Using a heater for cider

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TheOtherLeft

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Hi guys,

I have started making cider using OzTops and had a problem with cold starting temps during a cold snap. I've thought about using a fishtank heater in a water bath.

I've tried to link a photo in FlickR but it doesn't want to work properly.
http://flic.kr/p/eg77jM

What is the optimum temperature to keep the cider for the yeast to work?

Thanks,

Ben
 
Depends on the yeast. No idea what strain oztops use.

In general though, ciders benefit from a long, slow, cool ferment. I usually do mine at 14 or 15c (depending on the yeast I use)

Cheers
Dave
 
Airgead said:
Depends on the yeast. No idea what strain oztops use.

In general though, ciders benefit from a long, slow, cool ferment. I usually do mine at 14 or 15c (depending on the yeast I use)

Cheers
Dave
i just put one down with us-05 at 16C (apple and pear juice). any idea how long it would take at that temp? i was kinda expecting 2 to 3 weeks?
 
Like all questions in brewing the answer is "it depends". Nutrient levels, yeast health, phase of the moon, gemini in ascension...

2-4 weeks is in the ballpark though. Slower is better for ciders.

Cheers
Dave
 
Is the heater in that image set to 26C?

That's too hot, mang.
 
Oztops comes with two yeasts.
The Oztops instructions say that #1 is a neutral yeast that will work anywhere from about 15c to 30c. I'd be hesitant to go near 30c, just as with most beer yeasts.
#2 they reckon needs to be 30c or over! Wonder what it is...

To answer your question though, what you've done looks like not a bad idea if you need to increase temp. But still go with the advice above from others about using the right temp, for the right yeast.
 
mikec said:
Oztops comes with two yeasts.
The Oztops instructions say that #1 is a neutral yeast that will work anywhere from about 15c to 30c. I'd be hesitant to go near 30c, just as with most beer yeasts.
#2 they reckon needs to be 30c or over! Wonder what it is...

To answer your question though, what you've done looks like not a bad idea if you need to increase temp. But still go with the advice above from others about using the right temp, for the right yeast.
Yes I used #2 whcih states 25-35 deg C. #1 states 15-35 deg C. I'm surprised everyone's saying around 16 deg C is the optimum temp. Oztops says it only needs 4 days max.

I had the thermostat set at about 30 Deg C and observing the cider it was bubbling along nicely.

After a day or so I stopped fermentation and it tastes quite dry. It's a bit too dry for my tasts but I prefer sweeter ciders. Some of my friends with more developed paletes lie it though.
 
Well, I'm just about to bottle a cider that has been plopping away for 3 weeks or so in the range of 14c-18c and thats the packet yeast that comes from a brigalow can, which is a white wine yeast so they tell me. It's functioning fine at these temps, but has taken 2 weeks longer to do its job than it has done previously at 24-26c in summer. And I'm fine with that, low and slow works well with cider as many have said before and as I am finding out now that outside temps allow me to do it without to much hassle.
 
I've got nothing to add on the temperature front, however it looks like your bottle is only 1/3 full? might be a bit of oxidation going on there.
let us know how it turns out
 
talco92 said:
I've got nothing to add on the temperature front, however it looks like your bottle is only 1/3 full? might be a bit of oxidation going on there.
let us know how it turns out
That's no different to having a fermenter with lots of head space - so no issue at all. (unless of course you start shaking it up post fermentation)
 
My second cider was done at ambient, using Black Rock cider yeast. We had a surprise heatwave a few weeks ago and the brew ran at 25 degrees for a week. It turned out really nice.
I just kegged one that sat at 20 for 10 days and it's very similar.

I'd guess that the Black Rock is possibly a bit more forgiving than some wine yeasts. So what yeast does Oz tops use, I wonder.

Ambient is now 18 degrees and I just assembled a fresh brew so lets see what happens.
 
I've been trying to keep mine at around 20. It has crept up a couple of times so I've wrapped it in a damp towel and opened the laundry door.
 
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