Recent content by gethighonyourownsupply

Interesting, but the tablets haven't arrived yet, they'll be here just around the time I'll be bottling so will need to wait.

That's how I wanna go :p

OK thanks for the advice, I managed to get the fly out with a sterilised plastic bendy straw, and it didn't look like any bits were left in. Fermentation is well under way now so hopefully the alcohol will help. I'll use a campden tablet before bottling to make sure everything's dead too...

Yesterday I set a 4.5L demijohn of supermarket apple juice with 250g maple syrup and a little bit of sugar going with some cider yeast. The yeast on top has gone frothy and fermentation is just starting as I'd expect but I've noticed that a tiny fly must have got in and stuck to the inside...

@Rice_Guy OK thanks for those bits! For the benefits of a simple initial step (simmer/throw in fermenting bin), I've pretty much just accepted that half the space in the fermenting bucket and then a good 1/4-1/3 of the demijohns will be pulp/sediment. Yes, pectolase is going to be my best...

Being lazy, I think I have devised a technique I'm going to try for making decent cider (having learned from a few disasters now). Here are the constraints I'm working to: - No apple press or juicer. - Buying loose apples from supermarket, they have a reasonable selection of tart/sweet. - Can't...

OK thanks, that's great advice. Hopefully I'll have my hands on a hydrometer in a few days before I get too worried about the risk of it turning into vinegar and panic-transfer to demijohn! The apple was pretty mushy when I squeezed the bag out, though the various different types I'd used have...

No you're quite right ;). Starting without a hydrometer is definitely the big mistake I've made and in hindsight would have been an obvious investment. Unfortunately it might be a day or two before I can get my hands on one but will do ASAP. Two days ago, the swelling bag pushing the top open...

OK thanks everyone, lesson learned about buying a hydrometer, really wish I had started with one. As I didn't have one to start with then my understanding is that if I get one now it won't be any use for this batch that was started on Sunday. Does anyone have advice about how long to leave in...

Sorry to say I am literally guessing sugar as I don't have the device to measure alcohol level. I've put in 1kg and plan to add in small amounts every few days until it seems like yeast reaction has stopped. Any advice on when to do a taste test? The 6 litre bucket is pretty full but a lot of...

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've gone with a setup like this: 1. Squashed up the defrosted apples a bit (I had more than I originally thought, plus a couple of peeled/chopped lemons so put those in), wrapped in a big sterilised muslin cloth, fastened and dumped in a 6L bucket (loads of...

Hi all, hopefully this is the right place and I haven't missed any relevant threads when I searched. I have about 1.5kg of (currently diced & frozen) apples I'm hoping to make into Cider or Apple wine but don't have a press. I'm hoping to make 4-5 litres as I have a nice 5L demijohn I'd like to...