Started my first batch of cider

[micckey 106]

i have been making cider 5 years now ,,,i use a juicer to save time and 19 liter water butts with a air lock on (in your case you can use demi johns ) ,, add a few grapes to mix and a spot of lemon juice ,, in my mix i use 1/2 apple juce from juicer half water one 2lb of sugar and some super wine yeast...you need to rack it a few times to make it taste right the racking part is done in demijohns to get rid of spent yeast =sediment in bottom..when putting it in bottles add a tiny bit of sugar then you get the secondary fermentation,,, = fizz hope this help a bit ,, also sometimes racking it helps fermentation.. elder flowers makes it taste better in my view ...

Edited December 10, 2012 by micckey

[JohnGalway 1,043]

The stuff I make isn't directly from apples, well it is but.... I buy cartons of Lidl/Aldi cloudy apple juice. It's not from concentrate, it's pure apple juice.Got no orchards around here. If I didn't put the recipe at the start of this thread (can't remember, too lazy to check ) I'll be making another batch soon (should have done months ago!).

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Well, I've just downed the last of it

 

I think I've had a problem with some of my swing top bottles, so in the morning I expect to write an email to them I paid good money to.

 

But, I have to say, when it was good, it was bloody fantastic

[Brewman 1,192]

When you say you had a problem with some of the bottles did you sterilize them before you filled them as that could account for the difference in taste in the same batch.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Yeah, I has them in a bleach and vinegar solution recommended to me by another brewer. I used that solution to sterilize everything I used including the brew buckets. I figure it's a problem with the seals on the swing tops? There really is no comparison to a good and bad bottle of what I made, the bad stuff is bad tasting flatter sh1t, the good stuff tastes good and is very well carbonated.

[Brewman 1,192]

I know a lot of brewers use the flip tops but I go for magners bottles and a capper. Can't go wrong youll know at the time if you fcuk up filling it.

Sometimes you'll get a batch and its not 100% and its just tough shite. Happens to us all.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

If the whole batch was crap, then I wouldn't be wondering too much. That individual bottles from the same batch are crap makes me suspect them. I've got a couple of hundred bottles, mostly Heineken that were donated to me. The reason I liked the swing tops is the look of them and not having to buy new caps all the time. But I guess I'm going to have to start now.

[j j m 6,539]

I used to love making my own brews years ago

[Man in Blue 15]

I know that nobody likes a big head but if anyone wants any help or advice making cider, then I maybe able to help. This year has been a disasterous one for apples but last year we made just over 3000 litres of cider. This is only our second year making it commercially but unfortunately, we were only able to make a fraction of the amount that we made in year one. Still, there's always next year.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Man in Blue

[JohnGalway 1,043]

That doesn't sound big headed, sounds helpful and kind