So I stopped drinking beer some time ago, on the anti grain train. And have since discovered that I'm somewhat partial to stinky d!ck cheese cider along the lines of English scrumpy's and Normandy ciders. Flavoursome, tart and go well with the sort of food I like to munch. Unfortunately also usually pretty exy too.
A few months back I discovered a 3lt goon bag of still scrumpy from Westons that is delish and reasonable value at about 4 bucks a litre, only issue has been maintaining regular supply and that's from one in the trade.
Anyway I got jack of trying to order it and started looking into making my own, that's when I came across what's known as turbo cider
Basically all you do is buy preservative free apple juice and dose it with yeast and it's on it's way. Release the cap a bit a couple of times a day to stop it blowing up and it's right to go after a week or less. Taste it every day and when you're happy with the flavour profile bung it in the fridge to stop the ferment and you're away. I did my first batch on Monday and its pretty much done. Did up four 3lt bottles, one test with just champagne yeast added and the other three with varying amounts of honey (to up the ABV), cinnamon, tannin and the yeast.
On day 3 the test was lovely, although lacking a bit in structure, nice flavours just no weight or texture. The fortified bottles were too sweet at this stage but big and chewy. Fast forward two days and the test is too far gone, sour edged with some funky ferment flavours going on. It's been relegated to be the base for a ginger cider now.
The others though? Wow!!! It's like boozy apple pie! I'm about three pints in now and have a rather pleasant glow and it's goddamn delicious! Like really delicious, pretty much as good as any cider I've had. Haven't tested the ABV yet but I'd guess it at between 6 and 9%
If you're partial to cider give it a crack, awesome booze at buck a litre. Best of all being a live ferment it's really good for your gut flora. In moderation of course
I've done quite a few home brew ciders in the past, but not for a long time. They're a refreshing break when you've had quite a few beers. I often pinch one of the missus Bali Cider's about 4:30/05:00 after I've been drinking Bintang's all arvo, then get back to the beer 
These days, I tend to break up my beer drinking with this Shiraz I like...can be a bit of a problem the next day sometimes haha 
fun though 
Select to expand quotesmicko said...
You wanna check your 24hr clock there Mick
haha yeah 'k 1630/1700 unless I'm having a big one after an evening shift & I know the surfs gonna be crapola the next 2 days
This is what got me started 500dollars.website all they are is bottle caps with a silicone seal under the lid with a slit to release just enough pressure to keep your brew good and frothy. Saves doing a secondary ferment into bottle to carbonate and means a hell of a lot less sanitising. I bought a silicone baking sheet from red dot drilled a 3/8 hole in the juice cap and cut the silicone to size and punched a hole in it with a knife. Works a treat. Google turbo cider it's a world of fun
Don't use bakers yeast, go to a brew shop and get champagne yeast or it will taste like arse.
Select to expand quoteSP said...
I hope teacake is reading this. 
Every kid should know how to make moonshine.
Most insightful and thought out post on the breeze forever.....I wish I had this sort of guidance when I was younger....now to.start a thread on how to.grow great tomatoes
Its gotta be preservative free Mick or it will inhibit the yeast. I've got an apple & black currant two days in now, would only be a couple of % alc, just tastes like frothy juice.
Select to expand quoteSP said...
I hope teacake is reading this.
Every kid should know how to make moonshine.
Well said - he could perfect the art with those Tassie apples and could turn a small profit when he is at Uni next year selling to the other kids in the dorm. Might even help him win some female company !
Smicko - this is a great idea you have started - and one I should not be contemplating whilst in the office on a Monday morning! I shall give it some thought this week and speak with the boss who knows all about this kind of stuff.
Select to expand quotesmicko said...
Its gotta be preservative free Mick or it will inhibit the yeast. I've got an apple & black currant two days in now, would only be a couple of % alc, just tastes like frothy juice.
Ahhh those damn preservatives stifling our fun : P
My Coopers Pilsner with Tetennager hops is going down great with a bottle of Trails End Shiraz dead leg pain killer after this mornings surf
A few have gone down the hatch with a few more working away. Big thanks mate for the heads up with the Oztops, $1.00/lt for cider of around 6% alc can't be beaten.
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Yeah it's fun hey mate? I racked off a batch to age this morning too, aj, honey, cinnamon, ginger and sultana with a good dose of tannin. It's gonna be a cracker in a month or two. I didn't test it but I'd reckon it'll be up around 10%
Really need to get my hands on some swing tops so I can do a bottle conditioned batch.
Select to expand quotesmicko said..
