Blackrock cider kit

[Tuigod]

Hi I have just brought myself a blackrock cider kit. This is my second time round. The first time i just made it stock standard and it tasted just ok. So this time round id like to spice it up at bit. Iv brought 500 grams of lactose to make it a bit sweeter. And im just wondering if anyone has ever added anythg else to it??

Also is it like homebrew beer where u can boil it for an hour before puting it in the fermenter??

Thanks for your help
mike

 

[skadalajara]

Don't boil it! Heat will set the pectin in the juice and it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to clear.
If this is your 2nd batch, stick to the given recipe.
What commercial ciders do you like?

 

[Tuigod]

Thanks just made it and followed the instructions on the can -no boiling. I would still like to add more flavour to it tho and have read else where u can cut up and peal apples or pears and chuck them in a bag in the fermenter????

 

[skadalajara]

You can. Freezing the fruit first helps extract more juice. When you add it depends on what effect you want it to have on flavor. Put it in primary, you get a more wine-like flavor. Put it in secondary and more fruitiness comes through.

 

[javalin]

I use the blackrock cider kit regularly. If you really want to get some extra flavor out of the kit it's really best to pasteurize after fermentation is complete, add some fruit/juice/concentrate, and force carb afterwards. This is mostly if you're trying to get fruity flavors out of it. I've never tried lactose in combination with the black rock kit. You'll have to let me know how it goes.

One of my favorite things to do with cider is to boil hops in a few liters of apple juice (not the concentrate) and add that to primary instead of the equivalent amount of water. Turns out really good, and perfect for a hot afternoon. I've never had a problem with it clearing.

 

[Tuigod]

Yeah i plan on putting it in secondary for more flavour. The lactose is very very sweet but have herd it only makes a small difference to the final taste. My plans is to add 6 or 7 peeled cut up pears and hope it turns out as a apple and pear sweet cider. If it works il try again with different fruits. Thought it would be best to do in winter so when summer rolls round it would of been bottled for a few months at least. Or so i hope HAHA BRING ON SUMMER

 

[Tuigod]

Also i plan on freezing the pears first to get the most flavour.

 

[MindenMan]

Freeze the pears and add pectin enzyme to get the maximum flavor and juice. The pectin enzyme will also aid in clearing your cider.

 

[Tuigod]

Freeze the pears and add pectin enzyme to get the maximum flavor and juice. The pectin enzyme will also aid in clearing your cider.

How much of a difference will the pectin enzyme make? Also iv had a quick look online and the shops here call it by a different name but it says it does the same thing. Would finnings make a difference to the clearing?

 

[MindenMan]

I can't say for sure how much of a difference the the pectin enzyme will make relative the clearing of your cider. If you don't have pectin haze already, the pectin enzyme will help the chunks of fruit break down faster and give up their juice. The first time you used a b/r kit, did your cider finish clear or cloudy?Generally speaking, if you haven't heated the juice up you shouldn't have any pectin haze. I have added hand crushed apricots and never had any clearing problems. As far as gelatin goes, I don't believe it will clear pectin haze but I may certainly be wrong.
When I get stuck with a fermented fruit related question, I always ask "Yooper". She has been making hard ciders and fruit wines for decades, and I completely trust her judgement. Just my $0.02

 

[Tuigod]

Ok cool thanks. The first time round my cider was pretty clear apart from when id get to the last bit of the bottle.

 

[Tuigod]

Have just put my brew into secondary fermentation and had a quick taste. Addling the lactose has made a big difference. Its alot sweeter. But not as sweet as when i first added it. I suspect this will die down even more over the next few weeks

 

[javalin]

Cool, keep us updated, and post some pics of the final product if you can. I know I'd appreciate it

 

[MindenMan]

OP, the only way you will know what you like is to try different recipes. Cider is one of the beverages I want bottled crystal clear with no sediment at the bottom of the bottle. It sucks to have a golden clear fizzy cider with floaters in it, especially when the plan is to share with family and friends.
Multiple day cold crash with a small amount of finings added will usually produce a clean clear beverage.

 

[Tuigod]

Yeah i think i will try finnings on the next batch

 

[Tuigod]

Also what do u mean by multiple day cold crashes?

 

[MindenMan]

Put your cider into a 34* F cooler/fridge until your cider clears, it can sometimes take four or five days. By using a small amount of gelatin, all the trub/sediment will form a compact cake at the bottom of your fermenter, allowing you to get more cider to bottle w/o any yeast left at the bottom of your bottles.

 

[Tuigod]

Cool thanks thats about 1 deg i think. Man so many things to try and do. I LOVE HOME BREW

 

[Tuigod]

Ok so last nite i took the pears out of the fermenter and had a little taste. Not bad at all i have to say. Only a very slight pear taste. And added 35grams of nelson sauvin hops. (I love the grape smell and taste of them.. had a another little taste this morning and wow. it hasnt done much to the flavour but gave off a slight hoppy smell. Will leave in for 3 days then take out. Then im goin to try the gelatin and cold crashing for 4 or 5 days and then finally bottle. Cant wait to taste the final product.

 

[MindenMan]

Keep us posted on your tastings. In my experience, the peak flavor from the dry hopping and the peak flavor of the apples used in your cider are at very different times. If someone knows a trick I don't regarding long aging of a cider with dry hopping not losing the hop aroma, please let me know.

 

[Tuigod]

Ummmm so im day 2 into cold crashing and iv just been to check (beer fridge in garage) and my cider has ice in it!!! Not completey frozen but pretty close. So have turned the fridge temp up so its roughy between 1 -3 degs. Have i screwed it all together? I have done some quick reading with other posts on this site and some say they have frozen cider accidentally and its cleared better that keepn it fridge temp. Others say the ice has killed the yeast completey so when it comes time to bottling they have added 3 or 4 grams so u get carbonation in the bottles. Man i hope i havent stuffed it because it will be a very expensive lesson if i have. Any thoughts???

 

[skadalajara]

Yeast are hearty little buggers. They survive frosts and winters in the wild. You should be fine.
If not, a neutral yeast is fairly inexpensive at the LHBS.

 

[Tuigod]

Yeast are hearty little buggers. They survive frosts and winters in the wild. You should be fine.
If not, a neutral yeast is fairly inexpensive at the LHBS.

How much would u add to a 22 litre batch?

 

[Tuigod]

So bottling day and this was the last to come out of the bottling bucket

 

[Tuigod]

7 weeks in the bottle now. After accidently freezing it while cold crashing its takn this long for carbonation. I love the tase. Not to sweet and very very drinkable. Im gona make it again except turn it into a scrumpy cider

 

[Burgar]

I use the blackrock cider kit regularly. If you really want to get some extra flavor out of the kit it's really best to pasteurize after fermentation is complete, add some fruit/juice/concentrate, and force carb afterwards. This is mostly if you're trying to get fruity flavors out of it. I've never tried lactose in combination with the black rock kit. You'll have to let me know how it goes.

One of my favorite things to do with cider is to boil hops in a few liters of apple juice (not the concentrate) and add that to primary instead of the equivalent amount of water. Turns out really good, and perfect for a hot afternoon. I've never had a problem with it clearing.

What method do you use to force carbonate?