Pyramid Pear Cider

Hello everyone..

This is my first post after weeks/months of reading. I've sure learned
a lot and hope to learn more and even contribute knowledge to these forums over time.

While visiting some friends and family recently, I stopped at the Pyramid
Ale House in Walnut Creek, CA. I tried the sampler and instantly acquired
a liking for the Pear Cider.

Has anyone here tried the Pyramid version and have any ideas as to how
this could be produced at home? I searched the archives, but I'm currently
visiting some friends in St. Paul, MN and their connection is slow. However, I
know I'm near the Northernbrewer and would like to pick up some things based on any suggestions you may have for me. (I live in Sioux Falls, SD and the pickings are slim)

I was also wondering, what would happen if one used EdWorts Apfelwein recipe and used pear juice instead of apple? Would you get a decent product, or would it be a wasted effort? I hope to get started on this as
early as Sunday based on any suggestions you all may have.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. I will be sure to check and post on this board more often as I gain more experience.

Happy Holidays!!

theres your start... i would guess a double batch with a simple singel variable change... used 100% pear juice, which is gonna cost you, and a ale yeast... maybe Windsor, or Nottingham, or S-04... Make two one gallon batches one with out sugar added and one with sugar added (say 1/2-3/4 of a pound in a gallon, mixed by adding a little at a time and shaking the juice like hell)... then add your yeast and away you go... you may add citric acid to give it a more tart flavor... but fallow your taste buds... then see where it goes... perhaps multiple one gallon batches with differnt yeast and differnt ammounts of sugar to see what you get with each... I personally have thought of this recipe

*5 gallons pure pear juice (expensive) (pasturized but no preservaties which is gonna be tough because pears are not as acidic as apples and the shelf life of juice without chemicals preservatives is going to be low, i think you will find the best source of pear juice is caned juice or canned pears that you simply drain the juice off maybe 8 ounces per 16 ounce can at a time)
* half pound of molasses for a sugar which is not entirely fermentable to add color and a little left over sweetness or light corn syrup which is 100% easily fermentable and will ferment dry rather quickly because it is a very basic sugar
*nice ale yeast with a good fruity or dry finnish

think on that, and add in a little more though and you may have somthing

Cheers

Check the baby food section at the grocery store. Gerbers and Beech Nut both sell quart bottles of clear 100% pear juice. Not sure if they have preservatives or anything else. Probably not the cheapest stuff in the world, but it can't be as bad as some of the malt extracts I've seen for sell.
You could try doing a 50/50 (or something) blend with apple juice to help reduce the cost. I was thinking of trying something like this for swmbo. It seems like most of the reciepes I have found so far have had very "dry" results. Also it seems like EdWorts Apfelwein finsihes really dry. I think I (she) would prefer something closer to the sweetness of Pyramid Pear Cider. So far all my searching has led me to think that using a sweet mead yeast will at the very least help. Anyway it's 3am and I am rambling. Anyone else have any helpful advice?

Well.. I went ahead and used 4.5 gallons of Motts Apple Juice (all I could find locally) and a half gallon of Pear Nectar. I used Montrachet yeast and it's just starting to bubble. Hopefully it will turn out alright.

For curiosity, what brand Pear Nectar, and scan the ingredients... any preservatives?

I used Looza Pear Nectar. It contains Pear Puree, sugar, and water. From what I understand, it doesn't have preservatives. I could be wrong. While at the local grocery store tonight, I found straight pear juice in the baby section. I'll try that next time, although it's about $10/gallon. I figure a
3:2 apple to pear ratio should yield a good cider.

I'm still hopeful the batch I have fermenting will turn out alright.

What do you think?

Looks good from what I have read, only thing I would add is maybe buying a few whole pears, chopping and diceing them, soak with a campden tablet for a day, put in a zip lock bag, mash them with a rolling pin, or a beer bottle if your like me ( I know I have one, just can't find it). Then freeze it for a week, add it to fermentation after one week of active fermentation.
Bump up the fresh flavor. Rack two weeks later once is it starting to clear.