This was my first season of making cider. Thanks to all who participated in the forum! Not knowing what I really wanted as an outcome, I just jumped in head first and started doing it. I made my own press and grinder and with 3 apple trees in the yard, and a bumper crop this year, I decided instead of picking the apples off the ground, I would try my hand at making something useful. So, here is what I attempted....
The first 10 gallons pressed were a combination of golden delicious, red delicious and another smaller red variety that I'm unsure of. The 10 gallons was pasteurized (might have gone above the 160* temp though, more on that later). I included about 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of honey (that's what I had on hand). After letting it cool to room temperature, I separated it into equal 5 gallon portions. Unfortunately, no SG was taken for this batch prior to adding yeast.
The first of the two batches, I added a champagne yeast (yellow pack) and some yeast nutrient. The second of the two, I added a cote des blancs yeast (same brand, green package).
Both 5 gallon batches sat for two week in the primary fermentation tank before transferring to the secondary. While racking these two batches, I decided to grab more apples to grind and press, which yielded about another 5 gallons.
With all of the reading, I decided to try the k-meta (potassium metabisulfate) instead of pasteurizing. Unfortunately, I added much more k-meta than I should have. For some reason, I was doing the calcs for both the pectin enzyme and the k-meta, and somehow confused the two, thereby adding close to 2 teaspoons of k-meta, only afterwords realizing it should have been 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. After doing research on the topic, it was confirmed that there was way too much, but went forward with it by letting it sit for 48+ hours before sealing the lid. During the 48 hours, I tried aerating it to perhaps release more of the 'particles' trapped in the mix. This batch used a yeast called 'premier cuvee', which is also considered 'killer yeast'.
I had let the first two batches rest in the secondary for 5 weeks. I added a 2 part clarifier to each of the batches and let sit for approximately 1.5 days before racking once more and bottling. At this point, it was still cloudy, leaving me to believe that I 'set the pectins'. Before racking, I used about 8 oz of priming sugar and boiled in water and separated into 3 equal portions.
During the bottling of both of the first two batches, I sampled both of them and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. Being that I fermented down to approximately 1.000 (dry) I figured it might have a more dry taste that what was expected. Then again, I haven't tried anything else, so I don't have any comparison.
Two days later, I couldn't wait and popped the first bottle. Very impressed, but then again, nothing to compare it to. The bottles were cloudy, with some sediment on the bottom, so I'll wait to see how long it takes to clear, if it clears at all. Again, I think it might be because we didn't catch it before it got too hot while heating.
I can honestly say, the cote des blancs yeast was preferable to the champagne yeast. The yeasts in this batch were really the only difference, so comparably, I would chose the cote des blancs doing the same thing next time, but this conclusion is only after letting it sit in the bottle for a week. (I had more that same week)
As for the 3rd batch that I used the K-meta, that's whole different story. I racked after 2 weeks and let sit in the secondary for 4 weeks. Again, I added the 1/3 solution of priming sugar. While sampling it during the bottling process, it had a very strong alcoholic flavor (1.075 SG prior to fermenting) and not a bad first end taste, but the aftertaste was kind of disturbing. I can pretty much narrow the result to the K-meta, but it might be the yeast type also.
I've read that too much k-meta is obviously not good, and can be part of the reason for the unwanted aftertaste. It's in the bottles and will sit for a while with a taste sample done every few weeks. The nice thing about the unpasteurized was that it was clear as a bell prior to bottling.
Anyone with any comments or suggestions (or questions), feel free to respond. I'm really hoping there are some positive things to look forward to with the 3 batch, so if there is someone who experience the same mistake, I'd love to hear about it.
The first 10 gallons pressed were a combination of golden delicious, red delicious and another smaller red variety that I'm unsure of. The 10 gallons was pasteurized (might have gone above the 160* temp though, more on that later). I included about 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of honey (that's what I had on hand). After letting it cool to room temperature, I separated it into equal 5 gallon portions. Unfortunately, no SG was taken for this batch prior to adding yeast.
The first of the two batches, I added a champagne yeast (yellow pack) and some yeast nutrient. The second of the two, I added a cote des blancs yeast (same brand, green package).
Both 5 gallon batches sat for two week in the primary fermentation tank before transferring to the secondary. While racking these two batches, I decided to grab more apples to grind and press, which yielded about another 5 gallons.
With all of the reading, I decided to try the k-meta (potassium metabisulfate) instead of pasteurizing. Unfortunately, I added much more k-meta than I should have. For some reason, I was doing the calcs for both the pectin enzyme and the k-meta, and somehow confused the two, thereby adding close to 2 teaspoons of k-meta, only afterwords realizing it should have been 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. After doing research on the topic, it was confirmed that there was way too much, but went forward with it by letting it sit for 48+ hours before sealing the lid. During the 48 hours, I tried aerating it to perhaps release more of the 'particles' trapped in the mix. This batch used a yeast called 'premier cuvee', which is also considered 'killer yeast'.
I had let the first two batches rest in the secondary for 5 weeks. I added a 2 part clarifier to each of the batches and let sit for approximately 1.5 days before racking once more and bottling. At this point, it was still cloudy, leaving me to believe that I 'set the pectins'. Before racking, I used about 8 oz of priming sugar and boiled in water and separated into 3 equal portions.
During the bottling of both of the first two batches, I sampled both of them and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. Being that I fermented down to approximately 1.000 (dry) I figured it might have a more dry taste that what was expected. Then again, I haven't tried anything else, so I don't have any comparison.
Two days later, I couldn't wait and popped the first bottle. Very impressed, but then again, nothing to compare it to. The bottles were cloudy, with some sediment on the bottom, so I'll wait to see how long it takes to clear, if it clears at all. Again, I think it might be because we didn't catch it before it got too hot while heating.
I can honestly say, the cote des blancs yeast was preferable to the champagne yeast. The yeasts in this batch were really the only difference, so comparably, I would chose the cote des blancs doing the same thing next time, but this conclusion is only after letting it sit in the bottle for a week. (I had more that same week)
As for the 3rd batch that I used the K-meta, that's whole different story. I racked after 2 weeks and let sit in the secondary for 4 weeks. Again, I added the 1/3 solution of priming sugar. While sampling it during the bottling process, it had a very strong alcoholic flavor (1.075 SG prior to fermenting) and not a bad first end taste, but the aftertaste was kind of disturbing. I can pretty much narrow the result to the K-meta, but it might be the yeast type also.
I've read that too much k-meta is obviously not good, and can be part of the reason for the unwanted aftertaste. It's in the bottles and will sit for a while with a taste sample done every few weeks. The nice thing about the unpasteurized was that it was clear as a bell prior to bottling.
Anyone with any comments or suggestions (or questions), feel free to respond. I'm really hoping there are some positive things to look forward to with the 3 batch, so if there is someone who experience the same mistake, I'd love to hear about it.
