first batch with EC 1118

ok, I usually use ale yeast, and just used EC 1118 for the first time.

The bubbling stopped after 10 days, so I got the dropper out and gave it a whirl.

WOW! This tatstes HARSH! At 11 days, the ale yeast batches still taste like cider, beer like, but like apples.

this stuff is just harsh. I used my usual 4lbs of light brown sugar with the 5 gallons.

Does it always taste this harsh at first?

I will sweeten with splenda, and add more preserved apple juice if I have to.

it doesn't smell like vinegar, but it does have a strange odor to it. I can't describe it. It's not bad, just I have never smelled it before. I racked it into secondary, put it in the basement, let's see.

So what happened? How long before the odor went away? Mines about 1 month old and still smells of bread. I used 1118 for the first time.

Thanks!

EC1118 is a powerful yeast, low foaming, hard compact lees, wide heat tolerance, rapid clean ferment. Not sure if you want to use it for a cider that doesnt have a lot of sugar added and some nutrients. It will eat all your sugar from the cider and while its looking around for more might be giving your some different off smells? If you treat it like an ale yeast its not going to give you its full potential, you should treat it like a powerful wine yeast and give it something to eat and a little energizer. Premier Cuvee is in the same league, would be excellent for fermenting in a big carboy as long as they are treated like wine yeast and not like ale yeast. WVMJ

I've used 1118 several times. The smell goes away after a few weeks in the secondary. After 6 months in the bottle flavor comes back nice.