Best Yeast for my Cider?

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Scturo

Scturo

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Looking to make my first Cider, 3 gals for my wife. She likes a semi sweet Cider, and wants a mango cider. So I'm thinking 3 gals Tree Top, yeast with nutrient and back sweeten with mango nectar. Anyone have a go to yeast to get me there? Appreciate any advice.
 
Scturo said:
Looking to make my first Cider, 3 gals for my wife. She likes a semi sweet Cider, and wants a mango cider. So I'm thinking 3 gals Tree Top, yeast with nutrient and back sweeten with mango nectar. Anyone have a go to yeast to get me there? Appreciate any advice.
Click to expand...

US-05 works well and is clean.

WLP775 is great for a classic cider, but might be wrong for what your aiming for.
 
Red Star Côte des Blancs. It will ferment apple juice totally dry, but it doesn't strip out the apple flavor and aroma. I like it either dry, or dissolve 1 sugar cube or a packet of Splenda in a little and then pour in the rest of the bottle.

For my next batch I'm going to try K1-V1116 without any yeast nutrients.
 
After trying many different yeasts, on a fluke I purchased some Sweet Mead Yeast 4184 and could not be happier. Granted this yeast doesn't stop fermenting until 12% ABV so it will make a BIG cider, but it will stop eating sugar at that point leaving residual sugar.
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
I prefer S-04 English Ale yeast. It's my goto cider yeast.

BTW - I've got a killer Apricot/Mango cider if your wife is into that flavor combo.
Click to expand...


Yes, would definitely want that recipe if possible. Sounds great.
 
Cote des Blancs. When gravity hits 1.010-1.015, add gelatin to remove 90% of the yeast. The next day, rack to secondary and add sorbate and sulfite, add your mango nectar, and chill to prevent refermentation. Monitor for a couple more weeks to ensure fermentation does not continue, and if it does, add more sorbate and sulfite. Then bottle. Done.
 
Scturo said:
Yes, would definitely want that recipe if possible. Sounds great.
Click to expand...

Sure thing, so this is my base cider recipe:

5 Gallon Base Cider Recipe

5 gallons Apple Juice
1 packet S-04 English Ale Yeast
14 grams Go-ferm
1 tsp Fermaid
1 ¼ cup water

To Rehydrate Yeast

Heat water in microwave to 104F
Stir in go-ferm until it is completely dissolved
Sprinkle yeast evenly on top, avoiding clumps
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15-30 mins
Stir yeast in (sanitized spoon), recover, and allow to cool to pitching temp

Combine apple juice and fermaid in your fermenter and stir to combine, then pitch yeast.

Allow to ferment at room temp (65-75) for 14 days.

which I augment as follows:

5 Gallon TropiCali Cider Recipe

Start by following base cider recipe.

10 lbs. Apricots (pitted, sliced, and frozen)
5 lbs. Frozen mango chunks

When base cider has finished fermenting transfer to another fermenter containing the frozen apricots and mangos which have been crushed.

Allow to re-ferment for another 14 days.

Cold crash for 2-3 days, fining with gelatin prior to packaging.

Keg at 30 PSI for 36 hours, then reduce to 11 PSI (40F) for serving.
 
ericbw said:
WLP775 is great for a classic cider, but might be wrong for what your aiming for.
Click to expand...

This is my go-to yeast for most ciders. It leaves a great apple flavor, ferments super clean with compact lees. It does tend to produce sulfur during fermentation and is rather pricey, though, so Cote des Blancs is a solid second choice.
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
Sure thing, so this is my base cider recipe:

5 Gallon Base Cider Recipe

5 gallons Apple Juice
1 packet S-04 English Ale Yeast
14 grams Go-ferm
1 tsp Fermaid
1 ¼ cup water

To Rehydrate Yeast

Heat water in microwave to 104F
Stir in go-ferm until it is completely dissolved
Sprinkle yeast evenly on top, avoiding clumps
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15-30 mins
Stir yeast in (sanitized spoon), recover, and allow to cool to pitching temp

Combine apple juice and fermaid in your fermenter and stir to combine, then pitch yeast.

Allow to ferment at room temp (65-75) for 14 days.

which I augment as follows:

5 Gallon TropiCali Cider Recipe

Start by following base cider recipe.

10 lbs. Apricots (pitted, sliced, and frozen)
5 lbs. Frozen mango chunks

When base cider has finished fermenting transfer to another fermenter containing the frozen apricots and mangos which have been crushed.

Allow to re-ferment for another 14 days.

Cold crash for 2-3 days, fining with gelatin prior to packaging.

Keg at 30 PSI for 36 hours, then reduce to 11 PSI (40F) for serving.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, this looks like the recipe I'll be using. I'll probably switch the fruit addition amounts. Is it semi sweet, or does it need back sweetening?
 
Scturo said:
Thanks man, this looks like the recipe I'll be using. I'll probably switch the fruit addition amounts. Is it semi sweet, or does it need back sweetening?
Click to expand...

FYI I've made it a few times now, and those ratios are pretty spot on to me, but feel free to experiment.

