Fermented Cider Malic Acid?

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Evenin all, picked up a bottle of Druids Cider this evening and had a butchers at the ingredients ... What the bloody hell is "Fermented Cider Malic Acid?" when it's at home?

[Ciderhead]

Druids cider Jesus, off work tomorrow?, it will be special brew next
It's used to change ph commercially and gives it a tart sour flavour.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Ah no, just bought the one out of curiosity.  Am on call for driving to Holles St as the missus is about to pop.
It's a lot nicer out of the bottle compared to how I remember them feckin cans tasted like ... Anyway what is Fermented Cider Malic Acid?

[Ciderhead]

I was gonna say I thought you had other stuff on your plate.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Yeah, playing the waiting game now, thought we were ready to go this time last week but all quiet on the western front now ....

[Ciderhead]

First one takes an age, they pop like malteasers after that

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

This is my 2nd! 
First one was 2 weeks early ... That was only 14 months ago

[Ciderhead]

And you want to start brewing, forget it! Hehe, on the plus side plenty of Milton about the place

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

I have to have some form of a hobby 
At least this one is based at home

[donnchadhc]

When you ferment cider one of the acids produced is malic acid. During maturation a second ferment, "malo-latic fermentation", can occur. This converts the malic acid into lactic acid. This is preferable as latic acid has a "rounder" taste than malic acid. Malo-latic fermentation is not guaranteed so Cider agents try to kick it off artificially. Wine makers have been doing this for years for the same reasons.

[Will_D]

To be clear: Malic Acid is already in the apple juice - named after malus the latin root for the apple genus.

The acid content of apples is composed of up to 90% Malic, up to 10% Quinic, and only 1 or 2% Citric.

[donnchadhc]

Yeah, sorry, that's what I mean. The important bit is the malic to latic conversion

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

cheers dudes!