MickyD]

What if you lobbed an apple or three into the FV while you fermented the TC (similar to has been done with lemons) would this give you a slightly more robust taste?

[oblivious]

I heard of crap apples been added for tannins but the volume will be small, will you still be able to add a Camden tablet

[Duffbeer]

I heard of crap apples been added for tannins but the volume will be small, will you still be able to add a Camden tablet

Crab apples would be a great addition and are recommended in many apple wine recipe's, but unless pressed would mean fermenting on the pulp which is not a problem if you want to go down that avenue of brewing.
I do believe the addition of 2 tsp of tanning and 2 tsp of citric acid to a 5 gal batch would complement this (I presume this is a turbo cider) and yes you will still be able to add camden tablets.

Happy brewing

Karl.

[StevieR]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why would you add Campden tablets to your turbo cider ? Is this is stop fermentation at a higher SG (and presumably sweeter) level

[Duffbeer]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why would you add Campden tablets to your turbo cider ? Is this is stop fermentation at a higher SG (and presumably sweeter) level

Camden tablets do not stop fermentation, they merely stall it.
Sodium metabisulphate (camden tablets) are a preservative used in wine.
To stop a ferment you would need potassium sorbate + sodium metabisulphate ( use together or you will create a foul taste and geranium smell).
But before I get bogged down with all that, a general cider wether kit or turbo(supermarket juice) being between 6 & 8 % alcohol and provided your not planning on storing for long periods (12 months or more) shouldn't need either.
If your wanting to sweeten without the risk of referment then use artifitial sweetner, many wine sweetners will work and don't have that horrible saccahrin taste.

Happy brewing.

Karl

[oblivious]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why would you add Campden tablets to your turbo cider ? Is this is stop fermentation at a higher SG (and presumably sweeter) level

There will be bacteria and will yeast on the crap apple, so to stop infect you can add a Campden tablets to kill them of, before you start fermentation