Cheap juice, best?

[Garfield43]

I tend to stock up on Clorox when I catch it on sale.
There shouldn't be a difference between it and the generic, it is 6% whatever the active ingredient is and water.
However it seems to work better than the cheap stuff.
I have bought name brand stuff to get the better container and then refill it with the cheap stuff after I empty it.

 

[Maylar]

I have 2 apple orchards in my area that produce canned hard cider. Neither has an apple mill or fermenting capabilities. They ship their apples to some large facility in Massachusetts that makes cider for lots of places. You can't even be sure that the cider you're drinking was made exclusively from that orchard's apples. The ciders are a bit different from each other, but that could be done via processing or sweetening steps to make one unique from the other. Both are quite good BTW.

 

[Upstate12866]

I've won ribbons with Wal-Mart apple juice made ciders. I've also tried Lidl's and Aldi's brands. I always prefer the Wal-Mart ciders.

Are you the type that shares your recipe? I would love to compare against my own (just Walmart AJ and Safale 04, fermented in the low 60s if possible. Main variation is 1/4-1/2 cup hibiscus flower tea and or 5-6 sachets of green tea added to primary).

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Are you the type that shares your recipe? I would love to compare against my own (just Walmart AJ and Safale 04, fermented in the low 60s if possible. Main variation is 1/4-1/2 cup hibiscus flower tea and or 5-6 sachets of green tea added to primary).

I have in the past:

4 1/2 gallons of Wal-mart apple juice. Ferment with your favorite house yeast (I mostly use Wyeast 1028), until it's dry.
Transfer to secondary or to keg.
Add 1/2 tsp Kmeta, 2 1/2 tsp sorbate Potassium.
Add 1/2 gallon more apple juice when kegging, a little more or a little less based on how sweet you like your cider.
Force carbonate.

 

[Upstate12866]

Thanks!

 

[RolandD]

Wal-mart's Great Value Apple Juice in the 96 oz bottle is the cheapest I can consistently find around here. I get an OG of 1.049, usually from it. If you want to bump up the ABV, add FAJC.

My favorite is to add a gallon of Old Orchard Tart Cherry Juice to 5.25 gallons of apple juice. I tastes great, but just about doubles the cost. The batch I have going now is getting chocolate extract when I keg it, to make Cherry Chocolate cider. It's my most expensive batch at around $8 per gallon. I have to remind myself that is still about half what the cheapest commercial cider costs.

 

[teddyearp]

I've won ribbons with Wal-Mart apple juice made ciders. I've also tried Lidl's and Aldi's brands. I always prefer the Wal-Mart ciders.

I've never entered mine, too thirsty. But as another posted the 96 oz. Great Value from concentrate is the cheapest I've found and others I've tried don't come out as well. I use pectin in every batch as well, see results <----- in the picture. Perhaps I was always sloppy, but when I used to take measurements, my % always varied by a percent or so. Now a days, it's about 1-1/2 cup regular sugar and I get about 9-10%

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I've had perfectly clear ciders from Great Value juice without adding any enzymes. If the jug has solids (think Musselman's cider), I add pectic enzymes to clarify it.

 

[bracconiere]

I've had perfectly clear ciders from Great Value juice without adding any enzymes. If the jug has solids (think Musselman's cider), I add pectic enzymes to clarify it.

well i have a pound of pectic enzyme in my fridge now, was about to pull the trigger on $30 of juice to see if it bumps my ABV up. but had to admit to myself i can't afford it right now..... (here in a few weeks though, i plan to try it! )

 

[Newsman]

Hey OP, I just did some cider with Target brand, seems identical to other store brands I've used (Walmart and Aldi and my local grocer). The one difference that might be worth noting is the country of origin stamped on the bottle. If you have feelings about what you prefer or which country makes the best apples (I don't, but I can tell my friends about their exotic drink made with real South African apples, oohlala).

And as others said, the nutrition facts will tell you useful info about sugars. You can compare apples to apples

Ive memorized that 1g sugar in 100ml is 1brix.

So if AJ has 28 g per 240ml serving...

