I started a new batch of cider tonight, 13 gallons of Apfelwein, I think I am going to need more bottles.
The yeast:
Since they told me at the mill they would press in the next 2 days I had to get my yeast into it's starter. After consuming a small boatload of clams and beer i got around to making the starter at midnight. I smacked two packs of Wyeast #3068 weishenstephan and let them bulge. The wife like to see just how long she can stand it before she turns the heat on. Since the house was 57 degrees i had to set up a little lamp for heat and a BBQ thermometer to monitor the temp. I managed to keep my yeast right at 75 by adjusting bulb to yeast distance. Everything was working great, I could hear the yeast fizz and the packs expanded. At the correct time I added each pack to a mason jar of starter. 1 cup of cider + 1 cup of water + a hint of nutrient then shaken till my arms were numb. The next morning there was a nice layer of foam and I gave it a gentle swirl.
The cider:
Saturday afternoon I took my carboy to my favorite cider mill
Shutt's. Even though it is in Webster they do make the best cider. The place was crawling with soccer moms buying fry cakes and nick nacks to hang on there wall. Kids blindly running through the crazy parking lot. The young guy filling jugs took my carboys and said they would press another batch in next 2 days and he would call. Sunday morning, i get a voice mail and i'm out the door. I pull up to the loading dock and one of the younger guys loads my carboys into my truck. They are filled with chilled, unfiltered, straight from the press, chunky goodness. We have a nice conversation about apple jacking and yeast and I take off for home. I have to wait since my yeast hasn't even been in it's starter for 12 hours. I actually read the directions so figured I would follow them and wait. Cider was stored out in the garage overnight till monday after work. After dinner i pitched the yeast (40 hours in the starter)
The sticky mess my wife is going find in the morning:
Carboy #1 "Fat Nancy"
This sucker is 6+ gallons and super old, found in the bottom of my parents barn. Very dusty and very heavy when full.
6ish gallons cider
1 Package Wyeast #3068 Weihenstephan
19.2 oz dextrose
SG = 1.06
Carboy #2 "Brown Betty"
3 gallons cider
1/2 package Wyeast #3068 Weihenstephan
10 oz brown sugar
SG = 1.06
Carboy #3 "big boy"
3 gallons cider
1/2 package Wyeast #3068 Weihenstephan
10 oz dextrose
SG = 1.062
Why i did what i did:
I took EdWort's
recipe and
this guys advice so instead of 2 pounds of sugar and wine yeast I went to 1 pound and beer yeast. The weight was ratio'd down from the 5 gallon recipe to my 3 gallon containers.
The wyeast pack said it enough for 5 gallons (51.5 grams of liquid yeast), i put it into 6, 1 gallon off, close enough I guess.
Natural yeast? I left them, if they can overpower my super wyeast and it tastes like crap i'll figure out something else to do with it over the FREEZING winter.
What the future holds:
I have a solid collection of champagne bottles for bottle priming and 1 gallon jugs for still cider. Beer bottle seem like a waste of time and who doesn't like to throw the jug over there arm and take a big swig at the campfire??
See how i finished off my last batch
here
You can't screw up cider right?
. Keep hold of that old carboy, they do not make them like that anymore. One of my carboys didn't wait for me, so I am getting more than I bargained for lol.
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