I need some pointers for a basic cider from whole Arkansas Blacks

I might go harvest some Arkansas Blacks from my parents' house today. I have an old-fashioned corer/spiral cutter/peeler and a crappy Kitchenaid centrifugal juicer. It would be a lot of work, but I could probably generate at least 2-3 gallons of juice.

So, this is what I have so far:

1. Wash apples
2. Core/peel/slice apples
3. Juice apples.
4. Take ibuprofen.
5. Juice more apples.
6. Drink beer(s).
7. Juice the rest of the apples.
8. Clean up apple juice from every surface in the kitchen.
9. Pitch yeast.

I guess the area I am most concerned with is infection. I have campden tablets. Should I throw a tab in? If so, when? Any other pointers?

Save yourself the work and skip the core/peel/slice step, you'll need the extra energy and time for step 8. Campden can be added once you're done juicing to protect your hard work from infection until your commercial yeast takes hold.

Well I lazed out and harvested 10 pounds of muscat grapes for a wheat ale I brewed today. I might go get the apples next week. The main reason I was going to core peel slice was because it is the only corer I have and running seeds through the juicer is not something I think will go well.

How does campden know which yeast to kill and which to leave alive? Or does it neutralize fairly quickly?

Campden is an equal opportunity sulfite. Most microbes and weaker strains of yeasts are susceptible to sulfur. Commercial yeasts and the higher end of wild yeasts are less effected and will ferment much more cleanly, resulting in a better cider.

Also, a Muscat wheat ale??? . . . :rockin:

I don't core the apples I juice through a counter top juicer. Don't seem to get any off tastes etc... I wouldn't take the extra time and you will get a decent amount more juice by doing the cores as well.

LeBreton said:

Campden is an equal opportunity sulfite. Most microbes and weaker strains of yeasts are susceptible to sulfur. Commercial yeasts and the higher end of wild yeasts are less effected and will ferment much more cleanly, resulting in a better cider.

Also, a Muscat wheat ale??? . . . :rockin:

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So a standard commercial ale yeast won't have any trouble with Campden? Or is there a time period to wait before pitching onto campden juice to allow neutralization? I just can't wrap my brain around campden assasinating undesirable yeast and bacteria, but leaving the good stuff unscathed.

And I'll probably post a thread on the Muscat Wheat Ale once it's finished. The primary is fermenting away and the grapes are vac-sealed in the freezer waiting for secondary. I'm a little concerned that at least 50 percent of the grapes were green in color instead of the splotchy brown-banana look, but they tasted just as sweet and "muscat-ey" as the yellow ones, with little or no unripe flavor. I could have left them on the vine for more time, but my window for picking them was quickly passing. And the crows were zeroing in.

TAPPAR said:

I don't core the apples I juice through a counter top juicer. Don't seem to get any off tastes etc... I wouldn't take the extra time and you will get a decent amount more juice by doing the cores as well.

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Is that a common practice amongst you cider guys. Appleseeds have that whole toxic stigma thing.

I just juiced mine seeds and all, my juicer collects all the pulp, and I was thinking there probably isn't a whole lot of juice in a seed to start with so how much will actually end up in the juice.