Fermentation/sanitisation questions

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Larso

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Hi,
I'm new to cider, but been brewing beer for about 2yrs. I Did a cider making course with this guy last saturday http://www.fruitandvine.com/How_to_buy_our_products-recordid-41-z-home.htm
I was given a gallon bottle of pressed apple juice(with campden added) after the course. I let it sit and start fermenting as he recommended with whatever natural yeasts were in it. He also seemed quite lax about sanitation(whereas I'm used to being completely anal about sanitation when brewing beer).
1. Am I right in saying that because 'all' of the sugars ferment out of cider that theres no real opportunity for infection to take hold so sanitation isnt as important? Are 'clean' bottles enough for bottling cider and do I need to make a sugar syrup to sanitise by boiling or can I just dump a teaspoon in the bottle?
2. Can anyone tell me about unfermentable vs fermentable sugars in cider(for sweetness) or does this not exist because theres no mash process?

Thanks

L
 
I've never made cider using wild/natural yeasts, so am not speaking from experience, but I would probably sanitize the bottles etc just as if I were using cultivated yeast.

In my cider making experience, you are right that the yeast will eat up all the apple sugars, leaving the cider dry.
 
Infections can take hold even in dry cider. Many microbes don't eat the sugar but instead will feast upon the acid or the alcohol. Sanitation is very important, sure you can get away without sometimes, but why risk your hard work?
 
Thanks guys, I'll sanitise as usual then. I assume he was just referring to short term storage as he definitely knows his business as a craft cider maker....

Thanks

L
 
Answering #1.. go for high quality bottles (EZ-CAP) and use a carboy cleaner on each one.
Check your local water report, if it's full of bacteria sanitize. If it's clean of bacteria, forget about it permanently. Use same procedure for beer. Carboys and pre-fermentation stuff is a different story though. Sanitize all that before starting. Worst case is that some isolated bottle tastes funky.
 
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