Bad Cider Batch: Re-ferment with a new yeast?

Hey everyone,

At the end of November I made a very (very) basic cider and blindly took a yeast recommendation from someone. The batch was going to be an experiment anyway, but in retrospect the wine yeast recommendation made it a big flop.

Now a couple months later it still tastes real weird. I don't want to bother bottle or kegging the batch but I also don't want to dump it. I figure this is a good chance to experiment even more.

I was thinking of adding some more sugar maybe some apple cider or real apples? Maybe dumping some of what is there already, topping off with more fermentables and then re-pitching an ale yeast or champagne yeast.

Any thoughts on this? Any other creative ideas of what I can do with it?

Thanks!
Mark

I wouldn't add anymore of anything! Just let age. Give close to year or more and watch the flavor change. Trust me on this one all it needs is time. At the end you will have something drinkable. Am not if its going to be the flavor you were after. But it will be very drinkable!!

I see what you're saying about time, but I still feel like the flavor profile is mainly due to the wine yeast. So yea, it will change, but will still be the same in general. Also, I was hoping to not have to hold up a carboy for an entire year.

Any other thoughts?

I made a cider several months ago, and it did improve with age.
But what helped more was leaving the keg in my garage at 17ºf.
It tastes much better after all that extra water was removed.

MarkIafrate said:

I see what you're saying about time, but I still feel like the flavor profile is mainly due to the wine yeast. So yea, it will change, but will still be the same in general. Also, I was hoping to not have to hold up a carboy for an entire year.

Any other thoughts?

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Don't hold in a carboy for a year. Just bottle it and forget about it. Put it some where that you don't have to look at it lol. And just taste it in a year or so. You might be surprised I know I was when I made cider with crappy champagne yeast. I aged it for a year the flavor profile changed a lot. It was really good!!