Little Cider Experiment

About a year-and-a-half ago I was given two larger (24oz?) mason jars of home processed apple juice. I'm finally getting around to looking into what I can do with them. I'm more interested in learning about the process and minimizing additives than making some professional knockout cider, and obviously am not dealing with quantity either.

While doing a batch of mead last fall I picked up some champagne yeast recommended at the homebrew shop, but still didn't take it any further until now. I figure I'll just open one jar and taste it soon. I'm not sure what to expect after 18 months given that it has been sealed airtight.

Would the heat from the canning process have destroyed the conditions for potential fermentation in the jar? If so, would they return with exposure to fresh air/live yeast? In case it hasn't fermented any yet, what results should I expect from pouring both jars in a growler with the champagne yeast and adding an airlock?

usually a canning process involves killing all organisms in the jar to prevent spoilage. so no fermentation should have happened. I would be curious about the tast though after a year and a half!!!! Not sure anout that champagne yeast either, i'd check for the best before date on the package.

if you are more interested in the process of hard cider buy a 1 gal or 1/2 gal of fresh cider when you can and ad some yeast. Make sure your vessels and equipment are setrile.

The one I opened tasted like super sweet apple juice. The dry yeast has been refrigerated and is dated 2013. If I put the whole packet into a little less than a gallon of the juice, will it kick off well? Will I taste any difference in the result whether I strain out the solids in advance or not?

alright, are you going to use the one you tasted? if so you will have to sanitize this juice now. I'd recoment just using the un-opened jar. What do you have for equipment? It looks like you are new to the forum, are you new to brewing/cider making? If so, you will need some sort of sanatizer and some sort of air lock. For sanatizing you can use boiling water. for an airlock you can use something as simple as (sanatized) aluminum foil.

Things you will have to do next:
Proof the yeast: clean/sanatize a jar/cup/glass etc in boiling water. pour some of that boild water into your cup. place a piece of sanatized aluminum foil over this boiled water and cool to the temp suggested on the yeast packet. Sprinkle yeast on the water and recover.
Pitch the yeast: you can do this directly into your juice jar or into a separte container (as long as its sanatixed)
Cover: take another piece of sanatized aluminum foil and place over the juice/yeast mixture.

Let this sit for a week or two and you will have a dry cider (almost wine like). I would not do any straining. It will add flavor if you dont and much of this will settle out during/after the fermentation process.

i forgot that you mentioned using wild yeast. this is an option if you leave the container opened. However your results might not be so great. Wild yeasts have many different charectoristics, you may also get some bacteria in there as well.

I've made about a dozen batches of beer off and on over the last 5 years, mostly partial extract. I'd prefer to learn all-grain, but don't want to get too involved spending money on more space-taking equipment that I have to haul around when I move.

I'm going to bottle a batch and brew another for my primary over the next few days, so I figure I'd mix up a batch of Iodaphor for that and sanitize a growler/airlock/funnel with it first. Assuming the other jar (which shows a good seal) is still good, I'll do both together. I'm guessing having a 1/4 to 1/2 of the growler full of air isn't a problem with a proper airlock?

If I'm using tap water with chlorine residue, filtered through charcoal, is there a real need to boil the water first? Don't see much likelihood of bacteria jumping in there and would rather save the time and energy...

I've found the molded 'S' type airlocks most effective but I'm curious, how does the aluminum foil work, just raise off the rim to let gas escape and then fall back to form an effective seal?

you will want to aerate the juice before you ferment, and keep air away from it after. it probably has very little oxygen dissolved having been cooked, so i would give it a really good shake in the growler. then don't worry about the airspace unless you are racking it into a secondary fermenter. i don't worry too much about sanitization before fermentation, i clean my things well and chuck in the (fresh) juice and yeast, and don't have problems with contamination. for wild yeast, people use the ones that are on the apples and come along when they are pressed, but if you open the jar and let it ferment from what's in your house you are going to get the apple equivalent of sourdough

dinnerstick said:

i don't worry too much about sanitization before fermentation,

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thats scarry

the shining was scary. i saw it when i was 11 and didn't sleep for about 4 months

my point is, i don't like the idea that it is always necessary to sulfite your juice before fermentation. i always sanitize my carboy, airlock, stopper and any tubes used. and then i add either fresh unpasteurized juice for natural cider, or unpasteurized juice and yeast for 'normal' cider.