Turbo Cider

[dandan]

Some people don't add sugar, but I do boosts the Alch levels and gives more profile to the cider! I some times add a cinnamon stick or some elderflowers to the simmer for a twist! champagne or cider yeast works well with this recipe
Method
Simmer 150g sugar (brewers sugar works best) in around 0.5L of apple juice for 5 mins
Add 4L of juice to the fermenter
Add the juice with sugar
When below 30 deg c, pitch the yeast, cover and shake well to aerate
Fit airlock.
Add the remaining juice once the yeast head settles a little.

[Gazz]

Yeah I also add a few teaspoons of honey.
Although I only go for the 100% squeezed apple juice and not the concentrate as this already has sugars along with water added to it.
I have a 5L bottle conditioning ready for mid November, dont know what to expect! Maybe some youthfull memories!!!

[greg]

Dan, thanks for this looks good. Think I'm going to try some with dried elderflower or maybe even raspberries.
Quick question. You say add the remaining juice one the yeast head settles down but how much as there is no total amount of juice in the recipe?
Also how long to you leave before bottling/drinking?

[dandan]

Sorry Greg!
5L you need!
I tend to leave it a few weeks after bottling! Its your choice if you prime or not!
I find Lidl's Vitafit Apple Juice quite good for it (does concentrated but is 100%), or Copella Apple juice (on offer at lidl at 2L for £3 at the moment)

[andy555]

how much yeast do you add?

[greg]

I would add a whole pack of dried.

[dandan]

As greg says a whole packet Young's Cider Yeast Sachet 5g or Young's Champagne Wine Yeast Sachet 5g work well.
I've bought some Copella Apple and Elderflower juice to make a batch of TC this week.

[Tony]

Found myself with a bit of time to myself this afternoon so - inspired by dandan's recipe, I headed to sainsbury's. Hope you don't mind dandan, I changed it a little:
20 ltrs TC (I 'acquired' a few large water bottles from dispensers - says 19 ltrs on the label but it easily holds 20)
16 ltrs apple juice

3 ltrs apple & raspberry juice
Simmer 340g honey in around 1 ltr of apple juice for 5 mins

Add 15 ltrs of juice to the fermenter

Add 1 cup of black tea

Add the juice with honey

Add 2 teaspoons pectolase

S-04 yeast (because that's what I have in the freezer).
Kept a lot of headspace for yeast activity and will add the top up of apple juice after a couple of days.
I completely forgot to take into account that the juice had been in the 'fridge. It's now warming in a sink full of hot water before I can pitch the yeast (started at 13C).
Apple juice was 56p a ltr (It is from concentrate but at that price it's worth taking a risk on it), the apple and raspberry was 1.68.
The trouble with being a teacher is that everyone in the area knows you. In the past few days I've been seen buying 19 ltrs of juice and 19 jars of honey (for the mead). This will come back to bite me at the next parents evening!

[Tony]

Crumbs!

I dry-pitched and it started fermenting away in around 5 mins.

[jharper]

Q. Tony - you freeze the yeast?
Ref the apple pressing I hear freezing apples kills the natural yeast so I guess it is ok for dried. Is there a time limit for freezing?
JH

[Tony]

Yes, I put all my hops and yeast in the freezer as soon as it/they arrive(s) - unless I know I'm going to use it in the next day or two - then I store it/them in the 'fridge.
I take the yeast out about 6 or 12 hours beforehand so it can climb up to room temp. I usually go by the date on the packet - but that's a good question. Do you do all your ciders with natural yeast?
)

[jharper]

aha
First cider kit I have tried and still waiting until autumn to try the scratter/press. Not sure if you saw the final press but for under £25 it should be a good'un

[Tony]

Saw it and loved it. In my last abode I planted and grew a bramley tree. By the time I moved out it was producing enough apples for about 30 - 40 gals. I miss that tree.
(Actually I grew the tree in the garden - just re-read that and it looks like it may well have been in front of the TV... or in the toilet, it wasn't ))
I have to make one of those scatters and presses! I made a red wine last september with grapes grown just up the road - toyed with the idea of using the natural yeast but chickened out in the end.

[andy555]

i have just tried the recipe that Dandan posted at the top but made it with mixed fruit juices, 3.5l apple juice and 1l of Cranberry,Blackcurrant and Raspberry. I just measured it out proportionatly first in a glass until i was happy with the taste then made the quantity to fill the demi, and followed the other instructions then-----------i will let you know the result of my mixed friut cider. cheers for the recipe dandan.

[greg]

Sounds like a good combination.
I had some apple and ginger juice the other day which worked really well. How about ginger cider?
In fact I'm going to make some this weekend so I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Tony]

Apple and ginger .. I love the sound of that! Nice one Greg!

[andy555]

anyone know how to take an alcohol reading using a hydrometer? i have just realised that following the recipe above i have dropped a slight bo***ck i added 450g of sugar instead of 150g and am curious to see when it comes out.

[Tony]

I would serve it in shot glasses )

[stuwilliams]

Or a jerry can...
thats going to be Turbo Cider with Nitrous.

[nath]

lol,
Thats one to give to ya mates then record the result and put on youtube for all to enjoy!

[greg]

Hi Andy, to use a hydrometer take a sample (or stick the hydrometer sterilised straight into the cider), read where the top of the liquid comes up to. Write this down, ideally before it starts fermenting.
Then do the same at then end.
To work out the ABV just measure the two calculations. This will show you how tohttp://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/index.p ... ing-volume
If its not fermented too much then you could probably add 5 litres of apple juice and split into 2 batches. Or just leave it and end with with some rocket fuel. I'm sure it will get drunk and you've only got 5 litres any how.

[Neil]

I think we should all pile around Andy's gaff on the 11th July to try the cider and watch England lift the cup.. I can dream...
It must be like Cilit Bang "Bang and the dirt is gone!"

[greg]

Hey if we all pile round Andys this weekend we will probably wake up after the World Cup finishes. Avoid the inevitable pain that is coming.... I'm not normally a pessimist but I've seen too many disappointments now to be anything but.
If we do win I can then only be very pleasantly surprised.

[Tony]

Brilliant!

Great way to wake up in the morning folks, reading those comments has put a huge smile on my face first thing in the morning. Kinda the opposite of what andy's cider will do. I remember scrumpy hangovers!
Great idea with going around and watching the footie - with the necessary anesthetic! I suggest you prime it with sugar, make it nice and fizzy and drink it through a straw .. why mess around )
It'll be fine andy, just treat it with a little respect )

[andy555]

just to let you all know how the super-turbo mixed fruit cider turned out that i mistakenly added too much sugar to!
it was quite sweet, but tasted nice! has one hell of a kick to it though, infact i would even say it was more like a fruit liqoure. i have worked out that its about 11% but it does taste stronger.
Anyway it won't go to waste and i am gonna try again this week with the proper recipe.