Now that I have your attention...
I have made 4-5 batches of cider following CvilleKevin's basic process;
Buy the best juice you can get (lucky enough to have several local cider mills), add sugar to reach your desired OG, ferment with SafeAle-04, crash, keg, carb, drink.
Flavor is great, sometimes needs a little malic acid because I am stopping it at around 1.020, but very well received. The aroma on the other hand is nowhere near as clean as a commercial cider. My wife and a couple of friends have mentioned it (although oddly they don't seem to comment much after the first glass is behind them ) and they are not wrong. To me it just has a bit of a yeasty smell to it, which while I don't mind it personally, it clearly puts some people off though and I would be happier with it gone.
There are really only two things I can think of;
The cider is very young, about 3 weeks from juice to drinking, does it just needs time to mature to lose this smell (in which case I will just live with it)
The cider is not clear. I have used pectic enzyme and it was clear-er, but still has a haze...suspended yeast? I have SuperKleer that I could use, anybody have any experience regarding its efficacy in cider? I have avoided using any additives to clear it to date as the flavor is right where I want it and I am worried that fining agents may change that. I should also add that I have had no problems with the cider fermenting again after being cold crashed so my assumption has been that there is little to no suspended yeast.
If anybody has any other suggestions, experience, or better yet a magic bullet, I'm keen to hear from you!
Cheers
HW
I have made 4-5 batches of cider following CvilleKevin's basic process;
Buy the best juice you can get (lucky enough to have several local cider mills), add sugar to reach your desired OG, ferment with SafeAle-04, crash, keg, carb, drink.
Flavor is great, sometimes needs a little malic acid because I am stopping it at around 1.020, but very well received. The aroma on the other hand is nowhere near as clean as a commercial cider. My wife and a couple of friends have mentioned it (although oddly they don't seem to comment much after the first glass is behind them ) and they are not wrong. To me it just has a bit of a yeasty smell to it, which while I don't mind it personally, it clearly puts some people off though and I would be happier with it gone.
There are really only two things I can think of;
The cider is very young, about 3 weeks from juice to drinking, does it just needs time to mature to lose this smell (in which case I will just live with it)
The cider is not clear. I have used pectic enzyme and it was clear-er, but still has a haze...suspended yeast? I have SuperKleer that I could use, anybody have any experience regarding its efficacy in cider? I have avoided using any additives to clear it to date as the flavor is right where I want it and I am worried that fining agents may change that. I should also add that I have had no problems with the cider fermenting again after being cold crashed so my assumption has been that there is little to no suspended yeast.
If anybody has any other suggestions, experience, or better yet a magic bullet, I'm keen to hear from you!
Cheers
HW