Pitch to Pitcher in less than 2 weeks

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wadefisher

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I never made a 'real' hard cider before so decided to give it a go. My idea in the past was to get fresh pressed local cider and let it sit outside a week until the jug would 'puff up'.
Just had to share this story!

Simple recipe, cause I am too busy lately.
  • 5 Gallons of store bought apple juice without preservatives.
  • WLP775 English Cider yeast, strait out of the tube.

  1. Glass 6 gallon carboy, sanitized with starsan.
  2. Spray juice bottles from store with sanitizer let sit for 2 minutes.
  3. Sanitize a funnel.
  4. Sanitize the yeast tube. As it comes up to room temperature.
  5. Dump in 2 Gallons of Juice with much agitation into carboy.
  6. Dump in yeast.
  7. Dump in rest of Apple juice.
  8. Put on sanitzed Air lock
This took about 20 minutes.

10 days later, its clear so i transferred off of the lee's. When I tasted it it was so good me and my crew drank 2 gallons of it. It was not carbonated but all agreed it was really really good and carbonating will make it even better.

Had 5 more gallon of Juice and dropped it right on top the yeast cake and 7 days later we were drinking that. NO off flavors and clear and nice apple flavor.

Now I agree with no added sugar it's not very high alcohol but soooooo easy!
But I have seen no need to wait to clear or mellow so far. This taste better than any commercial ciders I've had.

WLP775 English Cider yeast is a wonderful yeast!


Next batch will add some sugars. See if this causes some of the need to wait longer to clear or mellow, which it most likely will.

So if your looking for a quick way to get something in the fridge, take note!:rockin:
 
I like your style 8) I already started a batch that's probably going to be around 7 percent abv. What'd yours come out with? Did it ferment dry?
 
Sounds like Apfelwein procedure.

WLP 775 seems to be generally reported as leaving a thin, dry mouthfeel and little fruit flavor. Would you agree with this?
 
Sounds like Apfelwein procedure.
Yes! that was my inspiration. I was too busy to brew with my homebrew equipment but wanted to put something in the carboy's.
But my experience compared to what I had read was way faster and I am wondering why.

WLP 775 seems to be generally reported as leaving a thin, dry mouthfeel and little fruit flavor. Would you agree with this?

Mine has just a little residue sweetness and light mouth feel. Very good apple flavor.
 
I like your style 8) I already started a batch that's probably going to be around 7 percent abv. What'd yours come out with? Did it ferment dry?

I took NO readings. But basic math for brix I believe OG should be around 1.045 for Apple Juice and by my experience I'd say FG would be around 1.008

Maybe I will slow down on the next batch and take readings.
 
I do the same thing but only in gallon batches and repitch on a nottingham yeast cake. I keep a gallon going all the time and start a new one as soon as one goes back into the original container and into the fridge.

It's only me that drinks it so I only do a gallon. In two weeks nottingham gets me down to about 1.015 so thats about 4.5-5% ABV. It's a tad sweet, but still seems to hit the spot.
 
Pickled_Pepper said:
I do the same thing but only in gallon batches and repitch on a nottingham yeast cake. I keep a gallon going all the time and start a new one as soon as one goes back into the original container and into the fridge.

It's only me that drinks it so I only do a gallon. In two weeks nottingham gets me down to about 1.015 so thats about 4.5-5% ABV. It's a tad sweet, but still seems to hit the spot.

Wait, you repitch more that twice? o_O I suppose it would probably turn out fine because of the low alcohol content being produced, I've just never imagined doing so.
 
Brown sugar boiled in apple juice with raisins and vanilla extract. Some prefer the more crisp fruity flavor that apple concentrate leaves. I prefer mine to taste more like an apple pie :D I Recommend back sweetening with both by splitting a batch, perhaps, to see what you like most. It's all dependent on taste preference. Glad it turned it well for you though! I'll have to get my hands on some of that strand of yeast. I've heard Nottinghams works very well also.
 
