First Cider

[WhiteVanMan]

Hi all

About to start making a cider using fruit juices and yeast, any advice on how to improve or any suggestions re the recipe would be appreciated!

I'm aiming to make a cider akin to a famous sweedish brand, here is my proposed recipe:
28l 100% apple juice
4l blackcurrant squash
1kg brown sugar

I will be using Harris cider yeast and adding:
Maltic acid
Pectolase
Yeast nutrient and
 Pectolase (EDIT: meant Tannin)

I'm aiming for 6-8% proof and will be simmering the squash for about 5 minutes to remove any nasties.

If anyone has any pointers or, better still, hindsight, I'd be very appreciative if you could share!

A final question re carbonation... the recipe I'm following advises half a teaspoon of sugar per 500ml bottle...

...although I suspect this to be a very stupid question... if I was to bottle into 2l plastic bottles would I simply quadruple that amount of sugar to get it carbonated?

Thanks

[Mash]

Get both refractometers. The sugar one is great for setting up recipes like this.

[Mash]

Carbonation. That's a good question and I am not 100% sure. I would double it. You can always add more.

I am earrings on the eye of caution, cos it is very very easy to make cider bombs doing this.

Why the pectolase? For haze or efficiency?

[WhiteVanMan]

Thanks Mash

I'm adding the pectolase to remove pectin.

[Easydrinker]

earrings on the eye of caution, because you can,

Robert.

[Mash]

I know, made me chuckle when it happened.

[Mash]

Thanks Mash

I'm adding the pectolase to remove pectin.

Was thinking .. As this was been processed already (not fresh fruit) will it be necessary? That said it won't hurt.

[Myles]

From years of wine making I will say this - ditch the blackurrant squash. It is mostly synthetic.

Do your ferment without it and then at the end add concentrated Rib**na syrup. Just be aware that you are also adding sugar.

It is a magic ingredient that improves many a hedgerow wine. I tend to work out the sugar concentration for wine/cider that I want to get the strength that I want, ferment it to fully dry, and then sweeten it after fermentation.

[Mash]

A final question re carbonation... the recipe I'm following advises half a teaspoon of sugar per 500ml bottle...

...although I suspect this to be a very stupid question... if I was to bottle into 2l plastic bottles would I simply quadruple that amount of sugar to get it carbonated?

Update. I woke up with the correct answer.
Yes quadruple.

A given ammount of cider will require a given ammount of sugar (and subsequent fermentation) to get the given fizz.

You can of course add (and dissolve) all of the sugar in the bucket with the cider before you start bottling. I don't find that any easier, but some do.

[Brewhunter]

I always batch prime

If it doesn't work out 'on the rocks' cider kits are really good.