Funky Farmhouse Cider

[RPh_Guy]

This is a complex, crisp, off-dry, funky cider with lots of fruity apple flavor, a hint of oak, and good body.

My recipe doesn't require a barrel, but you certainly can use one! Either way it will taste like a traditional farmhouse cider aged in a barrel. I haven't had the pleasure of tasting any commercial examples like this.

Ingredients:

• Unpasteurized preservative-free fresh pressed apple juice
• Booster Blanc
• Tannin FT Blanc Soft, if using low-tannin apples (if you're not sure, go ahead and use it)
• StaVin medium toast French oak cubes, if not using a barrel
• Tartaric acid
• Brettanomyces culture(s). I use WY5526 and dregs from Three Floyd's Deesko
• A bit of chlorine-free water
• EC-1118 or Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast, if bottling

Process:

• Add the juice to your fermenter. I highly recommend using PET plastic or oak for the fermenter. HPDE plastic that seals air-tight is also acceptable.
• Dissolve 0.33g/gal FT Blanc Soft tannin in water and add it.
• Dissolve 1g/gal Booster Blanc in water and add it.
• Steep 0.17oz/gal oak cubes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes then strain. Discard the water and add the oak.
• Add your Brett cultures. Use only a tiny amount! A few drops of slurry is perfect.
• Mix well and aerate.
• Seal and airlock the fermenter.
• Let sit for 1-3 weeks between 50-60°F and then raise to 60-75°F for 3-6 months, undisturbed. If it doesn't start fermenting within 3 days at 50-60°F, increase the temperature by 5-10°F.
• When packaging, you may want to increase the acidity. Try 1.9g/gal (0.5g/L) tartaric acid, which should add back some brightness. Adjust to your taste.
• If bottling, properly rehydrate the wine yeast, 1-2g/gal. Add it halfway through racking into the bottling bucket.
• Carbonate to 2.5-3.0 volumes, or as desired.

Other considerations:

• Obviously cider starts with the apples. Pick the best blend of apples you can find. However, I designed this recipe to work well even for those of us that don't have the luxury of hand selecting heirloom cider apple varieties, so any juice will be ok.
• If you are pressing the apples yourself, do not wash them. We want all that wild yeast on the skins!
• If you can only get pasteurized juice, then ??? ... You're welcome to introduce wild microbes through some other method, but your results may vary.
• Using Fermaid O in staggered doses is a good idea to prevent H2S formation, but may not be needed. If H2S occurs, you should use a copper product like Reduless. Do not use more traditional methods like aeration unless you want your cider to taste like vinegar.
• Since we are not adding sulfite, make an effort to protect it from oxygen: Keep. It. Closed. Leave it alone and it will be fine.
• The Booster Blanc and low temperature primary help preserve the apple flavor.
• The tannins, oak, extended contact with the lees, and natural MLF result in lots of body.
• The bottling yeast is to help prevent THP formation.
• You need to use tartaric acid specifically for increasing acidity. Why? Because the cider naturally undergoes MLF, and the bacteria will consume malic acid and citric acid. Do not substitute with an acid blend or any other acid. You may however add some acetic acid (vinegar) if you want a little more tang, and to make it more authentic. Anywhere up to 1oz/gal of 5% vinegar would be appropriate.
• Any Brett culture or live dregs from a funky beer or cider will work.
• We want to only pitch a small amount of Brett so that the wild yeast complete the primary fermentation.
• Plastic or oak are important for Brett flavor development. It needs micro-aeration!
• Do NOT rack during the process besides when packaging. Contact with the lees encourages Brett flavor formation. If you want a more fruity cider vs more funky, package it closer to 3-4 months if it tastes good at that point.
• Very likely a pellicle (film) will form. This is normal and not concerning. A pellicle should not be confused with mold which would appear as fuzzy or hairy.

Happy to answer any questions!
Enjoy!

 

[bkboiler]

Looks amazing! Pics? Also, do you measure OG/FG or add sugar?

 

[madscientist451]

Thanks for posting your recipe! I've never heard of tannin FT Blank soft, but I'm going to try it. Currently playing around with Brett in cider using beer dregs, so this is very interesting to me.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Looks amazing! Pics? Also, do you measure OG/FG or add sugar?

I will try to post a photo the next time the sun comes out (which might be a few months haha). It is very pale and lightly hazy.

OG and FG will vary based on your apples.
The source where I get my apple juice is pretty consistently 1.050-1.055, which ferments to around 7.0-7.5% ABV.

