Turbo Cider - a question or 2

Khannie

sham69 wrote: »

Was just going to use sweetener for the priming.

You can't use sweetener for priming. You can use brewing sugar, or more apple juice. The sweetener doesn't ferment (which is what you need for priming). It does take away the dryness though (you need *some* sweetener anyway IMO, unless you like mouth puckeringly dry stuff).

So for a sweet, fizzy cider you need some priming sugar + sweetener (not aspartame based).

evolving_doors

Last time I looked splenda was on offer in dunnes..3 quid for the big packet I think.

dylbert

Have a cider in primary a week now, was thinking of adding some fruit to secondary but I'm don't know how much the fruit will raise the abv? It should finish primary at 6.3% will fruit push it up too far?

sham69

Khannie wrote: »

You can't use sweetener for priming. You can use brewing sugar, or more apple juice. The sweetener doesn't ferment (which is what you need for priming). It does take away the dryness though (you need *some* sweetener anyway IMO, unless you like mouth puckeringly dry stuff).

So for a sweet, fizzy cider you need some priming sugar + sweetener (not aspartame based).

Thanks.
I misread the instructions on here so, I thought you put 2 sweetener tabs in to each bottle for carbonation ( is that different to priming).
Maybe I need to read it again

loyatemu

dylbert wrote: »

Have a cider in primary a week now, was thinking of adding some fruit to secondary but I'm don't know how much the fruit will raise the abv? It should finish primary at 6.3% will fruit push it up too far?

if you're using frozen berries the FSAI still recommend boiling them:
http://www.fsai.ie/faqs/berries_Hepatitis_A.html

sham69

This is what I mean (from first page)

"Next step I prime the bottles. Which is best? A teaspoon of sugar per bottle (500ml) or some good quality apple juice? Not sure what to do here."


Sorry I am being a pain before I even get started

loyatemu

you can use sugar or apple juice. Advantage of using juice is you'll end up with a bit more cider.

Khannie

Add the sweetener too though.

Ronan|Raven

Anyone have any ideas for an "xmas" themed TC?

evolving_doors

Khannie wrote: »

Add the sweetener too though.

Ok Op...here's what to do...

When bottling....
Add about 20ml apple juice (not from concentrate yadda yadda) Ooooooooooo
Spoonful of brew sugar , normal table sugar if stuck
Half a spoon splenda...

Although you dont want it too sweet, and its easier to add splenda when drinking or apple juice if its a ltlle too dry...its harder to take the sweetness out than put it in !...

Actually screw that...if youre making a good few bottles do up a few labels with various priming recipes and add accordingly... Then report back here on your findings..

Then decide yourself, personally I like it dry as an arabs slipper...then maybe add some juice when drinking if necessary.

loyatemu

Armelodie wrote: »

Ok Op...here's what to do...

When bottling....
Add about 20ml apple juice (not from concentrate yadda yadda) Ooooooooooo
Spoonful of brew sugar , normal table sugar if stuck
Half a spoon splenda...

Although you dont want it too sweet, and its easier to add splenda when drinking or apple juice if its a ltlle too dry...its harder to take the sweetness out than put it in !...

Actually screw that...if youre making a good few bottles do up a few labels with various priming recipes and add accordingly... Then report back here on your findings..

Then decide yourself, personally I like it dry as an arabs slipper...then maybe add some juice when drinking if necessary.

don't see the point of adding juice and sugar - just figure how much sugar you want to prime with and add the appropriate quantity of juice (it tells you on the side of the carton how much sugar is in the juice).

sham69

Thanks all again for the replies.
I am waiting on brew sugar to arrive, cider yeast and syphon (as it didnt come in first order.

Ready for Xmas is not looking good

loyatemu

cracked the first of my recent batch from apples last night.

Came out nice and fizzy (primed with juice), still very cloudy (I think in previous years it cleared better). I sweetened with 1 lidl sweetener in each bottle, and TBH I'm not sure this was a success, its quite noticeable in the aftertaste - might be better just leaving it dry the next time...

drumswan

I used Youngs Cider Yeast with sweetner, I suspect theres enough sweetner in there for a 20-23L batch, my batches were 5L. The sweetner is really pronounced, its not great.

laurence997

loyatemu wrote: »

cracked the first of my recent batch from apples last night.

