Black Rock Cider

[Wassa]

I am about to put down a Balck Rock Cider for my better half to drink over Xmas.

What is the best fermentable to put this kit down with? Dextrose, body brew, ultra brew or straight malt??

Thanks for your help.

[mentalmayham]

I've had a black rock cider in the bottle now for 4 weeks (made for the better half) and she loves it, it came out very good indeed.
This is what I used;
Black Rock Kit
1kg white sugar
500gms honey
3lt pure apple juice
Used the white sugar on the advice of my guy at LHBS. Made good sense to. The reasons you dont use white sugar in beer kits is because it gives the beer a cidery taste, but if your making cider isn't that what your after.
And once again mine turned out bloody beautiful,

[Chris]

I put down a blackrock cider as follows:

1kg dextrose
125g lactose
3 peeled, cored Granny Smiths- cut up and put in a stocking.

Its been in the bottle 6 weeks now, and it is GOOD!

[111222333]

done in a 1 gallon demi,

3.3Lt Apple juice (no preservatives!!)
500g Brown Sugar
1 cup of raisins
Wine yeast

Made a very sweet ~10% wine really. use ~150g sugar and lager yeast and it should be good


keep it reel

[Oliver]

Wassa,

My No.35 Black Rock Cider is a ripper. Check out the recipe at http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/ourhomebrews.html

The lactose is a must in my opinion, as would be a very dry cider without it.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Wassa]

Thanks Oliver.

Both 35 and 39 look interesting.

Where did you get the glucose? Will definately try with the Granny Smith apples as well as the lactose.

Did you use the yeast supplied? My LHBS suggested using a dry white wine yeast or a champagne yeast.

[Merlin]

I'm also interested in whether you used glucose syrup in your ciders Oliver? (is there a dry glucose available? it would certainly be easier to work with)

Wassa, most decent supermarkets sell glucose, though where they stock it seems to vary wildly. Try either the section where sugars, flours, etc are kept, otherwise the health food aisle. If the staff are a bit thick it may also be packed with the honey's and jams (keep laughing, I've seen it )

[undercover1]

Glucose is also known as...dextrose. Or at least the natural form (D-glucose) is referred to as dextrose, especially in the food industry. You would think the scientific community could pin this kind of thing down, and settle on one name, but apparently not.

So, Merlin, dried glucose is easily available at your local HBS.
Liquid glucose from a chemist or supermarket is hideously expensive, by the way.

[Oliver]

UC1 has provided the answer to the glucose question above.

As for the yeast, it was as supplied. I see no reason to use a different yeast. The results were superb. And it may in fact be that the yeast as supplied is a champagne yeast anyway.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Merlin]

Glucose is also known as...dextrose

well don't we just learn something new every day

thanks UC1