I basically do 2:1:1 (apricot pounds : mango pounds : juice gallons).

This one usually finished up around 1.002 - 1.004.

I've never backsweetened a cider before.

It has a nice semi-sweet tartness to it.

BTW - I've also been using 2 tsp of Pectic enzyme in 200ml of water when adding fruit to cider the last few go arounds and am very pleased with the results. Much more clear than previous attempts.
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
FYI I've made it a few times now, and those ratios are pretty spot on to me, but feel free to experiment.



I basically do 2:1:1 (apricot pounds : mango pounds : juice gallons).



This one usually finished up around 1.002 - 1.004.



I've never backsweetened a cider before.



It has a nice semi-sweet tartness to it.



BTW - I've also been using 2 tsp of Pectic enzyme in 200ml of water when adding fruit to cider the last few go arounds and am very pleased with the results. Much more clear than previous attempts.
Click to expand...


Yeah, Since this is my first Cider, I'll be sticking to the recipe, fruit additions as well. Fermentation is coming along, kinda slow, thin krausen, but still chugging along.
 
z-bob said:
Red Star Côte des Blancs. It will ferment apple juice totally dry, but it doesn't strip out the apple flavor and aroma. I like it either dry, or dissolve 1 sugar cube or a packet of Splenda in a little and then pour in the rest of the bottle.

For my next batch I'm going to try K1-V1116 without any yeast nutrients.
Click to expand...

I've never used Côte des Blancs but I have used 1116. I'd say it left a lot of Apple flavour and a sweet taste. It was in a batch of previously frozen pressed juice that a thawed the concentrate out of before tossing the left over ice. 11.25% and when I went to bottle it I tasted and tested gravity because I was certain it had some sugar left over. Nope. Bone dry but it has a sweet taste.
 
A little late to the thread but the last cider I fermented was using Lalvin D47. It's my go-to yeast for melomels and figured it would work well with the apple juice. It turned out really well. I've actually got it chewing away on 3 gallons of cyser and 3 gallons of fresh pressed juice right now.
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
Nice! That's the apricot mango? I just put on a fresh keg at my house, and my wife is digging it.
Click to expand...

Made lots of ciders but NEVER an apricot or mango (and definitely not together). What a GREAT idea!! Gonna give that a go with my usual cider recipe!

obviously too late for the OP, but Just throw this out too cause its something i have been using with GREAT success with my ciders. I always add a little sugar to my plain juice before i ferment cause i like my abv a little higher (could be corn, brown, raw, have tried LOTS). I started using lactose sugar for a portion of it and using an english yeast (wlp002 is my go to). My wife's like semi sweet cider and this nails it every time. I used to have to watch my fermentation cause i didnt like the flavor if they ferment TOO dry (even when back sweetening) and this allows me to just let the yeast ferment completely to their ability without the worry of odd flavors or being too dry. I find this way i dont really have to back sweeten at all too

Cheers! Your cider looks great BTW Scturo! cheers
 
I just did an all Brett cider that turned out absolutely amazing!

Start with that base cider recipe I provided, but take 1/2 gallon of the cider and use it to make a simple syrup with 1 lb. Turbinado sugar.

Add to that 1 lb. of Belgian Dark D-180 candi syrup.

Then add a vial of East Coast Yeast Dirty Dozen Brett Blend and let it go for 60 days.

OG went from 1.07 > 1.0 for a final ABV of ~9%, and it tastes like pineapple molasses heaven.
 
Yes sir, that's the apricot-mango cider. I followed your recipe exactly. So far so good. Wife is looking forward to it.
 
I have done 4 batches of cider using 4184 Sweet Mead yeast. My first batch I did not add enough sugar to have residual sweetness, but the flavor was/is amazing and heading for applejack. The second batch same recipe but I added 4 cans of concentrate to it when the gravity became 1.002. I raised the temperature back up to 65F and a very slow fermentation re started;this is okay because the cider to make applejack needs be a little on the sweet side before freezing. I found out by accident that a dry, crisp cider doesn't make great applejack in my opinion, the sugar rounds out the flavors and takes the heat out of the alcohol. Don't misunderstand, the applejack even though it was sweet going into the bottle one year later is not really sweet at all.
I said all that to say this: I made three small, experimental ice wine batches also with 4184, but at 60 F (and it must be the yeast) there is a distinct peach flavor and just a hint of what I would call banana that my batches fermented at 68 F just don't have. I will continue to keep my ice wine batches at 60 F or below until they finish fermenting, and see what they taste like then as opposed to after they have some time bottle conditioning.
I realize this is a long post and I apologize, but I just couldn't keep the "peach" flavor surprise to myself any longer.
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
Sure thing, so this is my base cider recipe:

5 Gallon Base Cider Recipe

5 gallons Apple Juice
1 packet S-04 English Ale Yeast
14 grams Go-ferm
1 tsp Fermaid
1 ¼ cup water

To Rehydrate Yeast

Heat water in microwave to 104F
Stir in go-ferm until it is completely dissolved
Sprinkle yeast evenly on top, avoiding clumps
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15-30 mins
Stir yeast in (sanitized spoon), recover, and allow to cool to pitching temp

Combine apple juice and fermaid in your fermenter and stir to combine, then pitch yeast.

