Recent content by bwittman

just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about the one you used champagne yeast on?

Thanks for the tip Joe, my LHBS doesn't carry it sadly.

I was wondering this year, since the apples have been sitting in cold storage, if the juice would be a good candidate for trying to keeve them?

Ninkasi, in Watsonville. Gizdich Ranch. We've had great success with their juice. They crush fresh every saturday until May. Came out to 1.060 original gravity. Very balanced, good tannin. I don't have anything to actually test the acids or be more specific, just my taste buds and what i know...

The juice we used is Flash/UV pasteurized at the mill we get it from. We inoculated but also left one gallon alone and just put an airlock on it. The un-inoculated stuff kicked over just fine but took a bit longer than the commercial yeast. So experience would say that while it kills the nasty...

sounds like bock ice in a keg tub is the way go to. The one year i get a late start San Francisco decides not to be it's normally 50 degrees... The Lalvin 1118 is an aggressive little bugger. Sadly i don't have room for a fridge nor any way to power it up in the basement.

You actually put the dry ice IN the juice. It just evaporates into CO2.

It's cheaper than buying a fridge and paying to run it....

I'm getting a late start this year, picking up some fresh pressed juice this weekend. While it's not exactly hot in San Francisco i'm worried about Lalvin 1118 fermenting too quickly. Has anyone ever tried to slow down fermentation with the addition of dry ice to their carboys? My winemaker...

I was trying to go as natural as possible for the first shot. hense didn't really do anything but get the best quality fresh juice i could afford and pitch yeast. I really wanted to make a normandy style, but was affraid to try keeving. I think next time i'm going to try and keev it and possibly...

Not sure if it matters but, i also didn't rack it before cold crashing. i was hopping to rack once it cleared then possibly crash again to really clear it up.

There was no boiling, and not enzymes added. I just pitched the yeast and watched it go. The cider was straight from a mill. I drove down and the filled 2 5 gallon carboys. The not sure on the exact temp as i forgot to look at the thermometer but i would guess around 38, maybe colder? I was...

I have 10 gallons of cider in a commercial walk-in at my buddy's restaurant. It's been there for about a week and while it had settled some, it's def not clear. The only part that is close to what i would call "clear' is the top 2 inches. How long does it take to clear when cold crashing? I...

yea... it's "freezing cold" out here in the 40s. Sounds like cold crashing is the way to go. we're going to try to bring them over to the walk-in at my roomie's restaurant. If we cold crash it and rack it twice, will there be enough yeast left to bottle carb? or would we have to add yeast +...

Thanks for the responses! My main concern now is i want a lighter Normandy style of cider. Being a first timer I didn't want to mess around with keeving so after talking with the guys at my LHBS, the recommended using Redstar Cotes Des Blanc yeast which they said will preserve much of the...