General / Off-Topic What cider should I buy?

[SMcA]

So is Diamond White, but I don't see anyone recommending that... apart from use as engine cleaner, that is.

I bought that once.
I used to drink cider until my wife told me that I looked like the Govan Cyder Drinkers on tour.

 

[SMcA]

A fellow brewer Arry? Good on you. Love the quiet gurgling of fermentation. Cheers!

In my youth when I was living with my parents. The rhubarb fibres in my rhubarb wine clogged the airlock and it blew its top in the airing cupboard.
Oops!

 

[Arry]

Try using an ale yeast Arry, you'll be surprised, much smoother result than champagne yeast (I use wilko's own brand, which is Muntons Nottingham), aim for 9% abv with fermentables.

I tent to make mashes, which go on to other things. Such as a cider mash becoming an Apple Brandy. With the second process, the yeast flavour will come through and often spoil the end product. The only time the yeast flavour is good, is with a brown sugar and fruit mash and then I will use a 'stored' bakers yeast; again with a champaign yeast, to up the alcohol content. I don't make wheat and barley mashes, as the end product, requires really long term storage and would be an insult; to the products already out there.

 

[VR George Smiley]

Champagne Yeasts do tend to make an incredibly dry result, using an ale yeast means lower attenuation, fewer sugars fermented, more residual flavour. On the other hand craft lager at only 4.5% is incredible brewed with a champagne yeast.
Arry, I bet your apple brandy is better than the shopstuff, home made rules! Was given a kilner jar of Breton cherries in cider brandy hooch a while back, splendid stuff. I tend towardsmaking stouts and high octane pales...but my fave are trad British ales, Tim Taylor, 6x, HSB, old thumper and the like.
I like your finishing with a champagne yeast, must try this. Happy Brewing, sorry if we brewers have changed this into 'jims beer forum' (excellent brewtips there)!

 

[Smeg]

I tent to make mashes, which go on to other things. Such as a cider mash becoming an Apple Brandy. With the second process, the yeast flavour will come through and often spoil the end product. The only time the yeast flavour is good, is with a brown sugar and fruit mash and then I will use a 'stored' bakers yeast; again with a champaign yeast, to up the alcohol content. I don't make wheat and barley mashes, as the end product, requires really long term storage and would be an insult; to the products already out there.

Got it. Happy homebrewing Arry/George.

 

[Ashnak]

Don't be sorry, this is interesting. I take it that you have to somehow press your apples to get to make that stuff, though?

I have couple of trees in the garden (and plenty of trees all around I could probably get apples from free for the asking), but so far have been turned off by the price of what seems to be a decent hand press.

 

[Smeg]

If you've a local homebrew shop nearby inquire about renting a press for a day or two. Alternatively, if you make a DIY a scratter you can extract the juice from the pulp using the sugar reduction technique. Not ideal but it will still make a good cider. Food for thought Ashnak.

 

[Burke]

https://www.skreach.co.uk/

Comes in 5 liter square bottles. Respect that cider tho, its fruity and goes down easy. Feels stronger than its %

It actually looks like they stopped selling that but any cornish cider is good.