Started a cider

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TheGeek

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I was thumbing through here last night and reading about every cider thread and recipe i could find in the database. Today I did a quick and dirty cider that reminds me alot of Edwort's Apfelwein. Here's what I did: (I followed one specific post pretty closely but regrettably don't remember who authored it)

Batch size: 1gal

Ingredients:
1gal apple juice, pasteurized, no additives or preservatives
1can frozen apple juice concentrate
1pk Lalvin K1-1116 wine yeast (because this is all they had at the winery I stopped at)
0.5tsp Potassium Sorbate

Process:
Sanitize 1 gal growler and add 1gal apple juice
Add wine yeast
Secure airlock
**Waiting on yeast to do their job**

OG: 1.051

After this finishes I'll post the FG and adjusted gravity for when I backsweeten it (if I do). I also plan to force carb this in a TAD.

**Update**

This finished about 1.001, so around 5%. I used 1teaspoon potassium sorbate, not 0.5. I then added a can of apple juice concentrate to backsweeten. Next I put it in the Tap-A-Draft and carbed it. It's certainly drinkable. See below for my full report.
 
I hope the Potassium Sorbate is to kill the yeast at the end and was not added with the yeast. It will likely kill yeast. It is one of the ingredients/preservatives in juice that you look for to avoid.

Assuming you saved it to add in at the end, everything else looks fine.
 
I put the potassium sorbate in when I prime and keg. I have used some champ. yeasts that get very very dry. I have never had any problems with it killing the leftover cells to make bubbles and (fake) sweet in the final stages at the same time.
 
So, I finished this batch. It was ok. Not great. I'd recommend another yeast. Also, I read an article that explained how potassium sorbate works and I added double the recommended amount because the alcohol content affects how well the sorbate works. since this is half the abv of your average wine, I doubled the potassium sorbate. In the future I will try to use an actual cider instead of apple juice and will ferment with an ale yeast, not wine.
 
WHO told you alcohol content effects sorbate? it only a sweetner that is not fermentable.It also known as invert sugar. 2 oz per gallon will dilute into the fluid- more than that will be like eating syrup. ugh!


I'd like to know what you have done to determine it was the yeast that made your bad taste? The variables are endless for making BAD CIDER

and believe me there is more BAD beer and cider out there than GOOD.

you seem - from your thread, someone who cannot follow directions!

I'll just say your cider is only ever going to be as good as your cleanleness and recepie.
 
WHO told you alcohol content effects sorbate? it only a sweetner that is not fermentable.It also known as invert sugar. 2 oz per gallon will dilute into the fluid- more than that will be like eating syrup. ugh!


I'd like to know what you have done to determine it was the yeast that made your bad taste? The variables are endless for making BAD CIDER

and believe me there is more BAD beer and cider out there than GOOD.

you seem - from your thread, someone who cannot follow directions!

I'll just say your cider is only ever going to be as good as your cleanleness and recepie.

A very bold post. Too bad your info is incorrect. Potassium sorbate is a preservative,not a sweetener. It is typically added, usually in combination with sulfites, to prevent fermentation from restarting when backsweetening. Invert sugar has nothing to do with sorbate and is fermentable. Alcohol content is related to the amount of sorbate needed. Lighten up and get your facts straight.
 
I followed a link another cider brewer posted here in the forums to an article explaining how Potassium Sorbate works. I believe it was titled "Everthing you know about potassium sorbate is wrong", oddly enough. hehe.
 
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