National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Cider, Perry, Wine & Mead => Topic started by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 11, 2013, 09:37:17 PM

Title: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 11, 2013, 09:37:17 PM
Hello all!
Have you guys any suggestions for a first time home brew kit for a cider?
I've had a bash at 2 beers so far, one is finished successfully and the 2ns is still in the FV.
I'll more than likely be buying from homebrewwest so if anyone has any experience of ciders bought from those guys it would greatly appreciated if you could share any recommendations?

Thanks,
Colin
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 11, 2013, 10:33:57 PM
Autumn Blush
It does need to stand
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Eoin on December 11, 2013, 10:56:59 PM
A Lidl special is what you want.

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Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Dunkel on December 12, 2013, 01:21:18 PM
I agree with Eoin. Lidl apple juice, yeast nutrient, yeast and a couple of teabags. Simples!
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 12, 2013, 09:16:13 PM
Autumn Blush? - Will look into that one now.

Lidl Special? - Sounds very interesting . . . presume the yeast and yeast nutrient are available from homebrewwest?  Normal teabags? what do they do?
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Eoin on December 12, 2013, 09:19:03 PM
They add tannin that would normally be in a cider apple.

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Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Eoin on December 12, 2013, 09:21:25 PM
Throw in a few jars of honey while you're at it. Let it ferment dry then add Lidl apple juice or sprite to taste when serving.

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Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 12, 2013, 10:17:08 PM
Fish Jam it's your 3rd brew do a muntons Autumn Blush, leave the witches brew until you are a little bit further down the track, it's a quality 2 can kit but will take time to mature.
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 13, 2013, 09:13:45 PM
will do boss 8)
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Eoin on December 13, 2013, 09:17:33 PM
In the meantime get a few demijohns of Lidl special on. The longer it stands the better it gets.

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Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 13, 2013, 09:43:29 PM
Or you could piss is a bottle and see how long that takes to ferment, it's gonna taste the same:)


Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 13, 2013, 09:47:20 PM
was debating taking a wizzer into a bottle but i just bought a Finlandia Cider 1.45kg Kit instead, hope its nicer :)


http://www.homebrewwest.ie/finlandia-cider-145-kg-kit-1349-p.asp

Just bought this too, tis the season and all . . .

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/coopers-india-pale-ale-32-kg-ingredient-pack-2961-p.asp

what you's think?
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 13, 2013, 09:54:37 PM
Finlandia would probably have been my second choice
I don't know the pale
Get er brewed have good prices on kits at the mo


Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 13, 2013, 09:55:58 PM
is there a better pale you'd recommend? I haven't hit "checkout" yet
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: LordEoin on December 13, 2013, 10:13:19 PM
That IPA is nice. Dryhop the hell outta it and it's great.
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 13, 2013, 10:14:44 PM
so when you say "dryhop" you mean i should do what?
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: LordEoin on December 13, 2013, 10:34:02 PM
To put it simply - Once primary fermentation is done, chuck some hops in for a week.
Have a read off this : http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2732.0.html (http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2732.0.html)
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 13, 2013, 10:34:07 PM
You tube it, pretty simple process just remember though sanitation and latest thinking is 3-5 days
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 13, 2013, 10:37:36 PM
cheers guys, will check it out now . . . no doubt i'll be back with more questions soon  ;D
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 13, 2013, 10:40:07 PM
Quote from: CH on December 13, 2013, 09:54:37 PM
Finlandia would probably have been my second choice
I don't know the pale
Get er brewed have good prices on kits at the mo

Sorry this was my first choice, but by a country mile the best kit cider I've ever had
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/muntons-premium-gold-autumn-blush-cider-422-p.asp
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: LordEoin on December 13, 2013, 10:42:59 PM
The good thing about the finlandia kit is that it doesn't need a whole lot of patience and there's more residual sweetness so less fiddling around with backsweetening etc. It's also cheap as chips.
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Cory on December 17, 2013, 11:06:59 AM
Ditto on the Lidl special.  I've made a few small and one large batch of the store-bought apple juice-sugar-nutrient-tea bags.  Don't tell the rest of the club, but I've also done well with the Tesco Sun Grown juice from concentrate 85c/1.5L ain't too bad.  Maybe my American taste buds have already been fried, though.  Good luck and keep trying different things.
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 19, 2013, 11:08:31 AM
Got my order but received brewmaker cider instead of the Finlandia!!!! Grrr

Started a new thread about the Brewmaker Brand if anyone has any tips?
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 27, 2013, 09:27:34 PM
Quote from: LordEoin on December 13, 2013, 10:34:02 PM
To put it simply - Once primary fermentation is done, chuck some hops in for a week.
Have a read off this : http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2732.0.html (http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2732.0.html)

LordEoin - what do i need to buy to "dryhop"? I want to get my bits sorted for when i brew this IPA.  Do i just need hops and a muslin bag? is there a hop you'd recommend for this kit?
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: LordEoin on December 28, 2013, 02:45:32 AM
Need: hops (you can just chuck them in loose.
My preferred: hops, muslin bag (60cent), bag of marbles to weigh it down (€1)

Any hop you like the taste and smell of will do. You'll be the one drinking it, so brew it to your taste.

More traditionally something like challenger, fuggles, goldings, target but personally I prefer hops like cascade, willamette, motueka, bramling cross. One of the last IPAs I made was with 40g bramling cross and 40g styrian goldings and it was great.
Here's a great resource for hops to style: http://byo.com/resources/hops (http://byo.com/resources/hops)
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: fishjam45 (Colin) on December 28, 2013, 09:54:58 AM
Thanks again LordEoin, will maybe try fuggles - from what I've read it should go well with my IPA.
Lost my marbles years ago, they'll be hard to replace though ....
Title: Re: Suggestions for a first time Cider?
Post by: Ciderhead on December 28, 2013, 01:34:20 PM
Don't forget to sterilise everything  a piece cat gut tied around top helps retrieval or a sterilised metal coat hanger