Cider kit recommendations

[drdoug]

I am looking to buy a kit to make some cider and am looking for recommendations.

Any suggestions welcomed

Thanks

[Robbo78]

Well mate I recently made up a John Bull cider kid following the recommendations from the owner of my local home brew shop.

I followed the instructions which said you can either make 32 pints of fairly strong cider or 40 pints of average kick stuff. Anyway I went with quantity over quality but as well as strength I think I may of sacrificed the over all flavour too.

When it came to bottling I gave up on it. I know it might improve in a couple of weeks chilling but I knew it wasnt going to turn into anything special.

[Curious Brew]

I'm going to my LHBS on Thursday evening to get one, I'll let you know what I find.

[drdoug]

I was looking on hops and grape and they had a few kits for cider including the one you referred to so I was just wanting to know what experiences others had had with kits.

Thanks

[Martin the fish]

Probably not a great deal of help as i now live in NZ. We get blackrock cider kits here. I love em.
They produce a nice clean, crisp tasting cider. Around 4.5%. I add half the amount of recommended priming sugar as i'm not keen on mega fizzy anything. Mine have all come out great but do need around 14 days in the FV. They have always proved to be real slow starters for some reason. I've tried doubling up the cider yeast, re-hydrating the cider yeast & adding champagne yeast but it always takes 2 days to get going. Then another before it really starts. The kit instructions say temp 18-28C and my fermenting room is a constant 18C. the lower end of the temp scale is probably the reason for the slow start.

[Martin the fish]

In that case i'd get yourself a blackrock cider kit-don't bother with the Irish cider version. In my opinion it's a waste of money compared to the standard kit. You'll need a kg of dextrose too. Of all the kits i've done(10) the cider is definately the best tasting and i make mine up now in about 2 hrs. Wish it was ready to drink in another 2hrs though.


Only drawback is Mrs fish loves it too so it don't last very long here.

[chrisbooth0070]

Personally I would just go for turbo cider instead. ie. add some yeast to cheap old apple juice from concentrate.

[Curious Brew]

Just got back from my LHBS where they stock two cider kits: the Samson's West Country Cider and the BrewBuddy Cider kits both at £11.99.

After a quick chat top the lady in the shop (who's mad as a box of frogs but lovely nontheless) she recommended the Samson's without a doubt. Said the Samson's had been on the market forever and produced a far better taste over the BrewBuddy.

Both kits can be made to either 40 or 32 pint length depending upon required end strength and you'll get both kits cheaper online but will obviously pay postaqe.

Not heard anything about the John Bull or Sherwood kits.

[MightyMouth]

Personally I would just go for turbo cider instead. ie. add some yeast to cheap old apple juice from concentrate.

Yea but a Cider kit is cheaper and will hopefully produce a nicer drink.

I have a Black Rock kit on the go at the minute, I used 1 kilo Tate and Lyle and 200g muscavado with it. The concentrate in the can smells great and the fermenting cider smells even better, none of those sulphur smells I got with TC and there is a whole lot more of it .

[chrisbooth0070]

Personally I would just go for turbo cider instead. ie. add some yeast to cheap old apple juice from concentrate.

Yea but a Cider kit is cheaper and will hopefully produce a nicer drink.

I have a Black Rock kit on the go at the minute, I used 1 kilo Tate and Lyle and 200g muscavado with it. The concentrate in the can smells great and the fermenting cider smells even better, none of those sulphur smells I got with TC and there is a whole lot more of it .

Never used a proper cider kit. Do the results taste a lot better than TC. All my mates have been impressed with my TC so far. More so than my beer but what would they know

[MightyMouth]

I haven't actually drank a proper cider kit but I have drank TC and as a cider kit should taste like or close to real cider it would by default taste better than TC

[drdoug]

Thanks for your suggestions. Can anyone recommend a good onlien shop to buy Black Rock kits in the UK or should I ask my local brew shop to get some in ?

Cheers

[Martin the fish]

Never used a proper cider kit. Do the results taste a lot better than TC. All my mates have been impressed with my TC so far. More so than my beer but what would they know [/quote]

Comparing my TC with my blackrock cider kits is like comparing tuesday with a piece of string.

Kits win hands down every time. NZ$25 for cider kit and 1kg dextrose. Or NZ$30 for the equivalent of nasty TC.

[sparky Paul]

I always do the kits as they work out cheaper than TC, and the results are good and predictable. Probably not as much fun though...

I'm currently supping a Young's Brewbuddy cider, which has turned out okay, closer to a commercial cider than some others I've tried. IMHO it's a little shorter on flavour when compared to John Bull Country Cider, which is a bit more like a scrumpy style cider.

I prefer the JB, but there's not a lot in it.

Just got back from my LHBS where they stock two cider kits: the Samson's West Country Cider and the BrewBuddy Cider kits both at £11.99.

Don't pay £11.99 for the Brewbuddy kits, Wilkos sell them for £6.99.

[mikewest]

I don't have any experience of the kits but the apple juice used in the TC really does make a difference as I used one type to make drain cleaner and another to make some which actually nicer than commercial cider. The latter was pitched on some of the slurry from a stout. I am making the same stout right now and will be moving to secondary today or tomorrow. I will then pitch 20l of Lidl Vitafit apple juice onto the slurry and have myself a party in a few weeks.