Hey everyone,
I have a friend with severe allergies to all grains, including those without gluten in them. Even certain wines can cause a reaction because of the way the grapes are processed. I've been enlisted to make something alcoholic that she can drink without being deathly ill. I settled on a cider and I've done some research on yeast options but I am coming up pretty empty because everything has sorbitan monostearate in it. I heard Red Star Active Dry Bakers yeast would be safe, but would also taste like bread dough, so I'm thinking wild yeast might be my only option. Of course, I've never done anything like this before. So here's my plan so far--I'm hoping I can get some advice and critiques.
Allergy Cider--3 gal batch
3 gallons (roughly) locally pressed cider, no additives.
1 lb local 100% pure local honey, no additives.
Then I'll try to wrangle some wild yeasts with some of the cider in a mason jar with cheese cloth over it, a kind of starter or something. After a few days, I'll pitch that to the larger volume of cider and honey and hope it'll get going.
My question is really the process of the whole thing. What precautions should I take so this doesn't turn into vinegar? When to kill the yeast, when to rack into secondary, when I should bottle?
Any advice is welcome. I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing because if I mess up I would probably kill her.
Thanks!
I have a friend with severe allergies to all grains, including those without gluten in them. Even certain wines can cause a reaction because of the way the grapes are processed. I've been enlisted to make something alcoholic that she can drink without being deathly ill. I settled on a cider and I've done some research on yeast options but I am coming up pretty empty because everything has sorbitan monostearate in it. I heard Red Star Active Dry Bakers yeast would be safe, but would also taste like bread dough, so I'm thinking wild yeast might be my only option. Of course, I've never done anything like this before. So here's my plan so far--I'm hoping I can get some advice and critiques.
Allergy Cider--3 gal batch
3 gallons (roughly) locally pressed cider, no additives.
1 lb local 100% pure local honey, no additives.
Then I'll try to wrangle some wild yeasts with some of the cider in a mason jar with cheese cloth over it, a kind of starter or something. After a few days, I'll pitch that to the larger volume of cider and honey and hope it'll get going.
My question is really the process of the whole thing. What precautions should I take so this doesn't turn into vinegar? When to kill the yeast, when to rack into secondary, when I should bottle?
Any advice is welcome. I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing because if I mess up I would probably kill her.
Thanks!