TLB Brew Club

As I am doing some fruit cider can I add some fruit juice of whatever I am doing to add some extra flavour and how do I know how much to add?

 

the problem with transporting a barrel is that unless the yeast deposit is well compacted,...[.unlikely after a week]

it will be stirred back up into the beer , not so bad if its a dark beer,

you could bottle into 2 litre fizzy drink bottles,

i do store some beer in 2 litre plastic bottles which i keep upside down,
the yeast collects in the cap,
i then crack them open over a sink,
and the yeast deposit is washed out,
it works a treat every time and you get clear beer ,

its a cheap way of doing what they do when they they make champagne,
which gets its fizz when they ferment in the bottle

 

yup ive done lots of turbo ciders
and i add a dash of cordial when there poured, black current, apple to sweeten,ginger,lime ..what ever floats ya boat...

 

Hi Para. thats the set up I'm using ( cheap n cheerful) Shouldnt be any problems with air entering should there. Mine pressurises really well, I could fill the glass from across the room,but would it be an advantage to have a co2 cap instead.

 

With those sealed barrels the beer creates its own co2 during secondary fermentation
However once you get about half way down the barrel especially if its in one sitting the co2 has gone and your left with a vacum
This vacum pulls any available co2 out of the beer and also pulls air in through the tap when you go to pour a pint

If your beer gluggs out of the tap then your pulling air in

I use a king keg bottom tap barrel
I do the primary fermentation in a brewers bucket then syphon of into the pressure barrel when primary fermentation is complete
Brewers sugar or spray malt is added to the bottom of the pressure keg before i syphon the beer into the keg

The secondry fermentation produces co2 which when i chill the keg gets mostly absorbed into the beer with enough left other to provide pressure
This pressure allows the beer to be dispensed without drawing air in and when theres not enough co2 from the secondry fermentation to dispense the beer with out air being drawn in i top up the co2


Real ale is pulled out of a cask using a beer engine(hand pull) and as its pulled from the cask air is drawn in to negate the vacum
This lets the ale oxidise a bit and creates more depth in flavour but if its not all drank withing a week its ruined and its even less in warmer times

I cask condition my beer the only thing the co2 does is keep the air of the beer so keeps it for lobger and provides enough presssure to dispense it without drawing air in

 

The best way im aware of to increse the flavour and the strength of cider is to use less water so do a 20 litre batch instad of a 23 litre batch

I dont make cider or wine only brown/amber beers so dont take my word for it

 

Brown booze you cant give a baby brown booze

 

Can I add any juice before I bottle it to help with priming instead of sugar?

 

Thanks Para that's really helpful! I'm never sure if I should add the co2 capsule as soon as I've put the lid on the pressure barrel but it seems I should let it brew naturally and then top up with co2 if needs be???

 

@mrs hangover ...add some co2 at the start then release some pressure,[tweak the elastic relief valve on the brass inlet]
as the co2 is heavier than air,
the pressure you release will be the air...then your beer all covered in a nice layer of co2...

 

I have added 2 lt of cranberry to 22lt of apple juice on a tubo cider at start and it seams to be better

 

Elderflower champagne started

 

What type of bottles will you be doing the champers in matty?

 

I might splash out and get some grolsch type ones its a bit ott but should be able to keep them for a time and i have visions of pop bottles going bang

 

Ah thanks Art, didn't even realise it had a valve, dur!!!

 

Can I add it instead of the sugar though before I put it into bottles to prime them and use the sugar in the juice as a primer? :/

 

Just did a bit more looking and it appears that pet bottles are good enough and a lot cheeper

 

No idea hopefully someone will know

 

You can use all sorts, I have heard people using golden syrup and the basic rule of thumb is anything that contains something the yeast can eat will do.
Personally I prefer to not add anything to the bottle and am working to find the right yeast and process that suits my needs. Priming over 200 bottles at a time is not my idea of a good night out but that's my fault for deciding to brew in bulk.

 

Ive just been having a google around and it seems plastic bottles are the way to go

I think im going to pop out and buy another brew bucket and fit an air lock to it and buy a load of cheap sparkling water
I can use the water to make the champers then use the empty bottles to store it in once its brewed and i wont have to faff on steralising loads of bottles

If i brew it untill it stops bubbling through the airlock then bottle it i should be able to add a little sugar to the bottles to prime it

Hopefully it will all go well and ill have plenty of bottles for christmas
Damm this hobby is getting addictive