1st Cider Tastes Great Need Help With Different Yeast Strains

[jcav]

Hello all, I am new to hard cider so I made a kit from Northern Brewer back in September. I made a small one gallon batch of "Grimhilde Crooked Apple" hard cider. I had a small 2 1/2 gallon keg laying around (I keg my beer in 5 gallon kegs) and so I kegged the batch in that and cold crashed it until Christmas. Everyone really liked it. I didn't use the sweetener as I wanted to see how it came out without it and I figured I could always add sweetener to the glass if necessary.

It was very champagne like in comparison and you could taste the apple flavor too, it was more like an apple wine with carbonation. I liked it but I don't like champagne so much. Everyone else liked it though. But I think I would like it even more if it was not "champagne like" in character. I think it was due to the yeast in the kit which was "Cote des Blanc" dry yeast.

Which brings me to my question. Which yeast for hard cider would be better for just letting the apple wine like complextion come through? Kinda like when you want a neutral ale yeast like Chico or American ale, to let the malt come through and not influence the beer much. Any one know what yeast I can try next time to get the characteristics I am looking for?

John

 

[dmf38]

I don't quite understand your question. But some popular yeasts for cider are Safale 04, Safale 05, and Nottingham yeast. Maybe you could try those and see which one you like the best.

 

[jcav]

As you can see I am very new to cider and having never made it before I bought the kit. I thought you had to use certain yeast types for cider only. I didn't know you could use beer yeast strains. Heck Safale 05 and Notty would be great for me to try. I will give one of those a go next time. Thanks for the reply!

John

 

[GrogNerd]

there's a sticky on the subject

I've been experimenting some with different yeasts, haven't found my favorite yet.

dangit... have to keep trying

 

[jcav]

there's a sticky on the subject

I've been experimenting some with different yeasts, haven't found my favorite yet.

dangit... have to keep trying

Thanks GrogNerd, that is some great information! Totally answers my question on different yeast stains when used on cider and what I can expect the results to be.

John

 

[GrogNerd]

Thanks GrogNerd, that is some great information! Totally answers my question on different yeast stains when used on cider and what I can expect the results to be.

John

appreciate it, but can take absolutely no credit, thanks goes to @CVilleKevin for the gruntwork and writeup

 

[jcav]

appreciate it, but can take absolutely no credit, thanks goes to @CVilleKevin for the gruntwork and writeup

Yeah but you posted the link to it and I really appreciate that!

 

[rivalry15]

I made 6 -1gallon batches this fall using different yeasts from white labs. Wlp007 was very dry and wine-like, 002 was still dry yet had more Apple aroma and flavor, 775 was dry as well with certain wine like qualities as it can be used for wine. 090 left more sweetness and aroma so it's my favorite so far. What was interesting is that the color between them all was different at the end... From pale yellow to Amber. Good luck in your hunt

 

[thaymond]

WLP002 has been my workhorse. I've had the best results with it. Wlp001, bry97, cot des blanc, ec111, and US05 make it bone dry and scrub away a lot of apple flavor. I'd you like it dry, definitely make it with these. Wine yeasts almost make it like an apple champagne. Wlp002. That's my preference.

I'll bet notty and s04 would be good subs.

 

[jcav]

Thanks to both of you. I will try a few different strains with the new info I now have thanks to all of you and see what flavor I like the best. I know I will not use the Côte Des Blanc again, as for my taste it was to champagne like in character.

 

[Iceman2197]

Nottingham is my go to for cider

 

[jcav]

This might sound crazy but I was drinking this again this weekend with the wife, and it's really growing on me. I don't know maybe it's finally aging and hitting it's peak or I am just liking it more. So for me this yeast strain is not to bad after all. I did pick up some "Martinellis" apple juice and I am making a three gallon batch and will try Safale S-04 for this one to see the difference. I will report back!

John

 

[slukev]

Time ussally really helps, give it months+ and you'll be even happier.

And on yeast, recently won a gold and a BOS off just store apple juice and d47. Was about 6-7 months old at time of competition.

 

[jcav]

Thanks, and congrats on the win!

John