Ideal yeast selection for flavor vs. time tradeoff

TLDR: What is the best yeast and temperature if I want to turn a store-juice-based cider around in one month? (I force carb)

For people with attention spans:
I started out my cider making with just straight juice and S-04 / Nottingham. I found that this went fairly slowly (3 weeks + to reach FG at 68F). I started adding nutrient to increase this rate and reduce bad smells. Experimented with various levels of added sugar and (very) small amounts of molasses for flavor, color, strength.

My latest batch I did 2.5 gal each of straight 1.052 juice, with nutrient, a pinch of tannin, and Cote Des Blancs yeast in one as it is supposed to leave a good amount of fruit flavor behind, and T-58 in another on a whim (I had heard that it could make a good cider). Temperature was 70F for both, both finished within 10 days at about 0.998 +/- .002

The Cote Des Blancs one, at 45 days now, has a fairly unpleasant aroma that might be sulfuriric but is most probably butyric. This obviously is not acceptable. I'll let it age another month+ and try it again.

The t-58 at 45 days isn't unpleasant per-se, but I'm also going to have to wait a while and try it again.

Obviously, both of these attempts failed to meet my requirements.

I have heard that Red Star Pasteur is a very clean yeast. Any anecdotes about quick turn-around time?

If all else fails, I'll just stick with S-04. It is not enjoyable to serve a new batch to SWMBO and receive a "yuck ugh I can't drink that" in response :smack:. I already started a 5gal batch of my proven recipe.

I've had S04 finish fermenting, and clear, in less than 5 days in a cider with a fairly moderate OG (under 1.060).

It's probably my favorite strain for cider, but I don't like it a bit in beer. Go figure!


If it took 3 weeks to finish, something was wrong, perhaps lack of nutrients or something, because it's usually very quick for me.

I hate fermented molasses (it really tastes awful to me), and I don't boost the ABV with sugar so maybe that's why it's so quick for me. I don't know.

I'm a big fan of belle saison yeast for cider, use it pretty much exclusively now. Ferments quick, and doesn't mind warm temps. Easily can finish in a couple days.

I "fortified" with apple juice concentrate to an OG of 1.070, fermented out to 1.003~ in under a week. Have it "aging" in a keg in my closet right now while I carb up a stout I'm bringing to michigan homebrew fest then I'm going to carb that up and have it on tap.

I use Red Star Pasteur Red (not the Champagne type) Yeast for all my ciders. I add approx. 1 tsp of yeast per gallon of 1.070-ish cider, and 24 hours later I add 1/8 tsp Fermaid-K, 1/8 tsp DAP, and 1/8 tsp bakers yeast boiled in 1/2 cup water. Fermentation is finished in a week or so, and never with any off flavors from room temperature fermenting.