Cider (How I did it)

[bolts]

Disclaimer ... I may not know what I'm doing, but it sure is fun


After copious amounts of "research" (web searches, podcasts, articles and books) I fired up this years batches of ciders. Below is the method I used.

Last year I got some cider, threw yeast in it and let it set forever -- and it made nice semi-dry cider. This year I thought I would try some more process and see if I could get it really dry and a very "clean" fermentation.

I have a local cider farm, Skurdahl Farm, that does multiple cider pressings in the fall. She has some great European and N. American cider varietals. The cider is UV pasteurized, but otherwise untouched. This year I got 5 gallons of pure Kingston Black and 5 gallons of a blend. Both batches have an OG of 1.052 and a pH of 3.60.

Sulphite

To sulfite or not ... that is the question. I decided to sulfite this year to knock down anything left from processing and to get a clean fermentation with my chosen yeast. There's a nice discussion here about the amount of sulfite to add based on the pH in (A). This same site talks about why you don't want to exceed 200ppm total SO2 (if you add more later). Based on the pH, I went for 120ppm for SO2 by using potassium metabisulfite (powdered form vs Campden Tablets) to get a "partial kill" (See (B)).

Given my 4.5 gallons and a desired level of 120ppm I used 3.54g

( .120 (ppm) * 3.785 (l/G) * 4.5 ) /.576 = 3.5 grams​

Let this sit for a day before pitching your yeast.

Nutrients and yeast

I chose to use EC-1118 for the blend and WLP775 for the Kingston Black. In each case I used 4.25g of Fermaid-K and 2.5g of DAP dissolved in a small amount (~150ml) of warm sterile water. I used a rate of .25g/liter of Fermaid-K and .15g/liter of DAP (See (C)).

Method wise, I dumped the Fermaid-K/DAPmixture in, then aerated ~1min w/ pure O2, pitched the yeast and then finally gave it all a good swirl. (I aerated before pitching so I wouldn't blow my yeast on the floor if it foamed like crazy).

The dry yeast was rehydrated using the method below in (D). Basically, 12.5g of GoFerm @ 110F in 167g of water, then 10g of yeast (2 packets) when it cooled to 104F. I kept this in a warm bath initially so it wouldn't cool too quickly (makes it easier to manage the timing). I waited 15m then started adding very small amounts of the cider over the next 15 minutes (the cider was from before I did the Fermaid-K/DAP additions) to cool it down to pitching temps.

My fermentation chamber is busy with an IPA, so both carboys are in a cooler filled with water ~60F with T-shirts for evaporation and an ambient of about 62F. I'm trying for a pretty low fermentation temp around 60F.

I'll update this as the batch proceeds...

Note that the references aren't authoritative and opinions abound.

(A) How much sulfite should you add based on pH:
http://www.cider.org.uk/sulphite.html

(B) How much potassium metabisulfite or campden tables do I need to add to get my desired SO2 ppm?
http://www.bewbc.org/docs/Sulfite_Addition_Tables.PDF

(C) How much Fermaid-K and DAP?
http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/index.cfm?pgid=cider

(D) How do you rehydrate yeast with GoFerm?
http://home.comcast.net/~mzapx1/FAQ/Rehydrate.pdf

 

[Fletch78]

1: If it's UV pasteurized, why add k-meta?

2: Do you not find it odd that both batches have the same OG and ph? Or does the presser make it a point to achieve that OG and ph on every pressing? I'm no apple expert, but it seems like two different batches would have slight variations on OG and ph.

 

[McKinley]

Why did you choose those specific yeasts? It seems like it would be cool to do a side-by-side with the same yeast and two "different" musts

 

[pimento]

1: If it's UV pasteurized, why add k-meta?

2: Do you not find it odd that both batches have the same OG and ph? Or does the presser make it a point to achieve that OG and ph on every pressing? I'm no apple expert, but it seems like two different batches would have slight variations on OG and ph.

UV pasteurization doesn't kill all the yeast, it's a relatively weak form of pasteurization. You can test this by leaving an unopened container in a warm spot for a week or so, it will start showing signs of fermentation.

It's not absolutely necessary to add k-meta, but the OG may do it to be certain there isn't any yeast competition at the beginning of fermentation.

I do it myself sometimes when I have doubts about a cider mills sanitation.

 

[bolts]

1: If it's UV pasteurized, why add k-meta?

pimento got it -- last year I had cider from the same place. I kept some to make warm spiced cider for thanksgiving (about a month) and it started fermenting or spoiling on it's own (and this was in the fridge). It added an interesting funk

2: Do you not find it odd that both batches have the same OG and ph? Or does the presser make it a point to achieve that OG and ph on every pressing? I'm no apple expert, but it seems like two different batches would have slight variations on OG and ph.

Officially, one was 3.61 and one was 3.58, but that's in the error range of the pH meter. Same for the OG, one was ~1.052 and one was ~1.054 but between the hydrometer accuracy and the temperature adjustment I called it at 1.052 and saved myself some typing. I'll have to ask her if she blends for taste or acidity or just with what she has on hand.

A friend just got his cider yesterday and it was 1.054 with a pH of 3.65. Completely different farm with different apples. He also got some pear cider that had a pH a bit over 4.

 

[bolts]

Why did you choose those specific yeasts? It seems like it would be cool to do a side-by-side with the same yeast and two "different" musts

I used WLP775 because I used it last year and got decent results. It's an English Dry Cider yeast and seems fitting for a pure Kingston Black hard cider.

The other one I selected based on some test ferments other folks have done. I wanted something that will dry it out, leave some apple flavor behind and will tolerate a low ferment (50F - 60F).


Take a look at these:

- https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/results-juice-yeast-sugar-experiments-83060/
- http://hbd.org/brewery/library/CidYeast091595.html
- http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6946

 

[bolts]

Update:

The EC-1118 w/ the blend has a nice krausen and is slowly bubbling. Temp is ~55F.

I moved the WLP775 w/ the Kingston Black to a warmer place. It's currently ~56F and showing no activity. Not really unexpected with the yeast.

 

[pimento]

EC-1118 is becoming my favorite cider yeast, it ferments fast, drops crystal clear in under 2 weeks and leaves a nice apple taste.

 

[bolts]

Just put both of the carboys in the keezer to chill and clarify. I didn't take a very accurate gravity reading (dangled hydrometer into carboy on a string method) , but each of them is somewhere around ~1.003. Once they chill a bit I'll pull some samples and see where the sulfur notes are.