Irish Cider Apple Juice

[Khannie]

Thanks.

Yeah I had planned on building a press and making my own cider this year but it didn't work out so this would have been ideal. Ah sure next year.

[Taf]

Any interest in hop plants?

The one thing I realised knocking out that cider is that all on NHC are really a decent bunch of folks 

Very much interested in growing hops for 2013,  happy to drop again as part of a group buy if required!
Currently being interviewed by Tube as official North-South courier for NHC express

I'll sort you out with a few plants in the spring so! North South Courier sounds good alright, as sometimes tricky to get items down this direction.

[Jacob]

Hmmmm 48h after adding 2 crushed campden tablets per barrel wild yeasts decided to start fermentation any way...
Added cider yeast to the mix. Hopefully wont end up with a cider vinegar :/

[Will_D]

Hmmmm 48h after adding 2 crushed campden tablets per barrel wild yeasts decided to start fermentation any way...
Added cider yeast to the mix. Hopefully wont end up with a cider vinegar :/

The dosage is between 1 and 3 tabs per gallon. I added 12 to each 5 gallon batch!

At pH 3.8 the books recommend 3 pG I reduced to 3!!

Will

[Jacob]

Ok, It's possible then that I've misunderstood John 'slightly' when we was talking about adding 2 tablets. Maybe he ment 2 per gallon ... Well, it's too late now, cider is already fermenting.

[ColinC]

I only added 2 to the 5 gallons as well  :-/

[RichC]

I only added 2 as well!!! 2ish teaspoons Pectic enzyme addedyesterday morning and pitched champagne yeast yesterday evening so too late to do anything else with it

[Ciderhead]

Sorry chaps missed comments last couple of days
Just to be clear its 2 tablets per gallon, please see attached, http://www.cider.org.uk/sulphite.html
My liquid campden tablet addition did the trick for me in the shed and no sign of fermentation?

[Eoin]

That sounds like a lot of sulphite to add, also sounds like the cider will need a while bulk aging to offgas the sulphite to get rid of flavours and also headaches...... it actually sounds like a winemakers amount....does that imply the same aging times?

[Ciderhead]

That sounds like a lot of sulphite to add, also sounds like the cider will need a while bulk aging to offgas the sulphite to get rid of flavours and also headaches...... it actually sounds like a winemakers amount....does that imply the same aging times?

Hi Eoin I tend to agree but at 2 per gallon with our pH thats only a partial kill of the natural yeast as per article in that link.

I have 4 x 25 litre batches on the go this year
1 Pectic Enzyme and 10 Tablets + Yeast
1x 10 Tablets and Yeast
1x Just Yeast
1 x Au Naturel with nothing added

As an absolute worse case scenario I will get 50 Litres and probably 75

The last one is just a complete flyer and not recommended unless you are prepared to pour it down the drain.
4 weeks in primary and 3-4 months in glass.

For cider virgins 2 tabs is the bare minimum or you will be putting it on your salad

[Blackbrew]

2 tabs for me aswell but as I'm away the misses took care of it for me so probably didn't follow any of my instructions anyway, somehow think it will all be fine as she probably over pitched the yeast  if its bad I can blame her if it good then we can share the credit 

[Khannie]

1x Just Yeast

Interested to hear how this one turns out. This would be my preference for a cider brew. I don't like the idea of adding sulphites if I can avoid them.

[Ciderhead]

I'll be banging this in the 'fomenter this afternoon after Moncrief. How long at 18°C can I expect it to take?

3-4 weeks primary mine will be 15-18 and then as everything in life slow and steady, cranked one of mine from last year, and a few aaaarrrhhss, oorright my dear and boot a fuls slipped out

[Will_D]

So my two fermenters are bubbling away nicely. Started out at 20C to get the initial ferment going ( about 36 hours ) Now in garage ( garage is at 13C at mo. ) fitted with brew belts set to 16 C on the STC-1000. The symphony from the airlocks is my sort of melody!

Will

[Ciderhead]

The naked version now is just as active as the rest, I hope they are all friendly yeast and do what they are supposed to.