Cider Pitching Rates

[freek]

So the wifes bugging me for a keg of cider. Even though its not for me I want to do the best job of it possible. Through some experience I now know how important it is to have the correct quantity of healthy yeast in beer, so I am assuming the same is true with cider.

Does anyone have recommended pitching rates in Mcells/mL/degP?

Also, should the starter be apple juice or is a DME based wort starter okay?

 

[TimT]

I don't know about rates. In general, proceed as normal. Get a good yeast - either a wine yeast or a specific cider yeast (White Labs one is pretty good) and pitching at the same rates as beer should yield satisfactory results.

I'd say if anything cider is *more* fermentable than beer because there's less issues with the amount of fermentable sugars in the wort - apple juice will ferment almost right out.

Starters are always sensible. Preferably do it from apple juice, you want the yeast to get used to the medium.

 

[earle]

Don't forget nutrient for the yeast

 

[SJW]

I just did the same thing for the Mrs, but I said I am not filling a keg with it, ill bottle it for her. Just used the yeast that came with the kit, some yeast nutrient and I threw in a 2 litre bottle of apple juice for good measure. Should be a real panty dropper with an OG of 1.044. lol

 

[freek]

Thanks for the replies.

I am going to answer my own question here. The pitching rates I am settling on is recommended on Wyeast site- 70 Billion cells for 22 L. Allegedly "the same pitching rates used by professionals".https://www.wyeastlab.com/he_c_productdetail.cfm?ProductID=18

I get what you say TimT about getting the yeast used to the medium. I would be surprised if the pros used beer wort for starters. I do wonder what they do though. In the "Yeast" book Chris White states the importance of sterile medium when stepping up from low cell volumes and I had this concern with juice. I am sure its not as sterile as a starter wort.

One way for me to find out. I will give it a crack.

 

[hooper80]

Have you guys got a good recipe ya willing to share? My mrs is also asking, but I might top the gravity up near 1.050 to get the panties dropped!!! Haha

 

[TimT]

My recipe begins with "take a shitload of apples from every tree you can find" - ie, it changes every time I make it! (I like the results though.)

 

[Airgead]

My recipe is the same as Tim's. In general though, juice, sugar to raise the OG (if you really need to... . I have never bothered) and yeast is all you need. That and a bit of time to let it age out. Cider rewards patience. So will your missus...

 

[Mutaneer]

MIne is dead simple
chilled juice from the apple farmer, (we're talking 16% sugar here)
Lavlin 71B Yeast + GoFerm
Ferment until dry

Rack once or twice to clear

Bulk-prime with sugar at 15g/L and a little fresh yeast
throw in bottles

leave for 6 weeks minimum before drinking

 

[Reman]

The good lady likes perry as well as cider so for the second, she bought 15 odd litres of pear and apple juice, I think it was about $18. I then pitched a sachet of mangrove jacks cider yeast. OG was about 1.045. Others say it's good to leave in the primary for a while to improve the flavour, so it was in for 3 and a bit weeks at around 20-21c. FG at 1.006 when I bottled it with 3 vols.

Didn't bother with a secondary as it dropped pretty clear.

To be honest, cider is dead simple. Only issue is not using cider apples/pears means that it can be a little boring as its so dry and little tannins.