Do not add sugar except for bottle priming.
This cider recipe is all about flavor, and wow is it flavorful.

Thanks for posting your recipe! I've never heard of tannin FT Blank soft, but I'm going to try it. Currently playing around with Brett in cider using beer dregs, so this is very interesting to me.

FT Blanc Soft performs exactly as described, adding good mouthfeel, a little body, and a little sweetness.
The additives probably do help with oxidation as well, since I get no darkening.

I love Brettanomyces character, so the batches of this that I've made are definitely my favorite, the perfect cider for my taste.
If you like Brett, this recipe and process won't disappoint.

 

[Nick Z]

Is Booster Blanc similar to opti white? One of the homebrew stores around here has opti white. I've looked at it but never gotten it. What does Booster Blanc do?

Why tartaric acid as opposed to malic acid or acid blend?

I am, quite frankly, terrified of using Brett. I've heard that once you have introduced it into your home it is impossible to get rid off it and can contaminate everything.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Is Booster Blanc similar to opti white? One of the homebrew stores around here has opti white. I've looked at it but never gotten it. What does Booster Blanc do?

They are different products (both made by Scott Labs/Lallemand). I'm using Booster Blanc here specifically to preserve the apple flavor through the natural MLF that occurs. Opti-white is a nice product too, but it won't provide quite the same functionality.

Product info: https://scottlab.com/booster-blanc-2-5kg-015179

Where I get it: https://morewinemaking.com/products/booster-blanc.html

You're welcome to just skip it if you can't get it or don't like to add things.

Why tartaric acid as opposed to malic acid or acid blend?

...

You need to use tartaric acid specifically for increasing acidity. Why? Because the cider naturally undergoes MLF, and the bacteria will consume malic acid and citric acid. Do not substitute with an acid blend or any other acid. You may however add some acetic acid (vinegar) if you want a little more tang, and to make it more authentic. Anywhere up to 1oz/gal of 5% vinegar would be appropriate.

Bacteria will reduce the acidity if you "back-acidify" with malic or citric unless the cider is stabilized or pasteurized (neither of which I recommend). They may also create undesirable flavors in the process that would need to be "aged out" (or they may not, who knows).

I am, quite frankly, terrified of using Brett. I've heard that once you have introduced it into your home it is impossible to get rid off it and can contaminate everything.

That's mainly old-timey superstition. Homebrewing has come a long way in the past few years, and lots of information is available to those that want to learn. The large majority of home brewers do an adequate job of preventing contaminated batches.

Anecdotally, I'm one of those guys using one set of equipment for wild/Brett stuff and "clean" beers/wines/etc. Dozens of batches and I have yet to experience a contamination (and surely I would notice one). I don't like to admit this but I've actually never cleaned my bottling bucket either; it gets rinsed with hot water immediately after use and sanitized with Star San before use.

On a more scientific note, a quality cleaning and sanitizing process kills these microbes the same as anything else, including the plethora of wild microbes already in your home to which your equipment is continually exposed. .. and Brett is not commonly airborne.

I think my batches of this recipe have been excellent, so I hope you give it a try and enjoy the result.
Cheers

 

[Nick Z]

Ah, I see. Thank you. I don't think I've had MLF unless I specifically added the cultures (which I have done to three batches).

Incidentally, how do you shut down a malolactic fermentation without heat? I have been searching on the web and can't seem to find an adequate answer. I don't know if sulfite knocks out the malolactic bacteria that same way it does yeast. I know that using straight sorbate will give you a nasty geranium flavor.

On the batches I put malolactic bacteria in I think the MLF is done. But I don't want to bottle and then find out the bacteria are still running and creating bottle bombs.

 

[RPh_Guy]

If you use a wild culture like the natural microbes on the apples used in this recipe, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that perform MLF will definitely be present and so the cider naturally undergoes MLF. MLF can/will occur alongside primary fermentation, although it will probably take longer to finish.

Sulfite affects both yeast and bacteria, or there's an enzyme product you can add that supposedly inhibits just the bacteria.

I'm still in the process of writing this, but it might help you understand sulfite better: https://***************.com/wiki/Sulfite

MLF doesn't produce significant amounts of CO2, so it won't create bombs.
You can monitor TA to determine when MLF is finished, and/or there are malic acid testing kits available.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Pics?

It's now brilliantly clear, and pale yellow.

 

[bkboiler]

Niiice! Looks yummy!

