Magnum Strawberry Cider Kit - Part 1

My first drop into making cider is the Magnum Strawberry Cider Kit.

The tin itself is around the £16 mark and comes complete with syrup, yeast and flavouring. The only extra to add is either 1.3kg brewing sugar (Cider) or 3kg brewing sugar (Wine).

So first things first, I sterilized everything and followed the destructions (instructions).

5-6 Litres of warm water and add your sugar and give it a good stir. Then you add the syrup and again give it a good stir. Top up to the 20 litre mark and check the temperature. The temperature should be between 25-30 Celsius. Add hot water or cold to bring upto the 22.5 litre mark.

Now I what it asked but I filled upto the 21 litre mark instead. Once I knew I had the temperature correct I checked the gravity which was 1.036 and then I pitched the yeast.

Its now sitting on a hot plate. I started the brew on the 20th January 2013. The kit advises it should take 7-10 days. so come 27th I will start to take a reading and when the reading stays the same for about three days its time to bottle.

Only thing left to do is add the flavouring. Must read destructions on when to add flavouring. After that its priming the bottles.

Will keep you all posted.