With all of the great, informative posts here, I have successfully encouraged my yeast to ferment 5 gallons of fresh-pressed apple juice from a local orchard. OG was 1.050 and the SG yesterday night was 1.000. It tasted great -- tart and tangy with some apple flavor left. I used WL775, pitched on 20 Oct. (20 days ago). There were some off flavors (light vinegary taste) that I hope will mellow with time.
I would like the cider to keep the main flavor notes I've got right now. I plan to force carbonate and bottle it. I'd like to age the cider since it seems unanimously recommended. So, I have the following questions about how to proceed:
At what temperature should I age the cider? I kept fermentation temps right at 70 degF, which was in the recommended range for WL775. Is aging at a colder temperature preferred? How will the taste change over the next six months -- how much drier and less tangy will it get? I'd like to retain as much apple flavor as I can -- is there a strategy that favors that outcome?
If I stabilize it chemically, does the cider still age, or does the aging process require live yeast to do things like "clean up after itself?" This is a phrase I read often in beer brewing discussions when advocating a long primary/secondary period.
Thanks again to all contributors for maintaining and growing such an informative forum.
I would like the cider to keep the main flavor notes I've got right now. I plan to force carbonate and bottle it. I'd like to age the cider since it seems unanimously recommended. So, I have the following questions about how to proceed:
At what temperature should I age the cider? I kept fermentation temps right at 70 degF, which was in the recommended range for WL775. Is aging at a colder temperature preferred? How will the taste change over the next six months -- how much drier and less tangy will it get? I'd like to retain as much apple flavor as I can -- is there a strategy that favors that outcome?
If I stabilize it chemically, does the cider still age, or does the aging process require live yeast to do things like "clean up after itself?" This is a phrase I read often in beer brewing discussions when advocating a long primary/secondary period.
Thanks again to all contributors for maintaining and growing such an informative forum.