Need some quick start up advice

[viparas]

So, brewing is pretty alien to me, but some friends do an annual hard cider competition where the only rule is, "there must be apples and it must be fermented". That said, I have two big jugs of apple juice, bubbler tops that fit the jugs, and a live scoby that I inherited from a friend of a friend. No idea what it was used for previously but it seems healthy from comparison pics I've seen on the internet.

So, my goal would be to put these together into delicious beverages, without buying a ton of equipment, and without getting anybody sick. Can anybody give me like, a super abbreviated quick start suggestion for this? I've done a lot of searching for recipes with similar ingredients, but none of theme seem very applicable to my ingredient list. Thanks in advance!

Note: This would need to reach completion in about a month from now, so if this is a really fast process, like a week or two, how would I groom my scoby until it's time to start up? Feed it something? Leave it alone? Sing it songs. Totally clueless here, I usually just bake with yeast

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Sorry to break this to you but....

You need at least 6 months for a cider to age after fermentation which can take 2 weeks to a month alone. In one month you won't have anything that anyone will really want to drink nonless be entered in a competition.

Also the elephant in the room here is Kombucha is not apple cider and I have never used or seen a Scoby in any cider recipes.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Here is a cider recipe I enjoyed as an example I got from another user on this thread. I can't remember their name.

5 Gallons unfiltered Organic Apple Cider (from grocery store)
2 lbs local wildflower honey

1 tube White Labs #WLP775 Dry English Cider yeast
5 tsp Fermax yeast nutrient

OG 1.050
FG.996
ABV 7.04%

Beersmith put the SRM at 6.0, but I really feel that it is closer to a 3 or 4.

After sanitizing, I put the Cider right into the primary fermenter, no heating or boiling at all.

Warm the honey in about 2 cups of hot (150F) water to liquefy it, and add the Fermax to the honey / water mix. Don't boil the honey!

Let the honey mix cool a bit, and then add it to the primary. Pitch your yeast on top. When I did this, I did not use a starter, so it took several days for fermentation to kick off. Next time I will make a 1000mL starter. Shake the baby like mad to aerate!

Let sit on primary for 2 weeks. Rack into secondary for 1 week to clarify and let things settle out. I then racked into a bottling bucket, added in priming sugar and then into flip top bottles.

After you put them in bottles then you have to wait for the 6 months. You can drink it before that but it gets better everyday you leave it.

 

[viparas]

Hmm. Thanks but I guess I don't have time for that and will have to come up with something else. Is a live scoby fast acting enough to achieve anything in a month? Preferably with some or all of this apple juice I have? Perhaps if I cut apple juice with an existing kombucha, something like this recipe?
https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/fizzy-blender-juiced-apple-kombucha/

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Honestly, I don't know. Ive never used a scoby or made Kombucha I just found this thread by looking at the unanswered thread list and just happen to read it. I knew enough to tell you what I did...if you have more cider questions I might be of some help.

 

[signguy35]

im sure there is a apple ale you could do. you said all it needs is apples and to be fermented. you can get a ale done within a month.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Signguy makes a point...