Wait, you repitch more that twice? o_O

I'd always only used yeast in two batches, but recently decided to take a leap of faith and run it a third time. I haven't gone beyond a third pitch yet. ;) Seems to be ok. I'm sure it would probably even go a few more.
 
Pickled_Pepper said:
I'd always only used yeast in two batches, but recently decided to take a leap of faith and run it a third time. I haven't gone beyond a third pitch yet. ;) Seems to be ok. I'm sure it would probably even go a few more.

Well if you go beyond, please keep me updated! A dollar saved is a beer brewed :)
 
I'd always only used yeast in two batches, but recently decided to take a leap of faith and run it a third time. I haven't gone beyond a third pitch yet. ;) Seems to be ok. I'm sure it would probably even go a few more.

I've only done one reuse so far, mainly b/c I keep wanting to brew with different strains. There're people who sucessfully go way further than that though, check out this thread for example:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/reused-yeast-over-150-batches-239638/

I think I've read as a rule of thumb that you can safely go 6-8 reuses without significant risk of mutation (bacteria or wild yeast contamination is a much bigger concern and could presumably happen at any time if your cleaning and sanitation isn't perfect). With cider ingredients being pretty cheap the risks of pushing it along don't seem bad!
 
It costs me about the same to make 5 gallons of cider...or 5 gallons of beer. If I use additional ingredients, fresh juice or fruit/flavors in secondary...cider starts to get more expensive to make than beer. (a standard session beer anyway)

I usually don't take the chance of pitching 5 gallons of apple juice on a yeast cake. On a 1 gallon...sure...but I'm making 5 gallons to drink...not experiment with ;)
 
It costs me about the same to make 5 gallons of cider...or 5 gallons of beer. If I use additional ingredients, fresh juice or fruit/flavors in secondary...cider starts to get more expensive to make than beer. (a standard session beer anyway)

I usually don't take the chance of pitching 5 gallons of apple juice on a yeast cake. On a 1 gallon...sure...but I'm making 5 gallons to drink...not experiment with ;)

I guess the cost depends entirely on your recipe! I just bought ingredients for my first cider (basically the same as what OP is doing here) and it cost me $15 for 4.5 gallons of Mott's apple juice + a packet of S-04. Of course if you're using 4-5 gallons fresh pressed local cider and back-sweetening with the same, I'd imagine you could spend $40-$50 on a batch no problem.
 
Would love to have your prices.

The last 28 gallons of juice I've bought have been Tree Top from the Commissary. Even as a non-profit, their price is $4.04 / gal. Add in a vial of hefe yeast and we're north of $28. And 2 hours round trip to the LHBS / market for me in my pickup.

OTOH, I can make 10 gallons of a blonde, cream ale or mild for $22-26. Dry yeast last two years, so I don't have to make a special trip for it. 20 packets in my fridge right now.
 
I just used this recipe and slightly tweaked it.
5gallons of pasteurized/no preservatives added apple cider.
2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of caramel flavor. Hopefully it turns out great, wife is excited to try.

It says 10 days, should I just leave it fermenting 2 weeks? Or wait for the fg to get down to a stable level? I forgot to take an og.

IIPA in back and hard apple cider in front:
IMAG0226_zpsc4eece86.jpg
 
To address a couple posts on reusing yeast. It is a standard practice at brewery's to reuse yeast for several generations. At our brewery we go 6 - 10 generations regularly.

So back to my home brewing of ciders. I have just finished and drank a good portion of my 4th batch of basic cider. 1 week per batch. reused same yeast cake each time. No aging, it taste great right out of the fermenter. Cheap and fast. Brew day ( if you could call it that) and time to serving. I spend 30 to 60 minutes per week to make a 5+ gallon batch.

