Brewer's Best Cider House Select Apple Cider Kit

Sitting here on day 100 after the start of fermentation and after weeks of bottle conditioning and I can say I like it. It's better than using apple juice from the store but not as good as seasonal fresh pressed cider from the orchard. Can confirm the fermentation process gives off an eggy smell and the first taste before bottling left me wondering, but I stuck it out and have a refreshing, decent cider. Patience is your friend on this one so plan to consume between day 90-180.Packaging is less than desirable as others have mentioned so be ready to go when you open it.I think it would make an excellent base to mix in some other fruits. Bottom line I would buy it again, but take your time and know the early stages are not the mature drink.

I used my full grain beer making equipment and I was stricter in sanitizing than the instructions demanded – I boiled six gallons of water with the dextrose and then used an immersion chiller to cool it. The thought of adding “clean water” (not sterile) as the instructions suggested horrified me.I naturally sanitized the fermentation bucket, the yeast package etc. as I do with beer.I pitched the yeast at 25C and fermented at 22C controlled temperature from 1.043 to 1.003 in five days and to 1.000 in eight days.During fermentation, it gave off rotten eggs smell and taste and I thought it went bad but in the end, it was a decent cider.I used half the sweetener for I do not like much very sweet ciders like Angry Orchard. It does not have a “sweetener” aftertaste as I feared.I forced carbonate it, for I have the equipment.I am buying again and maybe ferment at lower temperature so as to try to have less rotten eggs smell, as suggested in some forums.And yes, the packaging is stupid as reported elsewhere, I am glad I read the reviews before opening it. I got the instructions from the web so I only opened the package when I was about to make it.

Everyone loves the cider I made from this. But I am not so sure it is because of this kit or because of my quick thinking to save a disastrous packaging issue.Be forewarned that the directions on the outside of the bag are like terrible cliff's notes compared to what is in the bag.So I decide to open the exterior bag to survey the ck tents of the bag. I use a pair of scissors and open it right below where it is sealed. To my horror they sealed the extract bag with the exterior bag seal. So I have now opened the main ingredient and am completely unprepared to start a brew day.I quickly get all of my equipment sanitized and ready. And start the batch. Then discover that you need to add corn sugar to the wort on brew day. (of course I don't have any) so I substituted about 2 cups of table sugar. And added the other flavors I wanted. Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and maybe something else.It miraculously turned out great in the end. But I was pretty annoyed about it.All my friends that drink it. Big burly mountain men included love it.So in conclusion. It is a great kit but be careful opening it.

After reading several reviews, I decided to make this as I would beer using the Brewing Classic Styles guidelines. Pretty much followed the directions (I used table sugar and all the sweetener) but only fermented 5.5 gallons of cider at 68F for a week. Then I slowly ramped it up to 72F for another week, cold crashing as low as my mini fridge would get for a week. Finally, I only kegged 5 gallons leaving a 1/2 gallon behind with all the sludge. (Would have transferred 5 gallons to my bottling bucket if I were bottling)After a week on CO2, it had a mild sulfur taste, but after another week or 2 on CO2, it was very pleasant to drink. The wife loves it and she is a tough sell.Will be doing this one or another flavor very soon.

Everything was included in the kit except the 2 pounds of sugar. Instructions were easy to follow and is so easy to make. I made the 6 gallons and added a fresh sliced pear in the top during fermentation. Added a little bit of pear flavor. I only used half of the sweetener kit and seems to be close to the angry. brand.

I make mine using light brown sugar and only add half of the sweetener and it’s delish. All my friends like it as well so I must be doing something right with it.