CIDER 101

[molc]

all the bottles I made turned into small explosive devices as they kept fermenting away.

Odd. How long did you give it in primary?

About 4-6 weeks. I think it might have been the lees, as there was a lot settled in the bottom while the cider was clearing. The keg got transferred off these after  a few months and fared much better.

How long did you keep your 500G fruit in contact? I was thinking giving it 4 weeks.

[Bubbles]

I fermented with the berries in primary for about about 3 weeks, I think. It was just a turbo cider. I added pectolase and artificial sweetener, but obviously not enough sweetener as it was very acidic. Lovely berry flavour off it though. I think I also racked it to secondary for a few days to help it clear.

[Leann ull]

Over the years I used champagne, Edinburgh, wlp cider,  05, 002 and 2 others I can't even remember after reading an aha article and guess what, the best tasting cider I produce is done with the youngs or Gervin !!
Interesting thing I discovered 12 months ago is the longer you leave the cider the more pronounced the apple flavour is, it's almost like it goes through a, green,green,drinkable but harsh, more drinkable, no Apple, good enough for the wife, really getting good balanced, wrestling from the wife, locking the shed door stages, problem is that takes between 12 and 18 months

Edit found it
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/cider

028 was the best for me of all beer yeasts, there is a very specific process in making the starter where you need 50:50 dme:AJ

[Will_D]

The best way to store left over/"won't fit in the fermenter juice" is to pour into plastic bottles and freeze them.

Regards Yeasts: Yes indeed a lot of beer yeasts can be used, I like a lager yeast as I ferment outdoors throught the winter. Cider fermentation is NOT like beer. Long and slow is the best!

Last years juice was fermenting on delivery, the previous year's juice tookover  6 weeks before any spontaneous fermentation.

Sulphur Smells: As you will only smell this indoors then you are too warm! Add some simple yeast nutrient and kick it out off the house.

[BrewDorg]

Bought a pack of Safale US-04 for my first turbo cider. Anyone have any experience with it? Hoping to have my first cider finished out for Christmas.

[Leann ull]

Not on this thread which is an informative thread how to convert your own picked finest quality apples or how to ferment the best juice Irish producers have to offer, try another one about Turbo Juice
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=8051.msg134081#msg134081

[Bubbles]

I'm currently drinking some of last year's cider which I fermented with WLP002. I'd highly recommend it as a yeast choice. Lovely body and just enough residual sweetness.

[delzep]

Would leaving the juice in a fridge at low temps after adding campden tabs give a day or twos grace before adding yeast?

[Will_D]

Yes. The Campdens are added to set the pH of the juice such that the wild yeasts and particularly bacteria are suppressed. The comercial strains of beers/wine/cider yeast will work at these pH levels.

Low temperatures also affect the above micro organisms so its a double bonus if you fridge as well.

Looks like the outside weather is going to help as well

Recomendations are:

Below pH 3.0 - no need juice is acid enough
3.1 - 3.3  1 tab per gallon
3.4 - 3.6  2 tabs per gallon
3.7 - 3.8  3 tabs per gallon
Over 3.8   Need to add Mallic acid - Higly unlikey in a commercial cider juice blend like we have!

And don't worry the SO2 won't be in the finished cider as it bound onto other things.

One other note for people in small houses with sensitive noses: Your partner will often detect Hydrogen Sulphide aromas from the fermenting juices and be not impressed.
Most of us find that adding wine yeast nutrients will help to reduce the smells.

However Cider is best fermented cool ( low and slow ) so once you get the initial fermentation, outside is the best place - either in a shed or just outside in the shade, with the airlocks covered.

[molc]

This has been asked time and time again, but I'm unclear on the answer. Is it ok to do primary in the bucket it comes in or should we transfer over to fermenters due to the plastic it comes in? Transferred last year, but I need to move it out of the fermentation quickly this year and the fermenter is a pain to carry downstairs.

Also, I seem to remember primary is much longer for cider, as the lee's give nutrient, so we wait until January before transferring to secondary/kegs?

[Will_D]

This has been asked time and time again, but I'm unclear on the answer. Is it ok to do primary in the bucket it comes in or should we transfer over to fermenters due to the plastic it comes in?

A lot of people do exactly that.

Some prefer to get it into glass or stainless asap. Its a personnal thing but leaving it as is shouldn't be a problem. As you say fermentation is long and slow. The only reason to rack early is if you press your own juice and there are lots of bits in it. Our juice I'm sure is filtered so no bits!

[itsclinto]

I'm after adding campden tablets to the cider i received yesterday and i was thinking before i pitch to take a couple of litres for batch priming later.  I've read that a hydrometer reading of say 1.044, is roughly 4.4% sugar, so i can then use this to calculate my priming amount.  For example, 1 litre is 44 grams of sugar/fermentables therefore for a carbonation of 2.25 for 15 litres, i'd need 1.75 litres (77 grams of sugar).  The question is, has anybody done this before?

[molc]

That would mean you need the part you've kept back to keep for a few months while the cider is slowly fermenting. The problem is that it will go off in the meantime - the reason we ferment in the first place

[Simon_]

You can freeze the portion you plan to hold back?

[itsclinto]

That would mean you need the part you've kept back to keep for a few months while the cider is slowly fermenting. The problem is that it will go off in the meantime - the reason we ferment in the first place

Thats what i was thinking.  Would the juice be ok if i pasteurized it before putting aside?

You can freeze the portion you plan to hold back?

Do i have to do anything to make the juice safe before i freeze it or is it ok as it is?