Cider Kit

[The Cardinal]

I've noticed a 'John Bull Country Cider' Kit in my local home brew shop. Anyone got any experience of home brewed cider? Do these kits give the same cloudy 'real ale' version of cider as they do for beer, or should I avoid them? It says on the tin, 'makes 32 pints at 7% or 40 pints at 5%' - any views on this?

[sparky Paul]

I've just done a JB Country Cider kit, it's now priming in bottles...

A quick taste before bottling revealed a sort of a still scrumpy type taste, perhaps just a little on the bland side, but very dry indeed - it will be interesting to see how it matures. It definitely had the whiff of scrumpy about it too, and it looks very murky at the moment but you can see it starting to clear...

As for the 32/40 pint bit, I edged my bets and went for somewhere in the middle - and it still tastes very strong. I think if I was going to do it again, I would probably do it as a 32 pint kit for the extra flavour, but aim for the lower end of the strength scale.

As a very recent returnee to home brewing, I'm experimenting with a few things I've never tried before, including the cider, whilst getting my hand back in.

[guest5234]

I've noticed a 'John Bull Country Cider' Kit in my local home brew shop. Anyone got any experience of home brewed cider? Do these kits give the same cloudy 'real ale' version of cider as they do for beer, or should I avoid them? It says on the tin, 'makes 32 pints at 7% or 40 pints at 5%' - any views on this?

I dont do cider, as you can get morrisons own cider 6% 3 litres for 2.99, it is superb, if cider was more expensive I would give it a go, what do they turn out like?

[sparky Paul]

I dont do cider, as you can get morrisons own cider 6% 3 litres for 2.99, it is superb, if cider was more expensive I would give it a go, what do they turn out like?

I'll tell you in a week or so!

I know what you mean about the cost of cider, the Tesco 3 litre Strong Dry Cider isn't bad either, and is only £2.42. What I'm looking for is something a little different - I like scrumpy and I thought I'd give the Country Cider kit a try to see what it turns out like...

[The Cardinal]

I'd like to know how your kit turns out - keep me posted. The other posters here are right, Cider is pretty cheap in the shops (about ten years ago when on a student budget I'd could have the equivilent of a whole night out for £2.32 simply by bying a 3 litre bottle of White N' Wild which is a chemical nasty cider along the lines of Frosty Jacks or White Lightening - pure tramp juice which'd get me totally bladdered!). Now that my tastes are more refined, however, I was really after something akin to a proper West Country Scrumpy - complete with apple cores still floating in it if possible! I'm wondering if the kit's produce a suffificiently sparkling product.

[sparky Paul]

I'd like to know how your kit turns out - keep me posted.

Will do.

Now that my tastes are more refined, however, I was really after something akin to a proper West Country Scrumpy - complete with apple cores still floating in it if possible! I'm wondering if the kit's produce a suffificiently sparkling product.

I quite like a traditional still scrumpy, but I've bottled this and added a little less priming sugar than recommended - I don't want too much fizz. In any case, bottle conditioning isn't going to achieve the same level of carbonation as the commercial ciders which are artificially gassed.

[sparky Paul]

Well, I'm just having a sneak preview of the cider - I ended up with a half filled bottle which has cleared quickly, the full bottles are still hazy.

It's pretty flat, but I half expected that with all the airspace in this half bottle. The taste is, erm, interesting... It's certainly closer to 'rough' cider or scrumpy in taste and is very strong, extremely dry, but more acidic than the scrumpys I'm used to. I'm hoping this will mellow a bit, it seems to have abated a little since the bottle was opened.

Once you get used to the lip-curling dryness it's actually okay, and hopefully it will mellow with a bit of age. If you are looking for something to compare with a bright, commercial cider similar to the stuff mentioned earlier, then this is definitely not for you.

[The Cardinal]

Interesting - thanks for that. After posting the question about cider kits, I noticed the numerous posts on 'turbo cider' and I've just got some of that on the go. I reckon it should work out about the same price:

- John Bull Cider kit - 32 pints, approx £11...(?)
- 32 pints (17 litres) economy applie juice, approx £10

Plus obviously you have to buy sugar and yeast but that doesn't cost much, so basically it seems that a kit and 'turbo' work out at round about the same price, give or take a few pennies. Just depends on which one tastes the best I guess, which one tastes most like traditional country Scrumpy? Has anyone compared the two - Turbo Cider Vs a Kit? Which is best?

[kt88man]

British Diamalt used to manufacture the cider kits for CWE. One cider kit (was CWE Explosive Cider) is still produced by British Diamalt, labelled as Brewmaker De Luxe Cider.

"Brewmaker De Luxe Cider, comes complete with cider yeast and yeast nutrient (diammonium phosphate). This kit contains 1.75kg of concentrate and needs the addition of either 1kg of sugar to produce 40 pints (22.7 litres) of cider with an ABV of approximately 5% or 1.25 1kg of sugar to produce 32 pints (18.2 litres) of a strong white cider with an ABV of approximately 7%."

The old CWE Explosive wasn't too bad if I recall - but it was quite some time ago that I last drank it...

[sparky Paul]

"Brewmaker De Luxe Cider, comes complete with cider yeast and yeast nutrient (diammonium phosphate). This kit contains 1.75kg of concentrate and needs the addition of either 1kg of sugar to produce 40 pints (22.7 litres) of cider with an ABV of approximately 5% or 1.25 1kg of sugar to produce 32 pints (18.2 litres) of a strong white cider with an ABV of approximately 7%."

That sounds uncannily like the John Bull - identical in fact...

The John Bull kits are actually only £6.95 at BrewGenie, so they work out cheaper than Turbo. If you are looking for a very dry scrumpy-style drink, then I would say it's definitely worth a try, but I personally would make the 32 pint recipe next time.

I've had another try of the cider today, and the flavour is improving - and getting closer to a scrumpy taste. It's definitely very drinkable, but like scrumpy, is an aquired taste - I like it though!

[The Cardinal]

I might have to get a kit: it's only been fermenting for a couple of days but my turbo cider is ABSOLUTELY MINGING. It smells like a stink bomb, or rotten eggs or something.

I'll give it a few days, bottle it up etc, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to bring myself to drink it as I'll forever associate it with that pungent and offensive aroma. I'll see what it's like: maybe put a peg on my nose or something.

[sparky Paul]

I might have to get a kit: it's only been fermenting for a couple of days but my turbo cider is ABSOLUTELY MINGING. It smells like a stink bomb, or rotten eggs or something.

I wouldn't give in just yet, I don't think the sulphurous smell is unusual during and shortly after fermenting - even the kit whiffed a little bit odd...

[The Cardinal]

You might be right, already it's smelling better

I'll persevere with it, then write up a review here and we can compare notes - Kit Vs Turbo

[Garth]

All the cider I have ever made smelt like cack while fermenting, rotten sulphurous eggs all the way, just done Sherwood Cider kit and that even smelt a bit eggy while in the bottle, but thankfully it's subsided now, I think it's just a by-product of certain fermentations.

[sparky Paul]

...we can compare notes - Kit Vs Turbo

Yeah, great idea - I might even have a crack at some Turbo myself if I can get some cheap Apple juice.