Pectic Haze and Pectic enzyme inquisitions

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MetalMatt408

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First batch of hard cider. Using a BBS cider kit.
USING:
BBS Hard Cider Kit
Tree Top "Fresh pressed Honey Crisp Apple Juice"
Red Star Premier Cuvée Dry Wine Yeast
LD Carlson Pectic Enzyme
2week primary fermentation

I just racked a 1gal batch of cider into "secondary" after exactly two weeks in primary. Added some froZen berries along with the recommended amount of Pectic enzyme.

I understand the Pectic enzyme is recommended to be added pre-fermentation. I didn't have the enzyme, or know about it until after I started the batch.But with the amount of sediment I see gathering the enzyme seems to be working.

My questions are; will the cider still clear up if I started off with a pretty cloudy store bought cider?(pasteurized and the only ingredient was "apple juice")

Is this separation of the colors normal?

Does clearing of the cider start in a particular area for any rhyme of reason? I.e. The bottom of the carboy, top of the carboy, etc.


Batch color pre berries
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1438224295.640941.jpg

About 12 hrs post addition of berries and enzymes and I can already see a good amount of sediment collecting at the bottom and a color separation.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1438224318.739577.jpg

Here you can see the separation of the cloudy cider color and a deep raspberry color.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1438224354.557175.jpg

Thank you in advance, I am planning a second batch to be started next week and im going to add the pectic enzyme during the recommend 12 hrs or so pre-fermentation as well as switch to using S-04 yeast and then compare and contrast ending results.

I am aiming at being able to get a nice crisp clear cider and i wanna understand the whys and hows of these reactions to improve my craft.
 
First batch of hard cider. Using a BBS cider kit.
USING:
BBS Hard Cider Kit
Tree Top "Fresh pressed Honey Crisp Apple Juice"
Red Star Premier Cuvée Dry Wine Yeast
LD Carlson Pectic Enzyme
2week primary fermentation

I just racked a 1gal batch of cider into "secondary" after exactly two weeks in primary. Added some froZen berries along with the recommended amount of Pectic enzyme.

I understand the Pectic enzyme is recommended to be added pre-fermentation. I didn't have the enzyme, or know about it until after I started the batch.But with the amount of sediment I see gathering the enzyme seems to be working.

My questions are; will the cider still clear up if I started off with a pretty cloudy store bought cider?(pasteurized and the only ingredient was "apple juice")

Is this separation of the colors normal?

Does clearing of the cider start in a particular area for any rhyme of reason? I.e. The bottom of the carboy, top of the carboy, etc.


Batch color pre berries
View attachment 293189

About 12 hrs post addition of berries and enzymes and I can already see a good amount of sediment collecting at the bottom and a color separation.
View attachment 293190

Here you can see the separation of the cloudy cider color and a deep raspberry color.
View attachment 293192

Thank you in advance, I am planning a second batch to be started next week and im going to add the pectic enzyme during the recommend 12 hrs or so pre-fermentation as well as switch to using S-04 yeast and then compare and contrast ending results.

I am aiming at being able to get a nice crisp clear cider and i wanna understand the whys and hows of these reactions to improve my craft.

Definitely going to follow this as I plan to add blackberries and raspberries to my batch. Question, did you add campden tablets to your batch after adding the extra fruit?
 
I added some cherry puree to one of my ciders in secondary and got pretty much the same results. The lees turned red. The added sugar from the berries will restart fermentation and you'll have to wait again for that to finish. Then rack to tertiary and let it age and clear.
 
Definitely going to follow this as I plan to add blackberries and raspberries to my batch. Question, did you add campden tablets to your batch after adding the extra fruit?

No campden tablets yet; I'm going to let the cider sit on the berries for about a week then rack again and add campden tablets then. The cider has taken on a sweet and slightly fruity aroma already, which is what i was hoping would happen.

I've had very minimal action in the airlock as well. Will keep you posted.:rockin:
 
I added some cherry puree to one of my ciders in secondary and got pretty much the same results. The lees turned red. The added sugar from the berries will restart fermentation and you'll have to wait again for that to finish. Then rack to tertiary and let it age and clear.

I used about 170g of each berry, both frozen, and I'm getting very little action in the airlock and carboy. Lees are still same color as they were in primary, pre-berries, and the whole cider is gradually turning a nice raspberry color.

May try a cold crash at the end of the week when planning to rack off the berries.
 
No campden tablets yet; I'm going to let the cider sit on the berries for about a week then rack again and add campden tablets then. The cider has taken on a sweet and slightly fruity aroma already, which is what i was hoping would happen.

I've had very minimal action in the airlock as well. Will keep you posted.:rockin:


Sweet and fruity is exactly what I am going to be looking for. I was wondering why everyone seems to add the fruit frozen? is it just because it's cheaper to buy or is there a certain reason?
 
Although this does not answer your question, I do want to see how yours turns out, as I used the same juice in my first batch of cider and after being in primary for 4 weeks and secondary for 6 weeks, it still looks just as cloudy as when I started.

When I racked to secondary, I did have a bit of sediment at the bottom of my primary, but the cider was still very cloudy. I am thinking now of racking to tertiary and adding the pectic enzyme to see if it will clear up. For a while I was wondering if Tree Top had added something to the juice to keep the solids suspended.

On my second batch, I used cheap Kroger's apple juice and it is already starting to clear, after a week and a half in primary.
 
Sweet and fruity is exactly what I am going to be looking for. I was wondering why everyone seems to add the fruit frozen? is it just because it's cheaper to buy or is there a certain reason?


I've read a few times around here that freezing the berries helps release terpenes or something of the nature from the fruits.

I've also read about purée and mashed fruit causing more fermentation, I think more sugar is released from purée and the like but I'm not positive.

I'm hoping that freezing the berries will keep the wilds yeasts dormant for the week until I re rack and add campden tablets. I've also read somewhere around he cider forums that frozen full berries won't raise the ABV as much. I believe this is also attributed to the amount of available sugars present.

Hope this helps, if need be ill find the threads around for you.
 
Sweet and fruity is exactly what I am going to be looking for. I was wondering why everyone seems to add the fruit frozen? is it just because it's cheaper to buy or is there a certain reason?

I didnt think about this before but I didn't buy the frozen berries that come mixed in a bag in the frozen foods section, I used berries from the fruit area and then froze them for a coupe days on my own.
 
Finally racking today after letting the cider sit on the berries for just under a week. Not too much berry taste, will use more next batch. A little less bitter than during previous racking. Going to let sit for a few weeks and then add some apple/berry extracts and see how the flavor turns out.

OG- 1.05/ FG .996 = about 7% (If im reading the hydrometer right.)
 
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