# Fermenting Cider On A Beer Slurry?



## Swinging Beef (19/10/09)

Ive never brewed an apple cider other than the OZ-Tops versions

I understand the apple juice needs some nutirient to get the yeast going, so can a S05 slurry be used or would it impart undesirable characteristics?


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## vykuza (19/10/09)

Swinging Beef said:


> Ive never brewed an apple cider other than the OZ-Tops versions
> 
> I understand the apple juice needs some nutirient to get the yeast going, so can a S05 slurry be used or would it impart undesirable characteristics?




I was just thinking this.... I've got to put the brewing (well, at least the drinking) on hold for a few months, so I am planning on putting down a few brews before hand that will improve in the bottle. A cider being one of them.

I've got one of Ross' NS Summer Ales about to come off the yeast cake - would throwing 15 litres of apple juice on top of the dregs be a good idea, or a bad one?


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## Adamt (19/10/09)

The only suggestion I have would be to keep the temperature well under control, it'll go off like a rocket and really warm up if you're not careful - I'd assume you wouldn't want any byproducts from the yeast.


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## manticle (19/10/09)

Swinging Beef said:


> Ive never brewed an apple cider other than the OZ-Tops versions
> 
> I understand the apple juice needs some nutirient to get the yeast going, so can a S05 slurry be used or would it impart undesirable characteristics?



People use 05 for ciders. You might get a touch of hoppiness in there but if your sanitation is good and yeast treatment likewise, I can't imagine why it wouldn't work.

I'm with AdamT on the temp control - ferment low if you can.


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## Swinging Beef (19/10/09)

Ferment cool.. got it....
So probably better to just go with a fresh pack of S05 or S04, then?
Add some LDME to give it body, nutirient and sweetness?
Ive never dealt in Lactose before and dont know where to get it or what to do with it


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## sinkas (19/10/09)

itll be fine


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## bum (19/10/09)

Swinging Beef said:


> Ive never dealt in Lactose before and dont know where to get it or what to do with it



Any LHBS should have it (even mine does so that's saying something!). Treat it much the same as LDME.


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## Fermented (20/10/09)

S-05 on its own is just fine. 

I've done it with both all freshly made apple juice, half-n-half with Aldi juice and 100% Aldi juice. 

Kicks off in 24 - 36 hours, ferments just fine, repitch on 250 - 500 ml slurry and she's off and running again. 

Quite pleasant after a couple of weeks of bottle conditioning. 

S-04 was OK but finished slightly sweeter. A better drop for the girlies or chilled over ice, kinda like Gaymers. 

Cheers - Fermented.


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## manticle (20/10/09)

Swinging Beef said:


> Ferment cool.. got it....
> So probably better to just go with a fresh pack of S05 or S04, then?
> Add some LDME to give it body, nutirient and sweetness?
> Ive never dealt in Lactose before and dont know where to get it or what to do with it



Adding malt makes it something else. There is a hopped malty apple beverage calle dgraff that I know little about but reports from people who've used LDME aren't always that great.

Lactose is an unfermentable sugar, used a lot in milk stouts. It sounds weird in a cider but it works (and it doesn't tase like milk) . I use 500g per ~20L brew and still get a very dry cider. Just add it in as you would LDME to an extract or partial.

I'd go us05 or wine yeast. Wine yeast will ferment drier than 05. My next cider though, I want to experiment with a clean, basic lager yeast.


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