Has anyone tried these yeasts?

We are trying to make cider for our 2nd time. Our first batch came out tasty using champagne yeast, but was a little too strong for me(around 14% alcohol) and was lacking the apple flavor a bit.
we are going to do two batches this time around and I wanted to try a new yeast. Our local brew supply shop only has Montrchet, Primer Cuvee and Champagne yeast. I purchased all three with the hopes that someone can guide us in the right direction as to what two we should use. Thanks so much!

With that selection I would try the champagne yeast, but hold off on the extra sugar. it should ferment out to about 5% on its own without sugar added. In my experience the high sugar ciders taste less appley. Even more so, when you finish your cider dry, try sorbating and backsweetening with fresh juice or from concentrate - this is how your woodchucks, etc are made, if that is what you are looking for.

use an ale yeast - S04, Notty, US05, Brupak if you can find it. You will get a lot more residual apple taste than from champagne or wine yeast

I couldnt find any ale yeasts locally, so i think i will order some online for next time. We ended up using champagne yeast in both, one with brown sugar and one with white sugar so we will see how they turn out in a few months!

Use the champagne yeast. I have used the other two and they taste way to much like one and leave little to no apple flavor. I use lager yeast or ale yeast. You get the most apple flavor.

CvilleKevin said:

use an ale yeast - S04, Notty, US05, Brupak if you can find it. You will get a lot more residual apple taste than from champagne or wine yeast

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+1 I've used all 3 of the wine yeasts the OP mentioned & I gotta say, ale yeast is far superior when it comes to flavour in cider. Regards, GF.

I do like lager yeast a lot. It is use for a lot of lambic style beer's and can add nice flavors

I personally prefer using white labs sweet mead yeast, my cider ends up being on the sweeter side rather than having that dry champagne taste. I make five gallons at a time so I pitch a full vial.

I used Wyeast London Ale III. It was fantastic. Not good at flocculation, but taste was great

Champagne yeasts always ferment the cider out too dry, often below 1.000. I avoid them.

M_C

Well there you have it, heatherdearest -- no consensus whatsoever... So, why not add my two cents? If you have the equipment, why not experiment with all of them? Then you'll have a much better understanding of what YOU like. Do the same with ale yeasts, etc, even combo's, and you'll find your favorites along the way and develop a greater understanding of how to tweak what you want the yeast to do and how they'll do it, alone or in combination. I know, not the answer youre looking for. But that's what I'd do.

- Tim

Misplaced_Canuck said:

Champagne yeasts always ferment the cider out too dry, often below 1.000. I avoid them.

M_C

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ditto....I love the SO4

why not back sweeten your cider if it is too dry??

Rossnaree said:

If you have the equipment, why not experiment with all of them? Then you'll have a much better understanding of what YOU like. Do the same with ale yeasts, etc, even combo's, and you'll find your favorites along the way and develop a greater understanding of how to tweak what you want the yeast to do and how they'll do it, alone or in combination.

- Tim

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+1 You could ferment multiple small batches in their original containers for side by side comparison. I seem to recall that it cost me around $6 per 3/4 gal batch incl juice, yeast, stopper & airlock.

montrachet, I just sampled edworts recipe this weekend, 9% abv and it tasted like apple water....I have used Champagne yeast, white labs English cider, Notty, and primer cuvee best apple taste so far was from the montrachet.

Thanks for all the imput! we will be trying a few different yeasts next time around!!