How to optimize Mangrove Jack Apple Cider kit

[Brewer Mike]

Hi folks.
I've been wanting to try a cider for a while now. The other day, I chose subject line kit as a prize in a home brew comp.
Can I get some tips on how to optimize it? Sugar to use, optimal temp? Should I add anything? Anything else?
Edit: instructions talk about other kits with dry hops. Should I dry hop? If so, hop recommendations?

 

[Chalkyt]

I have haven't used kits but do "optimise" my ciders to get the results that I am after. To me optimise simply means achieving the characteristics that I want, such as sweetness, acidity, carbonation, astringency, alcohol level, etc. I guess the kits as they come have the ingredients that produce quite an acceptable cider if you follow the directions, so it should be optimised straight out of the box.

However, you can fiddle with the process as much as you like to modify the above characteristics, i.e.
add a non-fermentable sugar for sweetness or pasteurise before it is fully fermented, add malic acid, bottle at a SG that will ferment to CO2 that you want, add tannin, add sugar (chaptalise) to increase the starting SG and so produce more alcohol, etc, etc.

If you want to go down this path I suggest using the search function at the top RH corner. Just search for the characteristic that you are after and lots of posts should come up.

Have fun!

 

[Rish]

You can check out this forum to see what other cider makers are doing and use their recipes to modify your kit. Good luck!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forums/cider-recipes.81/