Yeah it's fun hey mate? I racked off a batch to age this morning too, aj, honey, cinnamon, ginger and sultana with a good dose of tannin. It's gonna be a cracker in a month or two. I didn't test it but I'd reckon it'll be up around 10%
Really need to get my hands on some swing tops so I can do a bottle conditioned batch.
Followed your lead & started one 3 days ago with honey, cinnamon & tannin from tea. Also did 6lts of ginger beer which should be good to go in about 10 days.
Did you do your latest one in a demijohn or with an Oztops top?
Vanders I am impressed ! Well down for taking Smicko's lead on this. I am fully keen to do this as well. We did a half based effort of Dry July at home so I figured making Cider would not work out well. When I am back from Indo I shall be calling you for set up tips - I reckon your engineering background should have sorted out the major issues by then
Yeah Vanders, gone down the demijohn route now too.
Ted you should put a batch on before you head away and it'll be perfect when you get back. They're much better with a bit of age on them.
Just spent some time with my new found friend -Turbo Cider. I am on it. Busy the next few days then will lay the first batch(s). Thanks for the inspiration.
Nipped down to big dub this arvo and got some 750ml homebrew bots and that demi I racked off this morning is now tucked away in the bath (in case they blow) with a dose of honey in each bottle on it's merry way to frothy drinking pleasure. Will see how they firm up over the next few days then pasteurise and age for a month or so and check how they're coming along.
Started another 12lt batch this arvo too but no additives, just used the yeasty beasty from my last batch, will be interesting to see if it develops a similar flavour profile to the mother batch, just with a lower ABV.
Finding the ALDI apple juice is giving the best flavour, cheapest too at $1.98/2L.
I haven't done a demi batch yet, just finding the tops really easy & quick with great results.
Yup, easy as pie huh? That fermenter you're using is the same as a demi at any rate. I'm only playing around with a demi as I have one laying about.
Have you tried cold stabilising and bottling a batch yet? Interested to see how that works out, hopefully they won't be froth bombs on opening. Or blow when I try to pasteurise them. Really, I think the only advantage to using a demi or a fermenter is that is easy to rack off your cider and leave your yeast beast in the bottom and just top up with new juice.
Geez Mick that's bloody rocket surgery in comparison to what we're doing!
These turbo ciders ferment and carbonate in the juice bottle that you buy your juice in. When you're happy with how it tastes you bung it in the fridge to crash the ferment and cold stabilize then rack it off into whatever container you want to store it in, leaving your yeast beast in the bottom, which you can re-use by topping up with more juice.
No sterilization, no carbonating, it's so bloody easy I can do it. And it's good to go in less than five days. Makes you fart lots though...
Nah heaps simpler than it looks mate. I have 2 brewers going at a time, which takes no time at all to give a quick clean & get brewing again straight away. Trick is to do it straight away before stuff dry's. Kegs only need a quick rinse with a sanitizing soak once a year. I can crank the psi up & have my beer gassed in 5 days. Main thing is having the sediment settle down so the beer is clear.
I've got 3 kegs sitting in an old fridge atm, but the missus doesn't want the old fridge in our new kitchen. So I have to buy one of those series 3 Keg master's damn'it 
19 litres of bottle conditioned cider, primed to pressurise for a few days before being popped into the cellar to age.
And Vanders here's a pic of my DIY oztops.
Just cracked my apple honey cinnamon cider that I took your lead on mate, it's like warm apple pie
smicko I am very interested in having a crack at this what did you use for the pink silicone inserts under the lids
cheers Boof
Select to expand quotevanders1 said..
Just cracked my apple honey cinnamon cider that I took your lead on mate, it's like warm apple pie
It is! Exactly!
But cold
Select to expand quoteboofy said..
smicko I am very interested in having a crack at this what did you use for the pink silicone inserts under the lids
cheers Boof
Boof it's a flat silicone baking tray from the reject shop, trace around the lid then trim to fit inside and punch a slit through the hole you've drilled in the screw cap to release pressure.
Had a couple of my ginger ciders this arvo, it's kick arse! Somewhere between bundy ginger beer and stones ginger wine but not as sweet as either. Even Lise likes it.
Smicko, I'm assuming you are using a hydrometer, what ingredients exactly are you putting in to get 10% booze content.. I tried doing the same thing using various fruit juices/dextrose/honey/champ yeast etc A couple of years ago.. It worked ok. Doubt alc content ever got that high. Pro tip Don't keep reusing yeast leftover it loses potency over time, yeast is cheap, ingredients aren't.
