Using unpasteurized apple juice for Apfelwein?

Hey there, just picked up 4 gallons of fresh, unpreserved, unpasteurized apple juice. I plan to make EdWort's Apfelwein with it, but I am concerned about it being unpasteurized. Are there any additional steps I should know about, and will it affect the fermentation process differently than using pasteurized juice such as Tree Top like most have used? Sorry if this has been asked before, fairly new to the site. Thanks

It's possible that you'll get an infection much like you would in beer.

To solve that, you can pasteurize it yourself. All you have to do is heat it up to 161*F or so for 15-20 seconds. At least that's what they do with milk.

You'd have to cool it down before you pitch your yeast.

or use campden tablets

moosetav said:

or use campden tablets

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That would certainly be easier

I always forget about campden tablets..

I'd go with the campden. Crush one per gallon, and dissolve in a little water. Add to the juice. Wait 24 hours, then add yeast. That's it!

YooperBrew said:

I'd go with the campden. Crush one per gallon, and dissolve in a little water. Add to the juice. Wait 24 hours, then add yeast. That's it!

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Is 24 hours long enough? I thought sulfites took a lot longer than that to dissipate (hence adding them to wine at bottling time for relatively long-term preservation).

Actually, I think I learned that from you: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/campden-tablet-misinformation-149513/#post1709008 Does exposure to O2 speed things up enough that 24 hours is long enough to reduce them to yeast-friendly levels?

SumnerH said:

Is 24 hours long enough? I thought sulfites took a lot longer than that to dissipate (hence adding them to wine at bottling time for relatively long-term preservation).

Actually, I think I learned that from you: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/campden-tablet-misinformation-149513/#post1709008 Does exposure to O2 speed things up enough that 24 hours is long enough to reduce them to yeast-friendly levels?

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Yeah, it's long enough. Wine yeast are very tolerant of sulfites, so as long as you're under 50 ppm (and you will be, with one campden tablet per gallon), it's ok. You could probably pitch the same day, but it's safer to wait 24 hours when much of the sulfites have done the work in killing the microbes but are still somewhat protective.

Thanks for the tip on the campden tablets. I figured unpasteurized juice might not be safe to use. Are these tablets something I can pick up at my LHBS? I will be heading over there to pick up the Montrachet yeast and dextrose.

Once I incorporate the campden, is it safe to follow directions based on pasteurized juice?

MikeBrews said:

Thanks for the tip on the campden tablets. I figured unpasteurized juice might not be safe to use. Are these tablets something I can pick up at my LHBS? I will be heading over there to pick up the Montrachet yeast and dextrose.

Once I incorporate the campden, is it safe to follow directions based on pasteurized juice?

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Yes. Campden tablets are basically potassium metabisulfite with some binders so that it's in an easy to use tablet form. The easiest way to use them is to crush one per gallon of juice in about 1/4 cup water and stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Don't inhale over it! It's going to be exuding SO2 gas. Just stir it up until it's completely dissolved, and then stir it into your juice. Cover the juice with a dishtowel, so that no bugs can get it there, and let it sit for 24 hours. The next day, you can add the yeast. You can add the dextrose either before or after the campden, as it's not an issue at all with the sulfite.
The sulfites kill wild yeast and bacteria, so you use it before fermentation so that other microbes don't take hold in the juice before your yeast can get going. Wine yeast are pretty tolerant of sulfites, but it's better to add the yeast the next day so you don't stun your yeast while trying to kill the other microbes that can be in the unpasteurized juice.
After that is done, you're safe to continue just as if the juice had been previously heat pasteurized.

I am going to rack, sweeten and bottle some I made from unpasteurized cider in the fall. I was thinking about sweetening with a can of frozen concentrate after stabilizing.