TC - £20 - can it be good?

[avtovaz]

Cider kits must now be about £20 for 5 gallons, and its got me thinking, I drink a 500ml a night of cider, can i make a nice good tasting TC to compete with the shop kits for £20?

what do you think?

[danbrew]

I've got lidl AJ in the FV, following dreadskins recipe. The AJ was on offer for 60p (or so) for 1.5l so with the bramley apples and some youngs yeast and a bit of tannin I reckon I'm under a tenner.

If it turns out anything like as good as the last lot I did then I'd say you'll easily beat the kit. I've never tasted the kits but in my view the big benefit of TC is after a few trial batches you can tailor/ vary your recipe to exactly how you like it - including using good quality cider yeasts, throwing in the odd punnet of fruit, changing the types of acid and/or tannin etc. The world's your oyster!

[avtovaz]

Well, the lidl apple juice was 59p per 1.5 ltr, so to make 22 ltr thats £9, so when its on offer thats a winner.

Im brewing some apple juice just as you are mate, i saw the thread too, and that is why i thought id ask if i could make it really good.

[trucker5774]

TC can be much better and be the taste and strength you choose. I bottle early to keep some sweetness.

[avtovaz]

TC can be much better and be the taste and strength you choose. I bottle early to keep some sweetness.

so whats your brew?

[trucker5774]

I have tried so many over time but settled for what "she" believes is the closest to her beloved Strongbow (or any other commercial cider really)

Apple juice from concentrate .....watch out for deal on 1.5 l cartons at lidle

30g of sugar to each litre

About a teaspoon of Youngs wine/beer yeast for 10 to 20 litres

O.G. will be about 1060

Ferment to 1020 then bottle

Keep at fermenting temperature for 24 to 48 hours (I use plastic bottle so I can feel the pressure build up)

Into the fridge to chill, clear and halt fermentation (THEY MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED)

Drink as soon as you like but it will be clear in about a week.

It's as simple as that. Nothing else added no secrets, no flavours, no finings, no nutrient or tannin. You can, or course, add whatever you want to this base method, but this suits us

Sorry about the double post.....................see the link in the next post!

[trucker5774]

I have tried so many over time but settled for what "she" believes is the closest to her beloved Strongbow (or any other commercial cider really)

Apple juice from concentrate .....watch out for deal on 1.5 l cartons at lidle

30g of sugar to each litre

About a teaspoon of Youngs wine/beer yeast for 10 to 20 litres

O.G. will be about 1060

Ferment to 1020 then bottle

Keep at fermenting temperature for 24 to 48 hours (I use plastic bottle so I can feel the pressure build up)

Into the fridge to chill, clear and halt fermentation (THEY MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED)

Drink as soon as you like but it will be clear in about a week.

It's as simple as that. Nothing else added no secrets, no flavours, no finings, no nutrient or tannin. You can, or course, add whatever you want to this base method, but this suits us

This may be of interest viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35802&hilit=how+i+sweeten

[avtovaz]

thanks mate, ill have a goo at that!

[hong]

I have tried so many over time but settled for what "she" believes is the closest to her beloved Strongbow (or any other commercial cider really)

Apple juice from concentrate .....watch out for deal on 1.5 l cartons at lidle

30g of sugar to each litre

About a teaspoon of Youngs wine/beer yeast for 10 to 20 litres

O.G. will be about 1060

Ferment to 1020 then bottle

Keep at fermenting temperature for 24 to 48 hours (I use plastic bottle so I can feel the pressure build up)

Into the fridge to chill, clear and halt fermentation (THEY MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED)

Drink as soon as you like but it will be clear in about a week.

It's as simple as that. Nothing else added no secrets, no flavours, no finings, no nutrient or tannin. You can, or course, add whatever you want to this base method, but this suits us

This may be of interest viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35802&hilit=how+i+sweeten

Trucker, this is exactly the point i want to bottle 1.020 as to have some sweetness and aroma left. Do you use campden tablets & potassium sorbate? Do you simply bottle staright from the fv? I will be using PET bottles, and will be able to put some in the fridge, but not all.

[trucker5774]

I bottle straight from the FV and allow about 36 hours to carbonate. After this point the pet bottles MUST go in the fridge to halt fermentation. You could try campden tablets but it would also stop it carbonating unless you let it carbonate and then open the bottles again to add the campden, then re cap. This could work if you get them really cold to help retain the fizz. I have 2 fridges so i's not a problem for me.

[hong]

Yeah, see whta you mean Trucker. Do you stand the bottles upright or on their sides?

[trucker5774]

I stand them upright. On their side is OK if you are gentle and you have a good packing yeast. Some people store them upside down and open them to relieve the pressure(over the sink) this will eject any loose sediment. Then gentle turn them the correct way up and remove the screw top. The compacted yeast should be contained in the cap! Then pour a clear drink.
To be honest, I don't worry or think too much about it any more, having been doing it for a while. It's a cheap simple and pleasant drink which you can adapt to your own taste, either during fermentation or even by adding cordial or apple juice when serving

[avtovaz]

so when is the next cheep apple jouce day at aldi or lidl?

[trucker5774]

so when is the next cheep apple jouce day at aldi or lidl?

I keep checking...............but even at the normal price it's still only 1/4 the price of pub cider

[danbrew]

so when is the next cheep apple jouce day at aldi or lidl?

It seems to be every one to two months. We get leaflets from our local telling us about it too. Some people post it up on here too or on other forums...

Best to keep checking thier web site for your local store, or better still get someone who shops there to keep an eye out for you...