I HATE most ciders So I NEED A New Yeast

Look, when I tell you that I've tried most ciders, I can count at least 70 different ones I've tried. I've now made a lot of it myself. I'm convinced that I need a better yeast.

I've tried about every variant I can come up with. I just can't seem to get the flavor I'm looking for. Tried Nottingham, good but no cigar.

Tried Safale 04, okay, but weak.

Tried the champagne yeasts. And yes, I've read the sticky's. I want a British Scrumpy flavor to my cider. I've even tried juice with no added yeast. Not the flavor I'm looking for.

What kind of yeast can give me that British Isles Scrumpy flavor?

Bakers yeast. That is what they traditionally used. Also, Scrumpy usually calls for raw meat in the ingredients.

Any chance you could get your hands on a couple bottles of what you're after? You could try and harvest any yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle (if there is any). I succesfully did that with one of my faves and have brewed a couple batches so far...and me likey!

If you have tried 70 different brands and still haven't found what your looking for, there is a song for that.

I would recommend trying the Wyeast cider yeasts.

And if that doesn't work, refer to the above post...

Lalvin Labs D47 would be my first choice. Goes to 14% and is usually used (with great success) in ~14% melomels. Champagne yeast wouldn't have been one of my choices since they tend to go to about 18% and will finish dry if you give them half a chance (if you don't give them more sugar than they can handle).

BTW, you won't find me pitching bread yeast into anything. IMO, you have zero idea of what it will do, give you for flavors, etc. Far better off spending $1-$2 on the Lalvin pack at your LHBS. If they don't carry Lalvin yeast, you need to find a better LHBS (or a good one).

Why must you drink cider if you don't it?

HoppyDaze said:

Why must you drink cider if you don't it?

Click to expand...

Seems like he wants to make a cider that he CAN drink/like... IMO, a yeast that will produce something great with such ingredients is a good start. D47 has a great track record. Bread yeast, I wouldn't trust to anything more than bread.

Get your hands on old fashioned ginger beer plant, offered at www.gingerbeerplant.net or yemoos.com---the only two reliable sources of the classic ginger beer plant that I have found to date. Not to be confused with the bakers yeast 'plant' or water kefir grains or a water kefir-GBP hybrid. Makes the best scrumpy you have EVER tasted.