First timer cider experiment

[beerlover556]

I just had a friend tell me how to 'brew' hard cider at home using store bought pure apple juice, sugar, and brewers yeast. Being financially strapped and unable to buy a full brewing kit I followed his directions and made a 1 gallon batch using brown sugar and let it ferment 8 days in the same bottle i bought the juice in with small holes in the lid. I then poured the cider thru cheese cloth into clean growlers adding more sugar to one so it would carbonate and put the other in the fridge. The cider tasted like carmel apples with an almost vinegar-like bite. I'm not sure if thats how it normally tastes but I am planning on trying another batch but I'd like to add mango to it. I plan on making a mango puree that i was thinking id add to the apple juice as i heat it up to desolve the sugar. I also plan on 'starting' the yeast before adding it to the juice sugar mixture as well. My questions are 1. Does making hard apple cider this make since? 2. Does using mango puree sound like it will work? and 3. Does anyone have any ideas how to make cider my cider better with OUT spending a ton of money?

P.S. Sorry to be so long winded i am just starting to get into the hobby

 

[Fossey]

I have a 6 gallon Apple Mango Banana fermenting now, it was made from all juice - Apple Mango Banana juice strangely!.

Looks like the mango and banana puree within the juice settled at the bottom but the Nottingham yeast appears to be slowly infiltrating it. Smells an absolute treat.

Making cider from all juice is a perfectly acceptable method. I would use an airlock rather than small holes in the lid to prevent the outside air getting in. Oxygen can spoil your cider and is likely to be the cause of the vinegar flavour.

Cider will taste better the longer you leave it. You said you tasted it after 8 days, I would leave it for closer to a month then syphon into another container to age for at least another month again, this will reduce your sediment as well. Also, try and maintain a constant temperature if possible.

Patience is the key and you will be rewarded. Read every thread on this forum you have time for as well!!!

 

[beerlover556]

Thank you very much for the advice! I was even able to make an air lock out of stuff i had in the house! I am in the process of starting my new batch right now. Im excited to see how it turns out. Im going to do my best to wait as long as i can but i get thirsty!