I have played with sweetening with some unfermented juices of different types when I bottle back into the emptied jugs the juice came in. Some of my friends like it that way some like it dry.
They do want me to carbonate some so I will put some in a corney and force carb and set my keggerator back up.
This week we are going to put it in the Blichman connical so we can do a 10+ Gallon batch. Demand is high! Friends love putting this over ice on a hot day while hanging out on the porch. We are in Florida this time of year so weather is already HOT.

Cider in FL.jpg
 
I just used this recipe and slightly tweaked it.
5gallons of pasteurized/no preservatives added apple cider.
2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of caramel flavor. Hopefully it turns out great, wife is excited to try.

It says 10 days, should I just leave it fermenting 2 weeks? Or wait for the fg to get down to a stable level? I forgot to take an og.

IIPA in back and hard apple cider in front:
IMAG0226_zpsc4eece86.jpg

What yeast are you using?
I use WLP775 and mine is done in 7 days.
 
Another note, or statement. I am fermenting a bit colder than originally. The fermenting room is now set to 60 and the fermenter reads about 62* which by the way is WAY lower than White Labs states for the yeast.
 
If you are getting to 1.000 (or close) in a week with WLP775 and still have apple flavor...I need to try a vial of that. It takes my notty 2 weeks just to get to 1.020. If I use an existing yeast cake...it' might get down to 1.015 in two weeks.

Most of mine ferment around upper 50s to low 60s in the winter. Recently I've been fermenting in the mid 60s because the outside temps were in the 80s here in Atlanta.

Nothing like happy hour with friends! Thanks for sharing!
 
Notting has a range from 57-70 according to their web site. (And can be "lagered" down to 54ºF) I use it for beer and cider. If I start 5 gallons of cider next to 5 gallons of wort at 60ºF...the wort finishes in 3-7 days where the cider chugs along for a month before reach terminal gravity.
 
I thought Notty was recommended 62-70F. Not surprised it takes your yeast so long.


White Labs WLP775 English Cider
Optimum temp: 68°-75° F

I'm fermenting at 60 - 62 and getting great results in 7 days. But I do have a GREAT amount of HEALTHY yeast.

Guide lines only............ they can not account for all situations.
 
If you are getting to 1.000 (or close) in a week with WLP775 and still have apple flavor...I need to try a vial of that. It takes my notty 2 weeks just to get to 1.020. If I use an existing yeast cake...it' might get down to 1.015 in two weeks.

Most of mine ferment around upper 50s to low 60s in the winter. Recently I've been fermenting in the mid 60s because the outside temps were in the 80s here in Atlanta.

Nothing like happy hour with friends! Thanks for sharing!
:tank:

Pickle, I still have to do a FG on mine. By taste and mouthfeel I'd say 1.005 +/-
Part of the reason I am attaining such a ferment in my opinion is that I am reusing the whole yeast cake before it sits much at all. As soon as the bubbles almost come to a halt I bottle and new batch. Sorry no readings, but that is kinda why I've been doing these ciders. I'm too busy of late to brew. But I am enjoying the side trek.
 
What yeast are you using?
I use WLP775 and mine is done in 7 days.

Red star "pasteur" I think? It was in a red packet, they didn't have notty at my lhbs and I wanted to surprise my wife with fermenting cider.

Smells of death, but sample tastes pretty good 6 days into the process
 
Giving this a try this week. 4.5 gallons Motts apple juice and a packet of Safale S-04. Will let it go for 10 days at 64 degrees and see how it tastes! I'm planning to keg it so I may backsweeten with some apple juice concentrate cans if needed, but sounds like people have been enjoying the taste as-is after only a few weeks so I'm hoping that'll be the case for me as well. Thanks for the inspiration!
 
Since we are reviving this thread, I was wondering what you do if you dont drink this right away. Is it fermented enough after 7 or 10 days to bottle without risk of bottle bombs? I ask because I have some higher ABV cider made with Nottingham fermenting away but I wanted to try and throw together something that could be drinkable (and bottlable) in under a month.
 
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