Why is my cider orange?

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rjman53

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I'm trying out my first batch of cider and it has turned bright orange. I bought regular apple cider from an orchard that started out fairly brown as you'd expect. I used a campden tablet per gallon to sterilize. After adding the tablets, the particulate matter in the cider began to settle out pretty quickly leaving me with a significantly lighter colored cider, but really all that orange. I added pectin enzyme, yeast nurtient, and of course the yeast. Now I'm a couple days into fermentation and the cider has turned bright orange; it looks identical to orange juice. I am curious if anyone else has had this happen or has an explanaiton.
 
probably same reason a blueberry hefeweizen is red. add a tan-colored beer, add blue berries, and the chemicals give you a red beer :ban:
 
rjman53 said:
I'm trying out my first batch of cider and it has turned bright orange. I bought regular apple cider from an orchard that started out fairly brown as you'd expect. I used a campden tablet per gallon to sterilize. After adding the tablets, the particulate matter in the cider began to settle out pretty quickly leaving me with a significantly lighter colored cider, but really all that orange. I added pectin enzyme, yeast nurtient, and of course the yeast. Now I'm a couple days into fermentation and the cider has turned bright orange; it looks identical to orange juice. I am curious if anyone else has had this happen or has an explanaiton.
Click to expand...

Mine always do that. It will clear up when the yeast starts to settle.
 
That's awesome, could you take a photo per chance?

Did your cider contain preservatives? It might be a reaction between the nutrient or something binding with a preservative? Other than I have no idea.
 
I've seen color change from K-meta (Campden). I think I read somewhere that it's a powerful anti-oxidant. Well, last year when I used it in a big bucket of raw figs, they turned from dull rust to pigeon's blood color after 24hrs. The resulting wine still has the bright color. So, I'd say, it's normal to see brighter colors when it is used.
 
Mine is 4 days in on notty an when i got home today to check it i found that it also has turned orange! It also smells like rhino farts.My recipe was 4 gallons uv treated fresh pressed cider and the yeast.I plan on adding 1 more fresh gallon to backsweeten before i keg.I think turning from brown to orange is just part of the process, good luck!
 
Yeah it happens, don't worry about it. I have some cider going right now that's just pure apple juice unpasteurized and it's got an orange color, so it's probably not from anythign you added.
 
I'd post a photo but my camera is out of commission unfortunately. I'm not really worried about it, merely curious. Thanks for the responses.
 

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