timmy_appleseed
New Member
If I were to pick an apple from the tree, and wash it, could i still use the wild yeast from the apples skin to make a good batch of wild yeast apple cider?
If I were to pick an apple from the tree, and wash it, could i still use the wild yeast from the apples skin to make a good batch of wild yeast apple cider?
You should definitely be careful with this, as Fructose and pectins can lead to larger amounts of methanol production, especially with a poorly attenuating yeast strain and a chance for infection. Methanol is turned into formaldehyde in the liver and then destroys the optic nerve. It takes a large amount of this, however I think the conditions you are describing would favor larger methanol production. So don't drink all of it in one night, unless u hVe the ability to raise the temp up to about 172 or so and get rid of it....
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LeBreton said:Lol, methanol fears. These seem to pop up every now and then. Completely unfounded for two reasons:
1) Cider has minimal methanol in it, even using pectic enzyme and high temps the ratio of ethanol and methanol is such that the ethanol would poison you long before the methanol reached dangerous levels.
2) Ethanol and methanol are competitively inhibitory in your system, meaning ethanol actually reduces the toxicity of methanol. Ethanol is in fact used in the treatment of methanol poisoning.
Lol, methanol fears. These seem to pop up every now and then. Completely unfounded for two reasons:
1) Cider has minimal methanol in it, even using pectic enzyme and high temps the ratio of ethanol and methanol is such that the ethanol would poison you long before the methanol reached dangerous levels.
2) Ethanol and methanol are competitively inhibitory in your system, meaning ethanol actually reduces the toxicity of methanol. Ethanol is in fact used in the treatment of methanol poisoning.
Definitely all correct, wasn't bringing it up as a fear as much as something to know about when making cider, because even though it is not enough to kill you it is not the most desirable flavor. Most of my understanding about methanol comes from distilling books, not cider/beer books, where it is a little more dangerous, as it actually comes out as a much purer solution of methanol and needs to be seriously considered and avoided. Cider away!
You could always add a couple cups of your existing batch to this one. Should be plenty of yeast in that to get it going.
Nogmaals said:The OP isn't me though. And isn't the key thing about spontaneous fermentation the suprise/gamble part of it?
the ability to raise the temp up to about 172 or so and get rid of it....
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