So, I've just gotten back into homebrewing after many years of doing it once in a blue moon because a friend wanted me to show them how...(and then, of course, I end up doing all the work...Ha!). I've never made cider and after watching BrewTV's episode on cider we gave it a whirl last night. One of the threads I read posted some info on yeasts (not the sticky that's in the cider forum), and since I had some old Coopers, I decided to rehydrate and make a simple syrup "starter" to see if it was good.
Anyway, after a day of the Coopers just sitting there doing nothing, I decided to run out and get some yeast, and it was recommended that I use Nottingham if I wanted to try ale yeast. (As a side note, I made a starter with corn sugar because I didn't want to add DME to the cider...next time, if I try that, I'll just use some of the cider.) Anyway, the Nottingham was brand new, I left out to get room temp, hydrated it with 89*F water, and then pitched last night at about 11:00 pm CST. As of this morning, I have NO activity on the airlock.
Question for the cider experts is two fold. One, how long will it take pasteurized, sugar added cider to start fermenting with Nottingham...ambient temp of about 66*F? After I bought the yeast, etc., the Cooper's "starter" took off and fermented in a 1.5L Magnum champagne bottle. Second, if the Nottingham doesn't seem to be doing its trick, how would you suggest pitching the Cooper's "starter"? I figure I'm supposed to pitch at high krausen, but I'm not sure I want to add an entire liter of yeast to cider. Should I just swirl it around and add about half?
Any thoughts on this would be extremely helpful as I don't want to waste all that juice and yeast. Lastly, has anyone ever washed the yeast after a cider batch?
Anyway, after a day of the Coopers just sitting there doing nothing, I decided to run out and get some yeast, and it was recommended that I use Nottingham if I wanted to try ale yeast. (As a side note, I made a starter with corn sugar because I didn't want to add DME to the cider...next time, if I try that, I'll just use some of the cider.) Anyway, the Nottingham was brand new, I left out to get room temp, hydrated it with 89*F water, and then pitched last night at about 11:00 pm CST. As of this morning, I have NO activity on the airlock.
Question for the cider experts is two fold. One, how long will it take pasteurized, sugar added cider to start fermenting with Nottingham...ambient temp of about 66*F? After I bought the yeast, etc., the Cooper's "starter" took off and fermented in a 1.5L Magnum champagne bottle. Second, if the Nottingham doesn't seem to be doing its trick, how would you suggest pitching the Cooper's "starter"? I figure I'm supposed to pitch at high krausen, but I'm not sure I want to add an entire liter of yeast to cider. Should I just swirl it around and add about half?
Any thoughts on this would be extremely helpful as I don't want to waste all that juice and yeast. Lastly, has anyone ever washed the yeast after a cider batch?