Came out nice and fizzy (primed with juice), still very cloudy (I think in previous years it cleared better). I sweetened with 1 lidl sweetener in each bottle, and TBH I'm not sure this was a success, its quite noticeable in the aftertaste - might be better just leaving it dry the next time...

Yeah, the ones we didn't sweeten with the lidl tabs turned out better I think. Just sweeten to taste when we open them if needs be.

Khannie

loyatemu wrote: »

its quite noticeable in the aftertaste

Splenda is a possible solution for you from the aftertaste perspective. If you are using it, it doesn't dissolve well in the glass so better added at priming time. I don't notice the aftertaste myself so I'm happy with the lidl ones.

Khannie

drumswan wrote: »

I used Youngs Cider Yeast with sweetner, I suspect theres enough sweetner in there for a 20-23L batch, my batches were 5L. The sweetner is really pronounced, its not great.

Oh yikes! Yeah, they're designed for large batches. Were you using the full sachet?

sham69

ok folks,
All my stuff has arrived.
I plan on starting tonight.
Using a 35l fermenting bucket but only going to do 10L to start with.
I am following the recipe on the first page of this thread.

I ended up getting the brew sugar, do I only use this to prime once fermenting has finished?
Also the yeast is youngs cider yeast (no sweetener added)
Do I use the whole sachet?
I think its 5g.
Thanks.

BeerNut

sham69 wrote: »

do I only use this to prime once fermenting has finished?

sham69 wrote: »

Do I use the whole sachet?

Yes and yes.

sham69

Thanks Beernut,
Hopefully thats the end of my questions.
Just a bit nervous starting off.
Cheers.

sham69

ok , so started off a small batch last night.
5L only.
No bubbles as of this morning (about 12 hours sitting in the bucket)
I will keep an eye on it, have an air lock in it so I can see whats happening.
Sterilised everything before I started.

Think I will invest in a second bucket with a tap, siphon to that when fermentation is complete and then bottle from the tap.
Fingers crossed.

I just sprinkled the yeast over the top of the mixture, do I need to give it a shake to get it going?
Thanks.

BeerNut

sham69 wrote: »

have an air lock in it so I can see whats happening.

The airlock doesn't really tell you anything useful. No bubbles doesn't mean no fermentation.

sham69 wrote: »

I just sprinkled the yeast over the top of the mixture, do I need to give it a shake to get it going?

No, leave it.

sham69

Thanks again Beernut.

sham69

a week down and not much activity from my fermenting bucket.
Will leave it another week and open her up.

BeerNut

Could be worth taking a gravity reading, just to make sure something is happening.

sham69

Will take one this evening.
Hopefully it wasn't a dodgy pack of yeast or something.
Cheers.

laurence997

sham69 wrote: »

a week down and not much activity from my fermenting bucket.
Will leave it another week and open her up.

There was no activity in the airlock here until we sealed the top really well with duct tape, as soon as we did the airlock went crazy. All the gas was just escaping around the top because it wasn't sealed properly.

BadmanRiddim

Just started homebrewing over the summer & have done a few kits....just reading up on this turbo cider stuff now and it looks like right craic. Going to have a go tomorrow!

sham69

laurence997 wrote: »

There was no activity in the airlock here until we sealed the top really well with duct tape, as soon as we did the airlock went crazy. All the gas was just escaping around the top because it wasn't sealed properly.

Havent had a chance to look at it.
Finished work today for Xmas so going to check it out when I get home.
Thnaks for the tip.
I can see through the bucket and there doesnt seem to be much activity or foam etc.
Have a bad feeling.
Ah well, it was only 5 litres as a test.

sham69

well i took a reading , well i tried.
I took a sample, put it in the case that the hydrometer came in and it gave me a reading of the black 10 just below the yellow (where it says bottle)
problem being I didn't take an initial reading (as I didn't have the hydrometer)

As for the mixture, rank smell of it, raisin bits floating on top but no sign of foam or yeasty look whatsoever.

I tightened up the airlock in case there was air getting in.
I'm due to bottle on Monday so don't know what to do.
Might bottle anyway and see what happens.