Hi Folk
I can't recall if this was discussed and what the outcome was, but is the cider competition on for the August/September meet up? If i recall Ian had mentioned something on a post.
cheers
Andy
Not an answer to your question, Andy, but..
Inspired by a visit to Healey Cyder farm in Conrwall a couple of weeks ago, I followed your lead on the cider recipe thread and put on a wee 1 gallon batch Saturday week last.
Used 4 litres of Co-op basic apple juice from concentrate (£4 total) for the initial fermentation, and after 4 days added a litre of M&S Windsor apple juice (£2, effing gorgeous; 10 whole apples per carton, apparently) to give it extra taste and to try and emulate the Healey Cornish Rattler cloudiness. Used 1/5 packet of champagne yeast.
Hoping to bottle this weekend, after adding some boiled tea and priming sugar.
Hopefully this will turn out better than my last cider attempt, which turned out so dry it sucked your teeth out the back of your head and duly spent the rest of its days exploring the South Belfast drainage system. I think that one was down to using Tesco value apple juice all the way, and using some old wine yeast from a tub that was about 2 years out of date.
Depending on how it turns out I might swap more Co-op AJ for the M&S next time, maybe even add a little elderflower.
-Barry
I think it was for the end of september. Would that be long enough? Not much experience of making cider apart from something similar to Bazza!
Don't think anything has been set in stone so if you're up for it you could organise it?
As was hinted before by Shane, Tube, Il Tubo, The mighty Tub or whatever personna he's adopted:
There may well be a national cider fest held towards then of September/October.
Some points to bear in mind:
Cider from fresh juice will be ready for next years competion.
Unless you have cider from the 2012 harvest its Turbo Cider ( from commercial AJ ) or from Kits (i.e. Tins)
There will (if it goes ahead) be a class for Kits (tins) and Juice (either real AJ) or from concentrate (Lidl/Aldi/etc)
Will try to find out more and keep ye's posted