28/ 2.4 = 11.6 brix

11.6 bx = 1.047 gravity (actually 1.0467
...I look that part up on my phone).

Not always very useful but it lives in my head until I forget it.

So Kirkland (Costco) AJ has 30 carbs for 240 ML. My Kirkland Wild Honey has17 carbs / 21 Grams

Looking at Brewers Friend, it looks like I will end up with about 11.9%ABV +/- ON MY cyser. Not bad. May want to cut it with some more juice or something

 

[bracconiere]

So Kirkland (Costco) AJ has 30 carbs for 240 ML.

hmm, my boss goes to costco once in a while. maybe i'll have him pick up 10 gallons for me!

about 11.9%ABV

to hell with bumping it to 11! take it to 11.9! lol

 

[Newsman]

to hell with bumping it to 11! take it to 11.9! lol

Well, I DO have another 5# of honey....

 

[Falstaff]

Somebody might have said this already, but when I go cheap I use the frozen concentrate. It's cheaper and there is only vitamin c in it (absorbic acid).

 

[bracconiere]

Well, I DO have another 5# of honey....

well the the dial on yeast only go to 12 normaly....wouldn't want to push it tooo far

 

[bracconiere]

Somebody might have said this already, but when I go cheap I use the frozen concentrate. It's cheaper and there is only vitamin c in it (absorbic acid).

be easier to carry too! plus less trash! i'll have to toss the idea around....

 

[Newsman]

well the the dial on yeast only go to 12 normaly....wouldn't want to push it tooo far

I have two packages of QA23 in there now
I'm making a starter of a single package and I've added 1/2 top of yeast nutrient and several squirts of honey.
Think I'll pitch it into the existing wort tomorrow morning. "Just to be sure."

 

[Falstaff]

well the the dial on yeast only go to 12 normaly....wouldn't want to push it tooo far

Jack it and you got 30. Just don't jack it too much or you might go blind. From the concentration of fusels, that is.

 

[bracconiere]

I have two packages of QA23 in there now

i'm familar with S-23 lager yeast?

 

[Newsman]

Yeah. Don't think I better add that additional 5# of honey. QA23 only goes up to 16%

 

[bracconiere]

Jack it and you got 30. Just don't jack it too much or you might go blind. From the concentration of fusels, that is.

LOL, i'm ...well....

 

[bracconiere]

Yeah. Don't think I better add that additional 5# of honey. QA23 only goes up to 16%

yeah best i ever got spiffy special yeast to do was 16%, claiming 18-20%....even with the fancy 1 day ferment nutes included....

 

[Newsman]

i'm familar with S-23 lager yeast?

Don't know anything about that. Here's a link to a page about QA-23 - QA23 Yeast | Scott Laboratories

 

[Newsman]

yeah best i ever got spiffy special yeast to do was 16%, claiming 18-20%....even with the fancy 1 day ferment nutes included....

I could dump a packet of EC1118 in have in the fridge. That being said, if it has some residual sweetness, I definitely won't cry. I don't like dry wine, I prefer semi-sweet like some of the Italian wines.

 

[Newsman]

i'm familar with S-23 lager yeast?

BTW. Just checked and the alcohol tolerance with S-23 is supposed to only go up to 9-11% that's a but lower than where my cyser should end up

 

[Deric]

I've mostly used Kirkland and Tree Top. For some reason, around here, Tree Top is cheaper than Kirkland brand at Costco. I "think" I like the Tree Top better. Maybe it's the vitamin C?

Usual recipe is 10 gallons juice, 4 cans FAJC (or other flavored concentrate depending on what the wife wants). Ferment with Notty till bone dry. Stabilize and add one (maybe 2 depending on flavor) FJC.

 

[Newsman]

That's a BIG brew. Guessing you put it into two kegs?

 

[Deric]

That's a BIG brew. Guessing you put it into two kegs?

Yep.



Edit: I'm really not a Cider fan but my wife and my brother both like it so I have one keg for home and send one to my brother's.

