CIDER 101

[Eoin]

If it is a lactobacillus infection will it consume consume any of the back sweetening sugars that the yeast will not. I'm not sure myself just might be something for you to look into.

Even something like Splenda?

That's an artificial sweetener and contains no sugar right?

Sent from my HTC One

[nigel_c]

Where's Will when you need him. 

[Dunkel]

Splenda is a mix of maltodextrin and "sweetener (sucralose 1%)". So I think that means just 1% is the sweetening bit. So nope, not fermentable by yeast.

[nigel_c]

Yeast no but lacto?

[mr hoppy]

Are you sure it's not wild yeast? Film yeast infections seem to be extremely common with cider, and don't look too different from the lacto pictures on google images.

[Dunkel]

I really don't know 

[johnrm]

I had that film on my cider.
I tried syphoning off but it came back.
I just shoved it out to the shed and forgot about it.
Must look again soon.

[mr hoppy]

I siphoned into demijohns flushed with CO2 and hit with some more campden tablets.

It came back again so I bottled.

It came back again so I floated it off the effected bottles with cooled boiled water.

Haven't seen anything for a while now.

[johnrm]

I floated it off the effected bottles with cooled boiled water.

That sounds interesting.
How did you do that then?

[mr hoppy]

Easy, I poured water into the open mouth of the (flip top) bottle until the liquid on which the film sat came out of the bottle. Then I closed it again.

The bottles weren't carbonted at the time. If they were, the CO2 would have protected against oxygen loving baddies.

I think someone recommended doing it earlier in the thread?

[GrahamR]

question on this, 1ltr on cloudy costs €1.20 atm. Would it be possible to buy say 12 ltrs of juice, mix with maybe 300g of demerara sugar and then top up with water to 20 ltrs which i imagine would give roughly the same abv. would save myself €8 a batch

[Will_D]

question on this, 1ltr on cloudy costs €1.20 atm. Would it be possible to buy say 12 ltrs of juice, mix with maybe 300g of demerara sugar and then top up with water to 20 ltrs which i imagine would give roughly the same abv. would save myself €8 a batch

Yes the above statemnets would be true.

Howver you would have a thin, alcoholic, appleish drink that was not a true cider!

Unfortunately cider is expensive compared to beer. Its like wine, you need juice, more juice and nowt but the juice to make the nectar of Hereford!*

So don't scrimp on the juice!

*Why Hereford and not Summerset? Coz I grew up in next county to H (Monmouthshire) and my uncle Harry worked at Bulmers in Hereford

[GrahamR]

Thanks Will, thought that might be the case alright regarding taste. Just pick up a few cartons at a time so. Anyone tried a blend with Aldi Frozen Fruits, maybe 4 ltrs of juice to a half pound of fruit

[Will_D]

Thanks Will, thought that might be the case alright regarding taste. Just pick up a few cartons at a time so. Anyone tried a blend with Aldi Frozen Fruits, maybe 4 ltrs of juice to a half pound of fruit

Funny you should mention this as I am just emptying the freezer of last years Berrys and Rhubarb.

So for 23 L of Berry cider:

5Kg of frozen fruits ( Blackberry, Rasberry, Blueberry, Blackcurrant, Forest fruits from supermarket or whatever)
12 odd liters of AJ (fresh, real cider juice pasteurised or Lidl)
2 kgs sugar

Dissolve sugar in boiling water, pour over frozen fruits, make up to about 10L, allow to cool

Add pectice enzyme.
Leave 24 hrs and add the yeast of choice and nutrients.
Ferment on pulp for 3 days.
Strain and press the fruit.

Add the AJ

Ferment and wait!

[Hingo]

Hey Folks,

I'm planning on making cider from apples in September - there's an orchard down in my grandparent's place in Kilkenny bout half acre with most of it covered in full grown apple trees (about 15 - 20 trees).

Any tips for making it from apples? I've been looking at apple presses too - is there anything to be said for making your own apple press? It'll be my first cider to brew (been beer only otherwise) so other than what's been mentioned any further tips re: turning apples into juice would be welcome.


It'll be a bit of a project, and I know there'll be a fair bit of work for the same result one would get from juice but if it's nice, I might make it a yearly thing. also might try make a naturally fermented batch and another with champagne yeast (campden tablets n all that)