24 hours to find a yeast...

[Pyro]

Not sure if this belongs in the yeast forum or here. I'm looking for a yeast for my next batch of (blueberry) cider that will give me about 7.5% (give or take 1%) and that will also leave as much of the apple flavor behind that I can get. Last batch I used Nottingham Ale and it finished at 7.86%, but also pretty dry(.998) and started @ 1.058. The ABV was perfect for me, but w/ this recipe I would like something that ends w/ more residual sweetness(I know I can always back sweeten). But again, I'm also concerned about flavor. My first batch just finished in the primary and it tastes like alot of the apple flavor was lost(perhapes due to the yeast I used?). Should I use the same yeast this time even though my starting gravity will be around 1.080? It should'nt ferment down to .998 again, should it? I can't find the alcohol tolerence anywhere for this strain. Would I be better off w/ EC-1118, or safeale 56,or some other ale yeast? (I pretty much stick to the dry yeasts because I keep them on hand) My cider w/ Campden is working now, so I have about 24 hours to figure this out.

 

[tf2]

I'm sure you've seen the data sheet for Nottingham (http://www.danstaryeast.com/nottingham.html).

I'm still in the midst of my first cider/yeast experiment (all using varieties that should ferment out fairly dry), so no first-hand experience here. But what about an ale yeast from a style that is generally lower alcohol but still relatively full bodied? An English Mild, maybe? Not terribly familiar with milds, so I could be off base here.

There's an interesting rundown of various yeasts for beer at http://www.beersunlimited.co.uk/yeast.html -- it describes Nottingham as having "relatively full attenuation properties." The next Danstar yeast it lists, Windsor, "demonstrates moderate attenuation, which will leave a relatively high gravity (density)". Might be worth looking into. There are some other potential yeasts listed there.

Again, just speculation.

 

[Chad]

Have you thought about Wyeast 4766 cider yeast? They describe it as leaving a fruity finish. Or there is 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast, which is designed to leave 2%-3% residual sugar behind.

Chad

 

[CvilleKevin]

I've had really good results with the Nottingham, but I generally cold crash it to keep it from getting too dry. I hadnt seen the specs before (thanks for the link).

This year I've been experimenting with adding varying amounts and types of sugar up front, instead of cold crashing. So far, the highest I have gone is 1.070, so I cant say for sure what might happen at 1.080. What I have found so far is that the nottingham will ferment the sugar all the way out if I leave it in the secondary, but if I rack it before it gets too dry it will stabilize out in the secondary at a point or two less then when I rack it. My guess is that the extra sugar encourages the yeast to stay on the bottom, similar to cold crashing. The best results so far (to my taste anyway) have been starting with sg of 1.065 and rack at 1.008. That batch has been stable for several weeks at 1.006 and is almost all gone. Of the sugars I've used, I've got the best taste with Dominos "organic sugar", which is a light turbinado

I've tried the Windsor, with and without extra sugar and it does seem to have a bit more apple flavor left but more dry than the nottingham and with a really big sour note (using juice that is a mix of red and yellow delicious, winesap and granny smith). I like it OK but none of my friends do. The L1118 is a little better IMHO if you are going for dry.

A little over a week ago I started a new experiment with 12 individual gallons using Nottingham, Safale s-04, Safbrew wb-06, Wyeast 3068, WLP300 and WLP002. Six of the gallons are sweetened and six not. All of them seem promising. The s-04 and wb-06 are both dry yeasts and I am rooting for those two because I dont like to fool with liquid yeast either. I'll post to the list when these are done.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Just in case CvilleKevin is still around, what were the results of your experiment?

 

[CvilleKevin]

what were the results of your experiment?

a long decent into insanity - the details are in the sticky

 

[smyrnaquince]

a long decent into insanity - the details are in the sticky

Sorry--I've been reading the sticky (up to page 18!) but didn't look at name of the originator and so did not make the connection with this thread. Thank you for the extensive experimentation and reporting!

Was there a short answer to picking a cider yeast that leaves some residual sugar (after full fermentation, i.e., without crashing) and some apple taste?

Or, perhaps this is like a good book and I shouldn't jump to the end without reading the whole way through. I plan to start tackling page 19 and onwards at lunchtime.

So far, my own experiments have been with WLP 720, Lalvin 71B-1122, and Lalvin D47. I started the Lalvins a couple of weeks ago. I'm not too happy with the WLP 720, started in late October.

I think I next need to try an ale yeast.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Ale yeast rocks for cider, try Nottingham.

 

[lemy]

I did a cider using Saison yeast. I too did want to keep some residual sugar and hoped that the yeast would add some additional character. I've been aging it since October.