Score! Err.. I think

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John Beere

Deep Six Brewing Co.
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Our Wal-mart has pasturized jugs of apple cider on clearance for $2 a gallon, so I bought 20 gallons... heh. I've got a few packs of Cotes De Blanc yeast and am going to try EdWorts recipe for Apfelwein. I know his calls for Tree Top apple juice and not apple cider but it should work out ok, right?

Anyone know of any adjustments to his recipe I should consider? I'm planning on adding between 1~2 #s of dextrose as he suggests...
 
Yeah, I was thinking about that and don't know if I really care or not... I might try a batch straight from the bottle and another straining the cider on its way into the fermentor.
 
I'm going to try the likes of what you are doing with two 3 gallon batches.

One with Nottingham yeast w/o corn sugar.

One with 16 oz of Oregon Canned Raspberries and .5-1 lbs of corn sugar
 
What's the alcohol range of cote des blancs compared to montrachet?
 
I've been drinking a Vinoka Hard Cider kit I bought cheap off eBay... turned out pretty tasty. That stuff normally sells for $54 for 5 gallons. I bought the kit on a whim for around $30 shipped.

If my attempt at Apfelwein with this cheap cider turns out anywhere near as good as everyone says it is... we'll I really don't care how clear it is. heh :drunk:
 
Well 3 days in, fermentation stalled out completely. I pitched another packet of yeast and it started back bubbling the next day. I'm at day 7 and there are no signs of fermentation whatsoever.

I dunno whats going on. The recipe was 5 gallons of the cider, 2 lbs of dextrose, and Cotes De Blanc for yeast.

Its sitting at around 74 degrees.

Any ideas? Could the cider be using non-fermentable sugars?
 
John Beere said:
Well 3 days in, fermentation stalled out completely. I pitched another packet of yeast and it started back bubbling the next day. I'm at day 7 and there are no signs of fermentation whatsoever.

I dunno whats going on. The recipe was 5 gallons of the cider, 2 lbs of dextrose, and Cotes De Blanc for yeast.

Its sitting at around 74 degrees.

Any ideas? Could the cider be using non-fermentable sugars?

I don't know what's going on there- did you have a little sorbate in the cider? I can't imagine why fermentation would stall out on you and then start/stop again with a repitch of yeast, unless there is some sorbate in there. That might explain it. I wouldn't think there were be non-fermentable sugars in there- isn't the sugar in apple juice fructose?

Did you take a hydrometer reading? It could be possible that it completely fermented, I guess. Unlikely, but possible.
 
John, I'm assuming you're realized already that the cider isn't going to have much of a krausen, if any. If you happen to not have a good seal on your fermentation vessel, you might not notice that it's fermenting at all. It's a lot more subdued a fermentation than beers.
 
Thanks for the replies... I wasn't expecting much of a krausen. I thought it must be a loose seal on the bung but that doesn't seem to be the case either. I was just winging it so I didn't take a hydrometer reading - but I can tell you from tasting it that its crazy sweet with all that extra dextrose.

I'll take a hydrometer reading this evening (I've been looking for an excuse to use my new thief) and see where its at. I'll also swirl it up again and maybe find somewhere a tad warmer...
 
John Beere said:
Thanks for the replies... I wasn't expecting much of a krausen. I thought it must be a loose seal on the bung but that doesn't seem to be the case either. I was just winging it so I didn't take a hydrometer reading - but I can tell you from tasting it that its crazy sweet with all that extra dextrose.

I'll take a hydrometer reading this evening (I've been looking for an excuse to use my new thief) and see where its at. I'll also swirl it up again and maybe find somewhere a tad warmer...

Well, you obviously know that if it's crazy sweet, then it's not fermented! I still wonder if you had a bit of sorbate in the juice or some other type of preservative.
 
Yooper Chick said:
Well, you obviously know that if it's crazy sweet, then it's not fermented! I still wonder if you had a bit of sorbate in the juice or some other type of preservative.

I'll read the label on a jug closer tonight... thanks for the tip.
 
Well, I got home this evening and, after two days of no activity, the airlock is bubbling away faster than I can count! Guess I just rushed judgement on it...
 
FYI - I did a batch with just straight apple juice (pasturized from BJ's) and hefeweizen WLP300 yeast, it was done and very clear in 14 days - OG 1.048, FG 1.000 - just around 5% ABV, and SWMBO says it tastes great -- I think it could be sweeter, but it has a nice fruity aroma and is pretty swillable -- I did force carb it, though. Good stuff!
 
As an FYI...there were a bunch of people who used the cider with good results. Cider is just unfiltered apple juice.
 
I've got batch #2 goin' right now. 4 gal of juice & 4 cans of concentrate. No corn sugar. I used the same Cote Des Blancs Yeast. BTW - The yeast maker says to use nutrients or energizer with this particular strain.

I'm expecting it to be sweeter fruitier than batch #1.

This weekend I'm splitin' it up on the way to the secondary. Half will get 2 cans or oregon raspberry and the other half with 2 cans oregon strawberry. I haven't decided whether to top off with more juice.

The smell today is super appley. :)
 
the_bird said:
John, I'm assuming you're realized already that the cider isn't going to have much of a krausen, if any. If you happen to not have a good seal on your fermentation vessel, you might not notice that it's fermenting at all. It's a lot more subdued a fermentation than beers.

Here you go bird, here's my cider's not "much of a krausen, if any" for ya:




This was with ale yeast, but you get the idea.

:p
 
My ( 2 gallons of re-constituted apple concentrate, 1 pound of dextrose, and 1/2 gallon maple syrup) has had a small amount of foam on, for the last 12 days. Not quite 3 inches of krausen, but I have never seen a beer krausen last this long.

Oh, Nottingham yeast.

steve
 
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