For the first time, this year I don't have any of my own apples. The drought, bushfires, very hot weather and wind this summer all took their toll, even up here in the foothills of the mountains. We just watched small apples fall off the trees. The only survivors were a few crab apples. The nearest local apple growing and cider area (Batlow) was absolutely trashed by the bushfires so there aren't many apples for sale over there as they need all they have just to survive.
So, I have preservative free Granny Smith and Pink Lady juice coming from Summer Snow orchard in Victoria. (The name comes from an early summer cold spell that trashed their orchard some years ago).
After scratting and pressing my own apples I normally go through a few days of Campden tablets and Pectinase before adding the yeast. Is there any point in doing this with bought juice from the orchard? Or, do I just add the yeast (WLP775) and let it go?
I tried some supermarket "preservative free" juice a few months ago using SO4 (because I had it). The result was sort of O.K. but a bit insipid despite doing the lime and black tea trick. It tastes as though it might benefit from dry hopping or something like that.
I am hoping that a blend (don't know what proportions yet) of Pink Lady and Granny Smith with the few crabs that I have might be a bit more like the tasty blend I get from my own assorted apples.
All advice is welcome.
So, I have preservative free Granny Smith and Pink Lady juice coming from Summer Snow orchard in Victoria. (The name comes from an early summer cold spell that trashed their orchard some years ago).
After scratting and pressing my own apples I normally go through a few days of Campden tablets and Pectinase before adding the yeast. Is there any point in doing this with bought juice from the orchard? Or, do I just add the yeast (WLP775) and let it go?
I tried some supermarket "preservative free" juice a few months ago using SO4 (because I had it). The result was sort of O.K. but a bit insipid despite doing the lime and black tea trick. It tastes as though it might benefit from dry hopping or something like that.
I am hoping that a blend (don't know what proportions yet) of Pink Lady and Granny Smith with the few crabs that I have might be a bit more like the tasty blend I get from my own assorted apples.
All advice is welcome.