Cider

[Essexsussex]

Interesting thread that I have just stumbled across. It's good to see so many of you fine chaps producing your own stuff. Worked for a few years in microbreweries in the Leeds area and have done a fair bit of homebrwing since moving up to Scotland. You all seem to be getting along great but if anyone ever needs any tips or advice give me a shout and I might be able to help out.View attachment 405860View attachment 405858

Is that cost per pint to make I see on the kegerator? What’s driving the higher cost of the Czech lager v the hop heavy and therefore expensive ipa? Is it imported malt?

 

[Zephyrjim]

I tried a bottle in early December and whilst it was nice and clear with some fizz, it still needed time to mature more. It tasted ok but still had that dual taste of fruitiness and alcohol separately. I'll try another bottle over this weekend and see how it's going. I'll report back with findings.

 

[Zephyrjim]

 

[Zephyrjim]

Well I tried another bottle last night and it has a good taste now, a bit dry but very clear and fizzy. I'm pleased with it. It's about 6.5% so I sometimes add a lemonade top so I'm not mullared

 

[Zephyrjim]

Is anyone else making French style cider? My wife's French so have had plenty of Cidre from Breton and Normandie. I've been very close in flavour a few times, but almost always a drier than theirs.

 

[VSS]

Is anyone else making French style cider? My wife's French so have had plenty of Cidre from Breton and Normandie. I've been very close in flavour a few times, but almost always a drier than theirs.

I did once, many years ago, make a 10 gallon batch of Normandie style cider. It was the best cider I've ever made by a long way. We drank it on my son's 1st birthday. Unfortunately, subsequent attempts to replicate it weren't very successful, and in the end I gave up trying.

 

[Essexsussex]

Read Claude jolicouer for all your cider technical needs! Also there’s a cider workshop google group, it’s excellent and you’ll get some good guidance there including from Claude or Andrew Lea who is also awesome.

 

[longtail22]

I use electric garden shredder for the apples and a built a press from some old oak beams and bottle jack, I make 200l plus every 2 years.

 

[nic531]

View attachment 384583
Ready to rumble!!!

love the presses, far bigger than the one I use

 

[Essexsussex]

Is anyone else making French style cider? My wife's French so have had plenty of Cidre from Breton and Normandie. I've been very close in flavour a few times, but almost always a drier than theirs.

I’d be pretty sure they are back sweetening most of the stuff you are trying, with apple juice. Or they are keeving which is too technical for me…

 

[Essexsussex]

Should be some excellent malolactic fermentation going on in on this hot weather in all our 2024 ciders my friends, if the acid isn’t too high.
Watch those air locks!! I’m excited…

 

[TringSaint]

What are everyone’s apple trees looking like in terms of blossom this year? Ours are totally covered so even with the ‘June drop’ we should have a bumper harvest, so long as we get some rain!!
Will have a crack at cider again this autumn if it all goes as hoped!!

 

[nic531]

I haven't done any for a number of years and always forget to take the abv at the start so never knew the strength..... maybe this year I will remember

 

[Mike1979]

The first (and last so far) attempt was an absolute disaster...maybe one day when we have more time as I certainly like to drink cider

 

[VSS]

What are everyone’s apple trees looking like in terms of blossom this year? Ours are totally covered so even with the ‘June drop’ we should have a bumper harvest, so long as we get some rain!!
Will have a crack at cider again this autumn if it all goes as hoped!!

Looking pretty poor, to be honest

 

[TringSaint]

Looking pretty poor, to be honest

Last year it was pretty naff and the crop yield was equally naff - cold spring caused a lot of issues with apples as well as sloes.
This year it’s been much warmer and dryer and, so far, the blossom is really full - way more then last year.
If we get a good drop then I will make 45 litres or thereabouts, but I have learned not to push the abv too high, so I water down the apple juice to reach a specific OG which when brewed out it gives an abv of 4.5-5%.
My 7.5% brew tasted a bit funky after 6 months of maturing.

 

[Essexsussex]

What are everyone’s apple trees looking like in terms of blossom this year? Ours are totally covered so even with the ‘June drop’ we should have a bumper harvest, so long as we get some rain!!
Will have a crack at cider again this autumn if it all goes as hoped!!

My garden trees, the cordons and espaliers are looking good. The proper tree is not so but it does have a habit of producing a lot of small fruit so actually the yield could be ok. Time will tell. I don’t visit the cider orchard that’s in someone’s garden in the off season but perhaps I should!

 

[Koenig]

My last dealings with home brew was New Year’s Eve 1990…..As good student types we had a brew that in all honesty wasn’t quite ready in the airing cupboard. In we all came after the student union closed….whereby my mate decides to bet (against himself) that he couldn’t drink x5 pints of his own brew within 5 mins (as you do when already half cut). Anyhow…..he does it and everyone toddles off to bed. Fast forward about an hour…on waking up I can hear a women obviously upset. Imagine the scene….home brew man is as naked as a bobcat and being showered down in the bathroom. He’s only woken up bursting for a pee, walked into another blokes room (who’s brought a lady friend back) and hosed her face down before doing the same to her pile of clothes.……completely blotto obviously. At breakfast she was alright about itadding it was the golden laser arching off of her forehead and splattering up the wall that woke her up at all. She went up in my estimation after that, I’d always found a bit snotty beforehand.

 

[Koenig]

True story…..beware the power of the home brew!

 

[Essexsussex]

My last dealings with home brew was New Year’s Eve 1990…..As good student types we had a brew that in all honesty wasn’t quite ready in the airing cupboard. In we all came after the student union closed….whereby my mate decides to bet (against himself) that he couldn’t drink x5 pints of his own brew within 5 mins (as you do when already half cut). Anyhow…..he does it and everyone toddles off to bed. Fast forward about an hour…on waking up I can hear a women obviously upset. Imagine the scene….home brew man is as naked as a bobcat and being showered down in the bathroom. He’s only woken up bursting for a pee, walked into another blokes room (who’s brought a lady friend back) and hosed her face down before doing the same to her pile of clothes.……completely blotto obviously. At breakfast she was alright about itadding it was the golden laser arching off of her forehead and splattering up the wall that woke her up at all. She went up in my estimation after that, I’d always found a bit snotty beforehand.

This is what should be on this forum, not basc bashing or trump-mania. Thank you.