How to get started in Cider. The definitive(ish) guide to beginner&#39

[Airgead]

1 - yes
2 - meh
3 - see what it's like and adjust to your taste from there.

Cheers
Dave

 

[simplefisherman]

Hi there cider masters, I've been making Cole's apple juice cider ( aka prison hooch ) for a little while, using different yeasts and backsweetening ( or not ) with cloudy apple juice, also using the cloudy apple to naturally carbonate in pet bottles, I think it worked out at 80ml juice in a 2l bottle for 2.5 vol co2. It comes out a bit tart, quite nice and is now my preferred way of doing it.
I had an opened bottle of said coles cloudy apple in the fridge at 3-4 deg, and after a week or so it started leaking out the lid ( was on its side ) and had signs of fermentation. I took it out of the fridge and let it ferment out, I tried a small bit and its quite tangy and ' sharp ' but not unpleasantly so. According to the bottle its 99% apple juice and ( presumably) 1% vitamin c. Says keep refrigerated and consume within 5 days of opening. Does this mean its not pasteurized? I'm thinking about adding this about 1l to a batch of hooch of about 12l for something different.
Basically I'm wondering if this is a bad idea? Am I likely to make anybody ill with this ( aside from the purists hehe ) or is it worth a crack? What would be the fermenting agent, some cold loving wild yeast or a lactic something or other?
Thanks in advance for any advice/ opinion...

 

[Airgead]

What it means is that the bottle wasn't sealed properly (or wasn't cleaned properly) and *something* got in and caused the juice to ferment. Exactly what that something is, I can't say. most likely its some wild yeast. But it could be a bacteria. Or a fungus.

Will it make you sick? Probably not. Will it taste nice? Maybe. Would I add it to to batch of hooch and drink it? No. Should you ad it to a batch of hooch and drink it? Up to you. Probably won't kill you.

Cheers
Dave

 

[simplefisherman]

People of Australia, if you are reading this then I have probably been killed or hospitalised from drinking dodgey cider...
Anyways, probably not worth the risk then ha ha, in the sink it goes.
Out of interest though, what would be the best/ easiest way to encourage some wild yeast ferment, without moving to orchard country?

 

[Airgead]

Wild yeast is easy - just leace it open on the bench. You are liukely to get wild yeast in there. Wild yeast that tastes good though. Different story.

 

[pk.sax]

Dude, apologies Dave, if the thing caught it in the fridge owing to a bad seal, you've probably infected it wih the yeast you've been fermenting bottle batches in the fridge with. If it tastes alright...

Anyway, much fun to you.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Do you need to boil this like beer? or just add yeast

;noob question I know

 

[gap]

No, do not boil apple juice , just add the yeast.

 

[Airgead]

Yep. No need to boil. You can boil but your cider ends up tasting like apple sauce not apple.

The boil in beer does a bunch of useful stuff like coagulating protiens and extracting hops. The killing bugs part of the boil is actually secondary.

None of those other things apply for cider and a good big pitch of yeast and basic sanitation take care of the bugs issue so a boil is unnecessary.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Ok cool I just finished putting a brew on.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

My first brew.

 

[Airgead]

My first brew.

Well done that man!

As a very wise man once said... you have just taken your first step into a much larger world...

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Can't seem to upload pics.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

lol think i found it

 

[HalfWit]

Hey, I have three cases Cider I want to condition as quickly as possible. Would it help to CC it or let it sit at room temps? I used Wyeast 4766. Cheers

 

[Airgead]

I condition long and cold but I'm a patient guy.

Why not leave 1 case warm and keep the others cold. The warmer one may condition a little more quickly. Maybe. That way you can drink side by side and see if there is any difference.

Regardless of the temp, the longer the better. Any time will improve it but the longer you can leave it the better it will be (up to a point of course... 3-6 months is the sweet spot for me).

Cheers
Dave

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Ok my first cider;

6 x 2.4lt Woolworths "select' Apple & Pear juice
1 x 2.4 Apple and Blackcurrent juice
1 x 850ml Goulburn Valley Pear juice
1 x lime (rind&juice)
500g light malt extract
250g Dextrose monohydrate
250g maltodextrin
1 x 8 g Harvest white wine yeast (SN9)


I would just like to thank Dave for his recipe.Although i did plan to follow it the brew shop owner talked me into adding the extra sugars.
I have a few questions tho.
1. Whats a good start point for the cider to fully ferment out ?
2. Because im after a sweet brew for the wife i bought 1 kg of maltodextrin in case it turns a bit dry when is the best time to sweetin it ?
I have the Fermenter set at 18-21*C (old fridge)
Thanks again for the help

 

[Airgead]

Brewshop owners love convincing you to buy that extra kilo or so of sugar because that's where their profit margin is.

Regular shop bought juice will get you to about 5-6%. Maybe more. Freshly squeezed juice can be up to 9% in a good year.

Adding the extra sugars will add a percent or two. The malt will also add a beery flavour which may be a good thing for you but if I tried it my missus would refuse to drink it.

SN9 will dry everything right out except for the maltodextrin and the pear. That will leave you with a little residual sweetness. You could also add some lactose to taste after fermentation finishes. Never used maltodextrin myself but its only partially nonfermentable so I'd add it during fermentation. Otherwise it will be all ready to go, you will add the malto and fermentation will kick off again. Lactose is all nonfermentable so you can add it after. Not sure how much malto is appropriate having not used it. Maybe someone who has could comment on that.

I'd be tempted to forget the maltodextrin, see how it goes with the pear and add lactose after fermentation. Unless your missus is lactose intolerant in which case don't. That would be very bad.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Brewshop owners love convincing you to buy that extra kilo or so of sugar because that's where their profit margin is.

Regular shop bought juice will get you to about 5-6%. Maybe more. Freshly squeezed juice can be up to 9% in a good year.

Adding the extra sugars will add a percent or two. The malt will also add a beery flavour which may be a good thing for you but if I tried it my missus would refuse to drink it.

SN9 will dry everything right out except for the maltodextrin and the pear. That will leave you with a little residual sweetness. You could also add some lactose to taste after fermentation finishes. Never used maltodextrin myself but its only partially nonfermentable so I'd add it during fermentation. Otherwise it will be all ready to go, you will add the malto and fermentation will kick off again. Lactose is all nonfermentable so you can add it after. Not sure how much malto is appropriate having not used it. Maybe someone who has could comment on that.

I'd be tempted to forget the maltodextrin, see how it goes with the pear and add lactose after fermentation. Unless your missus is lactose intolerant in which case don't. That would be very bad.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

LOL cool thanks Dave. After two daus of ferment it smells very nice. How long bf the old girl can scoff the stuff.