Ok so I've been around awhile and done several apple wines, ginger beer and cider from store bought juice, among other things. I've almost always used lalvin 1118, despite it being deprecated for cider I've liked it just fine. I've never used any sulphites or sorbates, I have (gasp!) boiled my juice, and then I've either fermented dry or cold crashed and carbonated the residual sugars in PET soda bottles.
However, I was recently at the lake, and had the tremendous good fortune to discover a wild apple tree! Me & the SO managed to harvest and hike out with ~ 80-100 lbs of what look and taste like miniature Granny Smith apples. I borrowed a small personal juicer, and now am ready to begin my first from-scratch apple cider, and since I don't have fridge room for that many apples I have to start soon. So I have some questions:
- sorbates/ sulphites: I'm aware of Campden tabs, and I think I can also buy other formulations at the brew store. Which one/ combo should I go with? I intend to ferment dry and then carbonate with a little sugar. I have a general understanding of the process, but welcome input.
- yeast, which one? I've been content with 1118 but I know it's frowned upon for fruit, and I don't plan to add sugar to increase abv this time, as I normally do with store juice. I know I have access to safale s04, 05 and various ale yeast. Any advice for green apple cider?
- I normally consume the cider I make within a few weeks, but with this batch I'd like to age it. Does this create any other considerations?
Any other advice is very welcome! I'm heading to the brew store tomorrow and then the grand experiment will begin.
However, I was recently at the lake, and had the tremendous good fortune to discover a wild apple tree! Me & the SO managed to harvest and hike out with ~ 80-100 lbs of what look and taste like miniature Granny Smith apples. I borrowed a small personal juicer, and now am ready to begin my first from-scratch apple cider, and since I don't have fridge room for that many apples I have to start soon. So I have some questions:
- sorbates/ sulphites: I'm aware of Campden tabs, and I think I can also buy other formulations at the brew store. Which one/ combo should I go with? I intend to ferment dry and then carbonate with a little sugar. I have a general understanding of the process, but welcome input.
- yeast, which one? I've been content with 1118 but I know it's frowned upon for fruit, and I don't plan to add sugar to increase abv this time, as I normally do with store juice. I know I have access to safale s04, 05 and various ale yeast. Any advice for green apple cider?
- I normally consume the cider I make within a few weeks, but with this batch I'd like to age it. Does this create any other considerations?
Any other advice is very welcome! I'm heading to the brew store tomorrow and then the grand experiment will begin.