Brewer's Best cider?

[Potamus]

Anyone ever tried Brewer's Best Cider House Select cider? I was planning to start another batch of EdWort's apfelwein when I saw my LHBS just started carrying it. I grabbed a pack of the spiced apple cider hoping it might have more of a cider flavor than the apfelwein, but I haven't had a chance to start it up yet. Just curious how it will come out, and also whether it will produce a krausen during fermentation. If not, I'm probably going to start it in a 6 gallon carboy.

 

[SHBSJon]

I have three of them going: Apple, Cherry, and Mixed Berry. I should have bottled a few day ago, but work is keeping me busy. Did mine in 7.9g bucket. Nothing I would call krausen, but it was especially vigorous for a couple days. They make 6 gallons so I'd use a bigger primary.

 

[Potamus]

OK, thanks. I'll go with a bucket then. Let me know how it turns out!

 

[Potamus]

Just a quick update...I cracked one of these the other day and was pretty happy with the result. It had a great cider flavor with spices similar to apple pie. Considering I paid $40 for a 6 gallon batch, I'd definitely recommend it. I think I might try some of the others.

 

[SHBSJon]

I just bottled three. They tasted pretty darn good flat and warm. Waiting a week or so to carb is driving me nuts.

 

[ktrain]

Jon,

Any update on how these turned out once they carbed up?

 

[SHBSJon]

I am very pleased with the product. My wife and I made them with the full dose of sweetener. Even sweet, the apple still had a certain crispness that was very pleasant. I honestly expected it to be too sweet, but it is not. The cherry had a nice cherry flavor and definitely a different aroma. I'm not sure I could identify the aroma as cherry if I didn't already know. I was worried that the cherry would be too flavorful and give that "cough syrup" taste. Some of my guys did other flavors and said the pear was fantastic as well as the spiced apple. I will be drinking the mixed berry tonight.

 

[SHBSJon]

Mixed Berry is really good. We used all the sweetener. Still very crisp. I don't think I would like it without the sweetener. Great berry aroma. Can't tell what type of berries. I guess that's why it's called "mixed". After the apple tartness goes away the berry taste remains for a bit.

 

[Justdrumin]

This sounds great!! SWMBO loves cider and I haven't been able to make any that are sweet enough for her. She's an angry orchard drinker. Is this stuff anywhere near that sweet?

 

[SHBSJon]

Have not had Angry Orchard so I can't compare, but they seem more crisp/tart than sweet in general.

 

[Justdrumin]

Have not had Angry Orchard so I can't compare, but they seem more crisp/tart than sweet in general.

Angry orchard is far from sweet. It's along the lines of woodchuck, somersby, etc. She may not enjoy this.

 

[cjbalough]

I just did one of these kits - the spiced cider- and added about half the sweetener pack before looking up what it was.. I hate artificial sweeteners - particularly the aftertaste...does this have a strong/noticeable aftertaste?

 

[Potamus]

I added the full package and didn't notice any bad aftertaste. The wife and her friends all love it, FWIW.

 

[cjbalough]

Thanks Potamus. . how long did you ferment & then how much bottle conditioning? I'm shooting for a Christmas cider.

 

[Potamus]

I think I had it in primary for about two weeks then bottled. It was decently carbed after a couple weeks, so you should be fine come Christmas.

 

[TexanRudeboy]

Wife and I brewed the mixed berry. We used the whole sweetener packet. It tastes good, but it's way too sweet and it definitely has the artificial sweetener aftertaste.

 

[cjbalough]

Thanks Texan...hopefully with the spiced cider and only half the sweetener I'll be OK. I'll be at the 2-week mark tomorrow so I pulled and tasted a hydro sample tonight....not bad....but, it is at 1.010 and has a bit of a sulfur odor so I'm moving it to a warmer spot (right at 60f now)...

 

[Lgaddy44]

My wife drinks ciders on a regular, so when I saw this, I thought I'd give it a shot. I bought the Pear flavor and we just followed the directions, with the exception of just topping off the primary to 5 gallons or so. I planned on kegging so didn't wanna bother with any leftover in the bucket, and what the hey, it'll make it a bit stronger, right?

I didn't bother checking the gravity, before or after, simply because I didn't really care about it. We left it in the primary for a week, then added that last packet (the flavoring packet, I believe), when we kegged it.

