2 x Spike Your Juice Kits, "Value Pack"

This product is a fun gift or project for those who enjoy a little fruity booze and the feeling of do it yourselfing. 48 hours makes a nice bubbly and refreshing thing just be sure and pour about a glass out before as it bubbles up. Also, the people at Spike Your Juice do a great job with costumer service. UPS crunched my package and it came late (not the company's fault and likely do to the craziness of christmas). After giving a poor rating on amazon they contacted me directly and send replacement kits immediately. Obviously, good people who care about their product.

Didn't work

I'm not fond of these Spike Your Juice Kits. I was hoping to make a little homemade wine by allowing them to sit longer, but it took an exceedingly long time. If you want something that will give you a decent kick after just a couple of days, you're much better off with true booster yeast. This is a poor-man's version of 48 hour yeast that doesn't do it for me. Those who enjoy a very, very mild alcohol content might be pleased, but for the same money you can get a much better buzz.Pros:Works slowly and keeps juice flavor longerSimple to use for newbie brewers or wine makersCons:Won't give you a decent alcohol content

Overall I liked the taste of the apple juice I spiked with this. I couldn't let it sit long enough it was so good. The yeast fermenting starts to carbonate the juice and it's refreshing. I think that you could have the same thing alot cheaper by using super yeast and buying your own stopper and airlock. It was fun to use this kit though.

Basically it does just want it says. Get a juice, any 100% juice with more than the required amount of sugar per serving, drop in the powder, place the supplied air seal on the bottle, and wait two days. In return, you'll get a nice bubbly drink that tastes similar to mixing whatever juice you used with a hard cider. I used white grape, and probably should have picked a hardier variant. It would be a great drink for a party punch bowl (since it's relatively inexpensive per serving), or a hot summer day.One thing to note, when you've reached the desired fermentation, remove the yeast from the bottom. If not, it will continue fermenting, even if you put it in the fridge. I did this by pouring the juice on the top into a pitcher, and leaving the sludge in the bottom of the juice bottle. Just wash it out, and put the juice back in, and you're set.Also, be sure to keep the airlock on the bottle once it's in the fridge. Don't use the bottle cap! Since the yeast is still doing its job, if you use the bottle cap, pressure will cause an explosion.

The airlock is good quality and cleans very easily though some bottles (notably Ocean Spray) may have too large of a mouth. Just transfer to a bottle with a smaller opening and you're fine. As opposed to the directions, the yeast takes at least one day and sometimes two to spin up. I recommend letting the juice ferment for at least one week, preferably 10-12 days. I used a funnel and cut a small cube of fine sponge to put in the end to filter out most of the yeast when I transferred to a storage bottle. Potassium sorbate is useful for deactivating any remaining yeast. This means you can drink the whole bottle instead of worrying about consuming active yeast. Leave most of the debris in the bottom of the first bottle and pour the next batch on top to reuse your packet at least once. It starts fermenting much faster this way as well. Tart juices work out the best. I recommend cranberry pomegranate or cherry mixes. Store brands seems to work just as well as name brand.

I saw this searching for yeast for making hard cider. I thought wow, that sounds like a good idea. Then I read the ingredients:Yeast, evaporated cane juice, emulsifier. What? That translates to brewer's or wine making yeast, a tiny amount of a fancy word for sugar, and not necessary. So you are paying $30 to make 6 gallons for something worth maybe $10.00 if you don't compare prices. The yeast can be anything used to make wine or beer. A packet of wine yeast costs 80 cents max by the 10 pack, and is even cheaper (as in 50 cents) if you use a bargain brand champagne yeast (which this almost certainly its). Save your money and Google how to make alcoholic juice - a packet of wine yeast and a teaspoon of sugar is all that is necessary. What a racket, I wish I had thought of this if I wanted to rip off consumers and make a quick buck.

The item arrived a bit crumpled, as my postman decided to cram it into the mailbox rather than leave it at my door. But seeing as it is Christmas time, I figure this is the least of my worries!I was concerned by the (seemingly) small diameter of the airlock, but was happy to find that it fit snugly into our favorite cranberry juice container. The directions were easy to follow and the product is SUPER easy to use. And based on how many yeast packets come in a box... it goes a very VERY long way!The spiked juice itself has been an adventure. The first batch turned out like a sparkling cider or spritzer. You'd be hard pressed to convince me there was alcohol in it, but it was fizzy and fun to drink. The second batch we waited two days longer with and it was like straight up ale! Very bitter and too much for us. Then I realized I had gotten a brand with "no added sugars." I think this may have had something to do with the outcome.I look forward to experimenting more!