AHB Starter Cider Making Kit - Bench Capper

The bench capper uses a lever-action mechanism mounted on a stable base - you pull down on the handle and the cap is sealed cleanly and consistently every time. The twin-lever (hand) capper requires more downward force per bottle and is slower across a full batch of 60. The bench capper adjusts to fit different bottle heights, so it works with any standard crown-seal bottle. If you are planning to brew regularly, the bench capper pays for the price difference within a few batches.

Mangrove Jacks Craft Series is a well-regarded range of beer, cider and fermented drink ingredient kits used widely by Australian home brewers. Each cider kit contains 2.4kg of commercial-grade cider ingredients plus a premium yeast - enough to produce a 23-litre batch. The process is simple and the results are consistent from the first brew.

Yes - brew the kit without adding 1kg dextrose to produce approximately 3.5% ABV cider. The kit includes 2.4kg of cider ingredients which already contain fermentable sugars. Adding the included dextrose raises the ABV to approximately 5%. Leave it out for a lighter, slightly sweeter result.

The process is largely the same - sanitise, add ingredients, ferment, bottle, condition, drink. Cider is considered a straightforward first brew because it skips the grain and hop steps of an extract beer recipe. The equipment in this kit works for both, so if you brew beer next you already have everything you need.

One batch produces approximately 23 litres - around 60 standard stubbies (375mL) or 30 long necks (750mL). Crown seals are included for the first batch. Bottles are sold separately at AHB.

Most batches are ready to drink in 2-3 weeks. Fermentation takes around 7-10 days depending on temperature, then allow another 1-2 weeks for bottle conditioning. In warm Australian summers fermentation can move faster - in a cold Victorian or Tasmanian winter it can take longer if you are not managing temperature.

Cider ferments comfortably between 18 degrees C and 24 degrees C. In Victoria, Tasmania and southern NSW through winter, indoor temps can drop below 16 degrees C even in a heated home, which will slow fermentation significantly or stall it. A 25W heater pad (available separately at AHB) prevents this without needing a temperature controller. In Queensland and WA in summer, above 25 degrees C is generally fine for cider yeast, but a cooler location produces a cleaner finish.

Use the hydrometer. Take a reading on two consecutive days - when it is stable and matches the target final gravity in the instructions, fermentation is done. Do not rely on airlock activity. Bottling too early with residual sugar produces over-carbonated, potentially dangerous bottles. The hydrometer reading is the only reliable indicator.

Standard glass longnecks (750mL) or stubbies (375mL) with crown-seal tops. Do not use screw-top or lightweight bottles - they will not hold carbonation pressure safely. You will need around 60 stubbies or 30 longnecks per batch. AHB stocks bottles separately.

Yes - as important as it is for beer. Cider wort is sweet and warm during fermentation, which makes it an attractive environment for bacteria. A contaminated batch produces vinegary, off-tasting or flat cider. The included no-rinse sanitiser covers every piece of equipment that touches your cider. Use it before every step and do not skip it.