Unpasteurized juice?

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Tmbrcat

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What's a good way to use Unpasteurized juice to make cider. I've had some wild yeast problems in the past. Last year I used pasteurized juice and didn't like the results.
How about bringing it to a simmer for 15 min or so?
Thanks
 
1 crushed campden tablet per gallon for 24 hrs then pitch yeast! :mug:

Yep, that's the easy way.

Today, I made 3 gallons of cider (not hard cider, just cider!) for drinking and because I wanted to be extra sure it was safe for the little ones, I pasteurized it.

Pasteurizing is easy, just like with fresh milk. I bring the fresh cider up to 160 for 30 seconds (alternatively, you can do 145 for 30 minutes), and then put in an ice/water bath to cool and then stick in the fridge.

You definitely don't want to boil the cider!
 
Sorry I should have said hard cider. The pasteurized juice I used last year was cloudy. I really want to use unpasteurized but don't want wild yeast problems and a clear end result. I'm Also gonna use a yeast starter this time.
Thanks for the quick responses.
 
Unpasturized cider is only good if you want to make really good cider. Lol but seriously, couple tablets, fill fermenters full and you will be ok. Wild yeast shouldn't be a problem. Remember, original ciders used wild yeast. Definitely give raw cider another chance. Its worth it.
 
I use UV pasteurized from the local orchard with no problem. It clears in secondary in about 6 months. Tastes fantastic.
 
just to say!! i did a unpasturized batch (1 cup table sugar per gal + brett or ec-1118 = good stuff) in april that i killed everything and then pitched brett b onto it and i dont tast the brett! will be great for halloween! :mug:


Edit: i did adjust the ph 2 months ago :)
 
What was your wild yeast problem? If you really want a clear cider couldn't you use pectic enzyme? Or gelatin in the secondary? All of my ciders have cleared in two to four months, but I generally use beer yeast.
 
What was your wild yeast problem?

With anything unpasturized you will get wild yeast and bacteria! Kill it and control it and "Boom goes the dynamite" nuff said!..lol.. A big starter might dominate but why take the chance? for me at $7 gal for raw cider id rather control it and inhibit the yeast and kill the bugs and pitch fresh yeast! :)
 
Oh lol i didnt know you meant you were "buying" unpasturized cider! I totally thought u were crushing and pressing apples. Fresh pressed juice has never done me wrong. Sure must be a bummer to not have all the fruit you can ever pick for Free!!! Grind n press Grind n press Chyup!
 
Wild yes problem turned the juice bright yellow and stinky durning fermentation. I do buy fresh and refrigerated juice straight from the farmer but I still have to pay. Lol
Wishing for some land for an orchard!!
 
Thanks for all the input. 5 gals in the fermenter for 5 days now. Loos and smells awesome. I didn't use campden tablets just a yeast starter. Yeast activity and bubbling at 5 hours.
 
FYI, modern flash pasteurization does little to inhibit wild yeast, and UV even less, which is why you see so much fresh juice with sorbate and benzoate added as a fermentation inhibitor and why fresh juice is stored chilled. The goal is to kill off most bugs that could potentially harm humans, e-coli being a good example.
 
Need help

I left 5 gallons of cider out in our basement for 5 days (sealed in 1 gallon containers). The basement is about 65 degrees. The cider has been fermenting on its own and all the containers were bulging out. I put it all in my 5 gallon bucket "as is" and added a package of 4766 cider wyeast. Will the yeast I added take over the wild yeast? Should I have any concerns about the cider? It was fresh from the orchard and only uv treated.
 
Today, I made 3 gallons of cider (not hard cider, just cider!)

You mean apple juice! :p

(Srsly, this Prohibition-era confusion over what "cider" means has got to end... we could just rejoin the rest of the civilized world and use "cider" to mean only the fermented product)
 
You mean apple juice! :p

(Srsly, this Prohibition-era confusion over what "cider" means has got to end... we could just rejoin the rest of the civilized world and use "cider" to mean only the fermented product)

I agree! But in our supermarkets, what is sold as "apple juice" is nothing like the taste of fresh pressed, from-the-farm "cider" that tastes the way apple juice is supposed to.

My grandson, after helping crush and press, went into the house to taste the juice. His face lit up, and he exclaimed, "This is so good!" He is three years old, and used to store bought apple juice.

I think it would be harder to describe apple juice made the way we did to most Americans used to Mott's! But using the words "fresh cider" means the good stuff.
 
We could just call it "fresh pressed juice" to distinguish from the filtered, processed stuff. I think that would be less confusing.

Calling apple juice "cider" is like calling wort "beer" or grape must "wine." (I suppose we could call it "apple must" by analogy, but of course the supermarkets would hate that.)
 
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