Yeast starter for cider?

[NicoleBrewer]

I'm normally a beer brewer and I use queasy liquid yeast with a yeast starter for my brews. Does anyone make a starter for their ciders? If so what do you use?

 

[ColoHox]

I tend to make a starter for most of my ciders. I usually make a low gravity LME starter, about 500ml worth, and add apple juice (free of any preservatives) until it is about 1.040-50.

 

[LeBreton]

I've never made a starter for cider. Apple juice is 100% fermentable, so attenuation isn't an issue as it is in brewing, and cider's typical OG (1.045-1.065) isn't enough to stress most commercial yeast while reproducing. Just shoot for ~1g/gallon and you're good to go.

I also like my ciders to be gluten free for my celiac/intolerant/fad-diet friends so a malty starter is a no-go.

 

[Yooper]

I've never made a starter for cider. Apple juice is 100% fermentable, so attenuation isn't an issue as it is in brewing, and cider's typical OG (1.045-1.065) isn't enough to stress most commercial yeast while reproducing. Just shoot for ~1g/gallon and you're good to go.

I also like my ciders to be gluten free for my celiac/intolerant/fad-diet friends so a malty starter is a no-go.

Me neither. I make tons of wines and some ciders, and only use a starter for a ridiculously hard ferment (like hard lemonade).

Fructose is 100% fermentable, and easily fermented by yeast and underpitching just isn't an issue with most available yeast in making ciders.

 

[ColoHox]

I guess I just do it out of habit. I don't mind the extra effort, even if it's not totally necessary.

 

[LeBreton]

I guess I just do it out of habit. I don't mind the extra effort, even if it's not totally necessary.

It's not like it's gonna hurt anything, and if you're washing yeast from batch to batch and/or slanting then a starter may actually save a few bucks while providing some piece of mind.

My roommate (also a homebrewer) just got a stir-plate and erlenmeyer flask the other day so I might make one for my next batch out of curiosity since I've been working on micro-oxygenation during the reproduction/lag phase.

 

[NicoleBrewer]

Hhhhm I have some washed "Denny's favorite" yeast. Maybe ill do a batch with that. It's supposed to enhance fruit flavor. Any one have experience with that?

 

[Chris_Run]

I make a starter in a clean 2000 ml Erlenmeyer and airlock the day or so before pitching using high quality store bought cider. May not be necessary, but it makes a vial of White Labs English cider yeast stretch out to 3 or 4 five gallon batches of cider.

 

[CoTron]

I usually make a low gravity LME starter

You don't need a malt-based starter for cider because the yeast won't be consuming maltose as in beer. An apple-juice starter is fine if you are fermenting apple-juice. But you can't use an apple juice starter for beer because you are letting the yeast get lazy by giving them simple sugars instead of training them to convert maltose.

 

[athhsan]

I decided to make my 2nd batch cider with apple juice with perservative in it. From diggin around the net and this forum it seems fun to try. The starter was made from fresh apples and a little sugar. I topped them up with the said apple juice and they have been boiling away since then.

 

[ColoHox]

You don't need a malt-based starter for cider because the yeast won't be consuming maltose as in beer.

I realize that. Adding some malt provides additional nutrients and makes for healthier yeast. I want to pitch a lot of the healthiest yeast possible, or why bother making a starter?

 

[Chris_Run]

More thoughts on this topic... Making a starter has led to the primary initiating in earnest in a matter of hours for me, besides stretching the yeast farther. In cool conditions I see this a as a potential plus to quickly out compete wild yeasts early, but could be problematic in warmer temperatures. 1800 ml and 24-36 hours has easily pitched 15 gallons from a single yeast portion. There are many roads to the same destination, so whatever works for you is best!