Do I Pasteurize?
- Thread starter hubs731
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Please take a few moments to read the The Sticky Thread and familiarize yourself with basic cider making. Your question has been answered many time before and I'm certain you can figure out what way is best for you 
Drewed
Well-Known Member
In a nut shell - Only if you want to. Pasteurization will kill off all bacteria and other nasty, however, it will also kill off all wild yeast ( this can be good or bad,) and will lead to a "cooked" taste. You can add chemicals to achieve the same results, but 'OOOoooo evil chemicals, look out...Scary....whooooo..'
Many people do wild ferments from unpasteurized juice and swear that it is the best cider ever. I tried it this year with a gallon and have what smells like is going to be a very nice cider vinegar. #grumpyface
Many people do wild ferments from unpasteurized juice and swear that it is the best cider ever. I tried it this year with a gallon and have what smells like is going to be a very nice cider vinegar. #grumpyface
Don't be afraid to ask questions even when they have been answered before. (Reading the sticky shared is good advice, it will be there for you to refer to as you go) The campden is a way to preserve flavor and is a lower amount of sulfite than is found in commercial wines. Sulfite is also a byproduct of fermentation and cannot be totally avoided. If you like your cider clear you'll also want to treat your juice with pectic enzyme.
ericbw
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It really depends on what you're trying to do. If you want residual sweetness or sparkling cider (or especially if you want sweet and sparkling), you probably need to bottle pasteurize (find the sticky). If you are making still cider, or even very dry sparking, you might not need to.
Morrey
Well-Known Member
I appreciate you saying to the OP that its ok to ask questions that have been asked before. Some folks like to read old posts and do archive research, while other folks like active discussions and real time interactions. Some would rather work together with an experienced brewer, while others may prefer to read books and learn that way.
Some time back I joined a distiller's forum as a novice and asked all the rookie questions only to be told to "look it up, this has been asked before". This happened several times and I simply quit with that forum as the members seemed smug if not hostile. Many if not most of the questions here on HBT have likely been asked and answered at some point, so with that being the case, why not simply close down the active portion of the forum and keep the archives available? A "look it up for yourself" post wont typically encourage new brewers and novice HBT members to participate which is not our goal...or at least mine. All I'm saying is your support goes a long way to make junior members feel comfortable until they get all the details worked out for themselves.
Thank you everyone for your support. Yes, I can look back in the archives but, as with many people, there's never enough time in a day. I am looking to make a still cider. I wondered if pasteurization would help or hinder that. I wasn't sure if the whole process would affect the taste at all.
Morrey
Well-Known Member
I am not as experienced with ciders as I am with beer, but I have had ciders that are pasteurized and those that have sulfites added. Pasteurized seems to make the cider seem less vibrant and less bright tasting, where the sulfite added version seems more fresh and flavorful in comparison. My .02
Drewed
Well-Known Member
Wait.... Are you talking about before you ferment or after?
Since OP wants a still cider... So he wanted to check on pasturizing before fermentation. This is a valid question however.
For what its worth, this is what I did. Experiment. 3 gallons cider (heated to pasteurization in my wart pot) + gallon mash & champagne yeast.
Then 2 gallons o-natural. With locks. (Although most people say to go with just a secured cloth over top). The gallon jugs were bubbling away...
Hopefully no cider vinegar!
Then 2 gallons o-natural. With locks. (Although most people say to go with just a secured cloth over top). The gallon jugs were bubbling away...
Hopefully no cider vinegar!
Yes, before I ferment. I started two batches...1-1 gallon carboy with campden tablet...12 hours...pectic enzyne...12 hours Cider Yeast then airlock. 1 half gallon carboy with 1/2 campden tablet...24 hours...Cider Yeast then covered with paper towel. I wanna see what these different variables will do.
The only thing I can suggest is adding fruit juice, apple juice or juice concentrate. It can sit in the secondary for weeks or months. If it’s clear you can bottle. I have an eye chart behind my carboy.