I just learned about the difference between sweet, bittersweet, bittersharp and sharp apples. Do you have a source where you can involve those parameters? I've only ever made cider with store bought juice a few times, but live near Julian, CA (which is a plentiful apple growing region). I generally prefer sweet ciders, but haven't had many others than from Julian and Strongbow and Bulmer's.

Considering going to buy some fresh juice next harvesting season...

 

[RPh_Guy]

Do you have a source where you can involve those parameters?

Unfortunately not. That's why I add tannins and acid.

 

[bkboiler]

Gotcha! That makes sense! I wasn't sure if you were adjusting based on "what nature gave you"...

I don't have room around my property for apple trees, but may plant a few grape vines soon and need to learn the ways of acid and tannin adjustment...

Probably will get involved with the nearby "winemaking store" before that to learn some of the more advanced techniques...

Off topic side comment over!

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Quick question for you @RPh_Guy

You say just a few drops of slurry, which I have have a lot of right now. How many gallons is that for? I think I'm going to use my last 4 gallons of 'fresh' (2 years old) pressed orchard juice for this.

Also, how important is Booster Blanc and the Tannin FT Blanc Soft? These are the only two ingredients I don't have at the moment, though I do have grape tannins and a package of wine tannins that say it contains Chestnut tannins. Would these be suitable products or should I just spend the $3.00? Thanks!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Brett pitch rate has no effect on the flavor profile, so it doesn't matter how much.

The Scott Labs Booster and Tannin products aren't required by any means, but I think they're worthwhile for improving flavor and body, assuming you don't have juice made from high tannin apples. Substitute at your own risk.

 

[jseyfert3]

I've only ever made cider from store juice, going to locate some cider from a local orchard hopefully and try this recipe! Sounds delicious.

Brettanomyces culture(s). I use WY5526 and dregs from Three Floyd's Deesko

Do you mean one or the other or both at the same time?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Do you mean one or the other or both at the same time?

Both at the same time.

 

[Switchback]

Recipe sounds great and going to try my luck with it. I bought WY Brett at ~$10. Can I just pitch all of it if no detrimental impact to flavor? Seems like a waste to only use such a small amount, but maybe that's all that is necessary? Thanks.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

My understanding is that the slurry was only used to get the microbial competition started in order for the yeast/microbes to start producing flavor compounds.

If you pitch the entire packet I think you will just wind up with a Brett fermented cider and lose a lot, if not most of the wild yeast characteristics. Not to say that it would be bad, it's just not the goal of this recipe.

If you didn't want to waste the packet there are a few things I can think of that you can do. Either

1) use a couple droplets from the packet then pitch the rest into a starter that you'll be able to store for longer than a packet

2) Brew a Brett beer and use a couple droplets in the cider before pitching into the wort (a starter would still be recommended for this option. See option 1)

3) Save the packet for a while longer until you plan a brew day, go to the bottle shop and buy a bottle of Orval or something with viable Brett and use the dregs (the 'slurry' in the bottom 1/2" of the bottle) instead of the Wyeast packet you bought.

Hope this is some sort of help. Cheers!

 

[Switchback]

My understanding is that the slurry was only used to get the microbial competition started in order for the yeast/microbes to start producing flavor compounds.

If you pitch the entire packet I think you will just wind up with a Brett fermented cider and lose a lot, if not most of the wild yeast characteristics. Not to say that it would be bad, it's just not the goal of this recipe.

If you didn't want to waste the packet there are a few things I can think of that you can do. Either

1) use a couple droplets from the packet then pitch the rest into a starter that you'll be able to store for longer than a packet

2) Brew a Brett beer and use a couple droplets in the cider before pitching into the wort (a starter would still be recommended for this option. See option 1)

3) Save the packet for a while longer until you plan a brew day, go to the bottle shop and buy a bottle of Orval or something with viable Brett and use the dregs (the 'slurry' in the bottom 1/2" of the bottle) instead of the Wyeast packet you bought.

Hope this is some sort of help. Cheers!

Ah, I see. So more important if using unpasteurized juice and/or something with wild yeast being introduced?

Unfortunately all I've been able to easily find is pasteurized juice without preservatives.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Ah, I see. So more important if using unpasteurized juice and/or something with wild yeast being introduced?

Unfortunately all I've been able to easily find is pasteurized juice without preservatives.

Correct, the wild yeast is what actually ferments this particular recipe. With that being said, since you only have store bought juice available to you (make sure it doesn't have any preservatives in it), you could pitch the whole Brett packet along with the dregs from a bottle of sour beer and let it age for several months. Will it be good? I'm sure of it! But, at the end of the day it will be something different.