Fruit Ciders

[guest1906]

Hi Guys

I'm wondering has any one tried making any of the fruit ciders, like strawberry, blueberry or watermelon cider. I was in the home brew shop in Mountmellick at the weekend and it was my girlfriend that noticed these flavors. I would be interested to know if you have tried these on how you got on with it.

[LordEoin]

Have a look at the cider kit reviews here: http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php/topic,4026.0.html
There's plenty of opinions on them

[guest1906]

Thank you, your Lordship for the link

[cruiscinlan]

I'm wondering has any one tried making any of the fruit ciders, like strawberry, blueberry or watermelon cider. I was in the home brew shop in Mountmellick at the weekend and it was my girlfriend that noticed these flavors. I would be interested to know if you have tried these on how you got on with it.

The recommendation I'd have with fruit in beer or cider is that if at all possible use real fruit, fresh if you can get it.  The synthetic honk off some of the kits and flavourings can be diabolical.

[Eoin]

I'm wondering has any one tried making any of the fruit ciders, like strawberry, blueberry or watermelon cider. I was in the home brew shop in Mountmellick at the weekend and it was my girlfriend that noticed these flavors. I would be interested to know if you have tried these on how you got on with it.

The recommendation I'd have with fruit in beer or cider is that if at all possible use real fruit, fresh if you can get it.  The synthetic honk off some of the kits and flavourings can be diabolical.

Agreed, it's all sweeteners and shite, the Coopers ginger beer kit is a perfect example, even though it's not a cider, it's symptomatic of them trying to leave a residual sweetness to hit alcopop type drinks.

The resulting taste is woeful, I had to drain pour a whole batch of that shite.

[brendy_éire]

Have tried this a few times, more with mead than with cider though.  It's difficult to get the balance between fruit flavour and alcohol level right, IMO.

For sheer handiness and consistency, you may be better to start off with making a light tasting cider and/or perry, adding the juices of your chosen fruit, and working backwards from there.
Most supermarket bought juices are grand to use in fermentation as they've been pasteurised, but anything else you'll probably want to sterlise.  Heat is the obvious solution, though I do feel that the fruit looses some of its flavour and gains sweetness this way.

Regarding kits, Finlandia's cider/perry mix is decent enough and can easily be mixed with other fruits when it's finished.

[irish_goat]

I made the On The Rocks apple cider last year, it's a mix of apple and white grape concentrate. Topped it up some extra apple juice myself. It's ok, women seem to like it but it's a little sweet for my liking and has a slight artificial apple taste (like apple drop sweets). I don't mind drinking it but wouldn't have more than a few per night. In saying that, it is constantly improving in taste so I'm gonna leave it for another while before opening one again.

[Leann ull]

As with all cider adjuncts fruit, whiskey, coffee, chocolate etc do it on a small scale first to avoid ruining 25L.