quick brew ideas

[nogginthenog]

Hi Andy and Shirlz,

I use T***o value stuff off the shelf, not in the fridge and have had no problems. The ingredients say that there is only apple juice in there...

I think is all they generally do with apple juice is pasteurise to preserve?

I've made reasonable cider with value apple juice too. Think I used beer yeast. Just make sure it's 100% apple juice, no additives.

A warning though, it ferments *DRY* (hint: add some apple juice to taste when serving).

[abingdonboy]

Hi noggin,

Think that Ale yeast should be fine without the honey added, but won't it die before 7.5% ABV? Might be the way to get a medium rather than a dry cider?

General purpose wine yeast works fine for me, and although i like my cider strong i think that the max ABV for GP yeast is about 18% which is a little higher than i am planning!!!

Cheers,

AB

[Stonehead]

I use cider yeast for medium strength (around 7-8 per cent) and champagne yeast for my power scrumpy (well over 10%). The key thing with the champagne yeast is to watch the sugar level - too sweet a juice and you have apple wine, not cider.

I've used bread yeast and beer yeast (in the interests of science, of course), and these generally came in between 5.5 and 7 per cent. Personally, I don't like sweet cider so I only use cider and champagne yeasts now.

[zombiecazz]

I started of some Turbo cider today. I'd read about it before on homewinemaking forum
It's an excellent site for wine and beer making.
Use 3 litres of Lidl apple juice, a little honey, some elderflower cordial and a little rosemary. Should be ready in about two weeks. Fingers crossed.

[shiney]

I've just found this post and I'm laughing so much at Stoneys description of how to make hooch. It does sound like you have to be pretty desperate to make such a concoction.

It's cheered up my day no end.

I did pick up a load of wine making equipement off freecycle. I really should use it. Better nip over to the brewing forum. I am feeling very creative today, so I could have something up and going by the end of the day!

[zombiecazz]

I've just racked a demijohn of fruit tea wine I made at the start of october. It's quite a gently wine and probably not that alcoholic about 10%, but It definately reminds me of a rose D'anjou.

I'm looking forward to my raspberry Jam wine, banana wine, and Elderberry wine.
Once these have all stopped bubbling and been racked I'll have to try something like tinned fruit wine or keep an eye on the supermarket fruit being reduced.
It's so much more exciting than doing a wine kit. Just wish tyhe price of sugar would stop going up.

[zombiecazz]

Just bottled my Turbo cider. Took 9 days to ferment. I now have approx 4 litres sitting in Tonic bottles primed with a teaspoon of sugar. In about a week they'll be ready to drink

Although I did have a taste......mmm tastey.
Put another batch on straight away with Asda cheapo AJ this time. It's now merrily bubbling away behind me.