 

[bracconiere]

Don't know anything about that. Here's a link to a page about QA-23 - QA23 Yeast | Scott Laboratories

Thanks for the Link! they have cervesiea yeast too! at fair prices!

(damn! they don't sell to the public )

 

[iceman_ii]

1 liter jars at Aldi for around 3 bucks.

Not sure which Aldi you are shopping at, but here in Fort Worth, I just picked up "Natures Nectar" this weekend for $1.35 a 2 quart bottle, that's $2.70 a gallon, if yours is sticking you for $3 a liter, you are getting ripped off. on the for what its worth side, Natures Nectar clocks in at 28g sugars per serving. its my first cidar, so just checking it out, the next batch will use better yeast (pitched redstar premier cuvee - yes i know, its champaign yeast, but I had plenty on hand, and it is very neutral) and probably a bit more sugar to jack the abv.

Making Roland's Roland's Fantastic Tart Cherry Cider 5.25 gal apple, 1 gal tart Cherry, OG 1.050 - Pitched the yeast yesterday morning

 

[MaxStout]

Not sure which Aldi you are shopping at, but here in Fort Worth, I just picked up "Natures Nectar" this weekend for $1.35 a 2 quart bottle, that's $2.70 a gallon, if yours is sticking you for $3 a liter, you are getting ripped off. on the for what its worth side, Natures Nectar clocks in at 28g sugars per serving. its my first cidar, so just checking it out, the next batch will use better yeast (pitched redstar premier cuvee - yes i know, its champaign yeast, but I had plenty on hand, and it is very neutral) and probably a bit more sugar to jack the abv.

Making Roland's Roland's Fantastic Tart Cherry Cider 5.25 gal apple, 1 gal tart Cherry, OG 1.050 - Pitched the yeast yesterday morning

It was their black cherry juice for $3.

 

[iceman_ii]

It was their black cherry juice for $3.

Sorry, my misunderstanding... my Aldi didn't even have black cherry juice, outstanding find for you!

 

[MaxStout]

Sorry, my misunderstanding... my Aldi didn't even have black cherry juice, outstanding find for you!

$1.35/half gal for apple juice is a good deal. Hope you bought them out.

 

[cortex]

I've had perfectly clear ciders from Great Value juice without adding any enzymes. If the jug has solids (think Musselman's cider), I add pectic enzymes to clarify it.

+1 for this. Unless there's solids, I want something to drink quickly or I know a particular brew will be tough to clear I find the best clearing method is just leaving it the hell alone for a few weeks.

 

[bracconiere]

leaving it the hell alone for a few weeks.

patience is a virtue. but sometimes you need to know it'll pay off, or it's hard!

 

[jseyfert3]

Somebody might have said this already, but when I go cheap I use the frozen concentrate. It's cheaper and there is only vitamin c in it (absorbic acid).

Where do you find FAJC cheaper than juice? I’ve compared at several stores and I’ve not yet found FAJC cheaper than juice. Including juice made from concentrate. I find this funny, they make FAJC, ship it to some company that mixes with water back to juice and bottles it, ship to store, and it’s STILL cheaper than buying the FAJC directly.

EDIT: Also nearly all store bought juice I’ve seen only has ascorbic acid adding. This seems to be the case for all mass produced juices I’ve seen. Seasonally sold “cider” on the other hand often sold around here at stores in the fall has always had other preservatives added. I always check when I see in case it’s suitable for cider making. Guess I need to get off my butt and find an orchard this fall, thought fresh pressed juice from orchards may be limited as the apple crop wasn’t great this year around here.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Where do you find FAJC cheaper than juice? I’ve compared at several stores and I’ve not yet found FAJC cheaper than juice. Including juice made from concentrate. I find this funny, they make FAJC, ship it to some company that mixes with water back to juice and bottles it, ship to store, and it’s STILL cheaper than buying the FAJC directly.

Apple juice is fairly bulky compared to concentrate. The other part is that frozen apple juice concentrate has to be kept frozen (I believe) while being transported, but I'm not sure about bulk transport of concentrate... I know that juice made from concentrate is pasteurized because it's shelf-stable.