Allow to ferment at room temp (65-75) for 14 days.

which I augment as follows:

5 Gallon TropiCali Cider Recipe

Start by following base cider recipe.

10 lbs. Apricots (pitted, sliced, and frozen)
5 lbs. Frozen mango chunks

When base cider has finished fermenting transfer to another fermenter containing the frozen apricots and mangos which have been crushed.

Allow to re-ferment for another 14 days.

Cold crash for 2-3 days, fining with gelatin prior to packaging.

Keg at 30 PSI for 36 hours, then reduce to 11 PSI (40F) for serving.
Click to expand...

Any idea what the FG is on this? We like semi-sweet ciders, but definitely with some flavor. Have you ever added tannin to this one? I found that helps to add some "complexity" to the cider, but I wonder how it would work with this.
 
ericbw said:
Any idea what the FG is on this? We like semi-sweet ciders, but definitely with some flavor. Have you ever added tannin to this one? I found that helps to add some "complexity" to the cider, but I wonder how it would work with this.
Click to expand...

The first time I made it, it finished at 1.004. The second time it was at 1.001.

The mango/apricot flavor definitely shines through. I've got rave reviews from everyone that has tried it.
 
I've found Nottingham ale yeast fermented cool in the low to mid 50s F to give a peachy flavor in an unpeached cider. Something to consider if you want to accentuate peach... plus, it doesn't attenuate quite as much as many other yeasts so that can be helpful as well.
 
It's been a while since I've done this, and I forgot. :eek: How long does it typically take for wine yeast to finish and drop clear? (not necessarily *totally* clear because I'm going to bottle condition it)

I did add yeast nutrient, but not much, and I did add sugar, but not much. I don't plan to add any gelatin or other finings. About 6 weeks?
 
z-bob said:
It's been a while since I've done this, and I forgot. :eek: How long does it typically take for wine yeast to finish and drop clear? (not necessarily *totally* clear because I'm going to bottle condition it)

I did add yeast nutrient, but not much, and I did add sugar, but not much. I don't plan to add any gelatin or other finings. About 6 weeks?
Click to expand...

Sometimes a cider will clear in a month, sometimes it never clears for years and years. Pectinase and gelatin would help if you want to ensure a crystal clear product. On the other hand, you can't taste haze except with your eyes, so who cares anyway. :)
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
The first time I made it, it finished at 1.004. The second time it was at 1.001.

The mango/apricot flavor definitely shines through. I've got rave reviews from everyone that has tried it.
Click to expand...

Final gravity for mine was 1.005 before back sweetening. Great flavor for sure. My wife likes a slightly sweet cider, so I added 8oz of orange blossom honey, and 60 grams corn sugar for 3 gallons base cider. Carbonated for 3 days and then stove top pasteurized for 10 mins @ 160F. Thanks again for the recipe drgonzo2k2. Picture coming up later today.
 
dmtaylor said:
Sometimes a cider will clear in a month, sometimes it never clears for years and years. Pectinase and gelatin would help if you want to ensure a crystal clear product. On the other hand, you can't taste haze except with your eyes, so who cares anyway. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks. I don't care about haze, I just want the yeast to drop out and didn't remember how long that takes. This batch was starting to clear after a week, and I racked it to a bigger carboy and added another 3 gallons of juice. That was a week ago and the bubbling has almost stopped now but it still looks really milky. (I know 2 weeks is not enough)

I hope it's ready to sample by the end of October, and actually ready to drink by Thanksgiving. :)
 
drgonzo2k2 said:
Sure thing, so this is my base cider recipe:

5 Gallon Base Cider Recipe

5 gallons Apple Juice
1 packet S-04 English Ale Yeast
14 grams Go-ferm
1 tsp Fermaid
1 ¼ cup water

To Rehydrate Yeast

Heat water in microwave to 104F
Stir in go-ferm until it is completely dissolved
Sprinkle yeast evenly on top, avoiding clumps
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15-30 mins
Stir yeast in (sanitized spoon), recover, and allow to cool to pitching temp

Combine apple juice and fermaid in your fermenter and stir to combine, then pitch yeast.

Allow to ferment at room temp (65-75) for 14 days.

which I augment as follows:

5 Gallon TropiCali Cider Recipe

Start by following base cider recipe.

10 lbs. Apricots (pitted, sliced, and frozen)
5 lbs. Frozen mango chunks

When base cider has finished fermenting transfer to another fermenter containing the frozen apricots and mangos which have been crushed.

Allow to re-ferment for another 14 days.

Cold crash for 2-3 days, fining with gelatin prior to packaging.

Keg at 30 PSI for 36 hours, then reduce to 11 PSI (40F) for serving.
Click to expand...

Just added this to my To-Do list. Thanks for this.
 
Just to update, this cider has been a big hit with everyone. Will definitely make more.
 

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