Cider Starter?

I've been able to score some un-messed-around-with fresh-pressed cider from the produce cooperative that I subscribe to. Should get it next Wednesday. So, I ordered some campden tabs, pectic enzyme and White Labs English Cider yeast.

This being my first cider, I was wondering what most people do when they use cider-specific yeast. Do you make a starter? If so, what do you make it with? I'd think malt extract might be a bad idea. Dextrose then? I'll be adding dextrose to the cider to get the OG where I want it, so maybe that'd work. Thoughts?

I make my cider starters with the same juice I am using.

I'd like to do that...but I need to kill all the yeasties with campden first...and by that point I'm ready to pitch...so it kind of defeats the purpose. I wonder if I made a starter with apple juice from the store...?

Evan! said:

I'd like to do that...but I need to kill all the yeasties with campden first...and by that point I'm ready to pitch...so it kind of defeats the purpose. I wonder if I made a starter with apple juice from the store...?

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Thats what I would do.

Well, you don't NEED to sterilize your juice/cider before pitching.

My theory is that I'm pitching so many yeast it's going to overwhelm any wild yeast that's already in there. And if it doesn't, it could develop some interesting flavors anyway...

It's your choice, though.

A book I had reccomended a campden tablet per gallon, then wait 24 hours. I did that with a 5 gal batch, and then pitched a White Labs Sweat Mead yeast. Nothing happened for 5 days. I asked my LHBS and they said that 1/gal was WAY too much. That the sulfites had not evaporated by the time I put the yeast in, therefore sterelizing it. I ended up repitching with Lalvin 1118 and it took off within hours. I think that on my subsequent efforts I will leave out the campden.

last year I did 5 for 5 gallons, and it worked after 24 hours fine. I suppose there may exist varying concentrations of it? Perhaps. The two jugs that I pitched into, I used 3 per 5 gallons this year. *shrug*. They didn't start fermenting until I pitched the yeast.

I agree (and like the idea of) with the au natural approach, but unless you have cider to spare you do run the risk of losing the whole thing I suppose. This was the first year I had enough extra cider (and the confidence) to let one rip on it's own. Actually it had started the following day of pressing so in a sense I didn't have a choice.

Evan, I just sprinkled a packet of yeast on top and boom it was chugging away really fast afterwards.

Well, I ordered the campden tabs and pectic enzyme specifically for this purpose, so...I'm doing it the official way. I'll wait 24 hours before pitching my starter. Gonna get some apple juice tonight. Cider gets here tomorrow, along with the dextrose. Not sure how much to add, though...I'm looking for something between 1.050-1.060 for my OG.

Evan! said:

Not sure how much to add, though...I'm looking for something between 1.050-1.060 for my OG.

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Well, I added about 2.4 pounds (IIRC) to 6 gallons and got about 1.060. That would be about 2 pounds for 5 gallons.

Evan! said:

Well, I ordered the campden tabs and pectic enzyme specifically for this purpose, so...I'm doing it the official way. I'll wait 24 hours before pitching my starter. Gonna get some apple juice tonight. Cider gets here tomorrow, along with the dextrose. Not sure how much to add, though...I'm looking for something between 1.050-1.060 for my OG.

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This time and last time my OG of the cider itself was close to 1.047, fwiw.

Yeah, I'm gonna check the grav before it goes into the carboy and gets campden tabs.