It carbed up nicely, and we were both pretty happy with it. Good flavor, no artificial sweetener taste that we could notice, and it finished fairly sweet, but not too sweet. I'm happy with the purchase and would buy it again.

 

[gweim]

I made the regular a few months back. I only topped off to 5 gal. to make it stronger. Other than that I followed instructions exactly. If I had to do it again I wouldn't add all of the sweetener. Way too sugary and sweet! However, it's been a couple months now in bottles and it's way better. Cracked one this week since I was in need of bottles and couldn't believe how much better it had got. Let this kit sit!

 

[cjbalough]

I'm happy with mine - did the spiced and about half the sweetener. Still carbing (will be 2 weeks tomorrow) but samples of it still and a couple lightly carbonated were good...spice is mellowing and it should be perfect for the holidays.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

Quick question;

By adding the sweetener at the end prior to bottling, doesn't this restart the yeast? Also, anyone using priming sugar for carbonation or just bottling with the sweetener in solution alone? The instructions call for adding carbonation drops per bottle but I never have done that with beer and don't want to start with cider.

 

[Justdrumin]

Quick question;

By adding the sweetener at the end prior to bottling, doesn't this restart the yeast? Also, anyone using priming sugar for carbonation or just bottling with the sweetener in solution alone? The instructions call for adding carbonation drops per bottle but I never have done that with beer and don't want to start with cider.

I believe the sweetener is like sweet n low, so it won't effect fermentation or bottling. Just add the sweetener and bottle as you normally do.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

Thanks for the reply. Do you add priming sugar for carbonation?

 

[cjbalough]

Yes- absolutely add priming sugar as you would to bottle condition/carb a beer. The sweetener in the kit is a non fermentable sweetener.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

Yes- absolutely add priming sugar as you would to bottle condition/carb a beer. The sweetener in the kit is a non fermentable sweetener.

Thanks!

 

[HB_in_Subic]

Just put my first batch in the fermentation chamber. One thing that I do not like is a way to open the package without opening the pear juice. I tried to aerate it using my usual method of water from the kettle into the fermentation bucket (directly on the 1 gallon of water with the corn sugar and pear juice) but it didn't froth up like a wort would. Not sure if it made any difference. I did use campden tablets on the water to get rid of the chloramine in my tap water. This will become standard practice for me from now on. I followed the directions and pitched the yeast dry and stirred vigorously. The cider is at 78F and I have the fermentation chamber set at 64F to help chill it further. I will monitor the temperature and warm up the chamber as the cider gets down to 70F (I have a fermometer on the bucket). It dropped 2 degrees in 2 hours. So hopefully in the morning it will be where I want it.

Now I have to finish a case of Grolsch (15.2 fl oz) so that I can bottle this batch. I already have one case of bottles ready.

 

[cjbalough]

The batch I did was an "o crap I cut the bag open" deal....I agree they need to be better marked or have a clear separate location for the directions, yeast, extras...


I just had a bottle of the spiced cider that was made for Christmas... So 10 to 12 weeks old -- it was so so...could taste the artificial/no -sugar sweetener...a fresh bottle of grahms apple cider with s04 yeast was better tasting and less $.

 

[Roscoebrewdog]

I brewed the spiced apple cider for Christmas. Turned out pretty good. Used priming sugar to bottle. A little dry and would add more sugar at beginning if I try again. Good flavor from a bag though...

 

[wescx005]

Beginner here, made a 6 gallon batch of the Brewers Best Apple Cider. After 5 days looks like most of the fermentation has completed (the bubbler isnt nearly as active). However I have somewhat of an unpleasant odor coming from the batch (I can smell it through the airlock top). Smells like sour apples. I understand the wort in beer sticks and this is probably normal but I just wanted to throw this out there and see if I'm still ok... I did clean and sanitize everything, used star sans and didn't stray from the instructions. Thanks in advance. Happy Brewing !

 

[ktrain]

I made 2 batches of this and a bunch of fruit win and both times got a sulfur-like smell from the airlock. On the first batch the cider retained a little of that smell/taste after bottling but over time it went away. For the second batch i let sit a an extra week in the fermenter than the instructions said and didn't have the sulfur taste.

 

[BILTIT]

I have drank almost half of the cherry cider kit with about 2/3rds the sweetener in it. Good stuff! I have two more cherry kits on there way and will try using all the sweetener on the next one.