Does anyone make their own cider?

[Andrew[MG]]

I'm going to have a go in the next couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone had any tips?

I tried one of the apples yesterday and it's a bit more sharp than I would usually eat - will this equate to horrible cider?

[Vieste]

No but i have always wanted to try it after seeing some of the yank prison programs where they foment it from a cell.

[Andrew[MG]]

Nobody else making their own? I thought this would have been quite common around these parts.

[Turn7]

I do, but usually from a kit.

I have made whats known as turbo cider -basically apple juice and yeast.

Have a snoop on the homebrew forums, loads out there.

[Captain Benzo]

made some from a kit about 15 years ago, went from awesome 8% to 20bhp vinegar overnight. barrel 2 was much better, but 40 pints between 4 teenagers in one night led to too much vomit.

i've since wanted to try again, but the smell was brutal.

[RealSquirrels]

Vieste said:

No but i have always wanted to try it after seeing some of the yank prison programs where they foment it from a cell.

sounds interesting. i mean, it was watching beggars rummaging through bins that got me interested in leaving my food out to go mouldy before i eat it.

[PedroB]

Not necessarily. Cider apples tend to have higher tannin and acid content than eating ones. That is what makes cider crisp and zingy. They probably aren't ripe yet though. I'd wait 2-3 weeks yet before picking.

Happy to advise if you need any help!

[Andrew[MG]]

PedroB said:

Not necessarily. Cider apples tend to have higher tannin and acid content than eating ones. That is what makes cider crisp and zingy. They probably aren't ripe yet though. I'd wait 2-3 weeks yet before picking.

Happy to advise if you need any help!

Bugger, they will be ripe just as I go on honeymoon for two weeks!