Recent content by jeanzanita

I haven't done it yet, but I want to try. I couldn't even keep a sourdough starter going though...so I'm not too hopeful I could faithfully maintain it...

...It was okay; but honestly for me not too tasty. I haven't tasted any farmhouse or funky type cider to compare it to. Unfortunately, out here in San Diego, although the craft cider industry is growing a bit, it all tastes commercialized to me with one exception (and they closed :(). I think a...

Try adding half the usual recommended amount of sulfites - I got this tip from the Craft Cider book I mentioned - it's supposed to suppress the kind of yeasts/bacteria that cause the bad-tasting stuff

I think mine turned out to be @3 %...I read that much higher alcohol will kill off the wild yeast; not as tolerant to alcohol as commercial yeast.

I found out the hard way once that "flash-pasteurizing" juice from a local orchard meant that there were still bad bacteria involved. In that case, I did not add any sulfites, assuming it would be ok, like grocery-store bought cider. In this case, unfortunately, I got something that was too acid...

Do you use any sulfites, like I did ? Just curious

I plan to age a few bottles of my current cider and compare to tasting it fresh - unfortunately, I only tasted a little, then pasteurized the rest - after pasteurizing, it seems like it lost a little of the "freshness" - I like your idea - drink while naturally sparkling ! However, now I'll be...

:mug:Hi, just wondering if anyone else out there does any wild fermentations (not just apple, anything) and I'm interested in your experience with it! Just tried my first on Manzanita Cider. For anyone that doesn't know what Manzanita is, it's a shrub/tree that grows prolifically out in the...

Thanks so much Maylar ! That helps a lot to know what others are doing in real life...I appreciate the info

Thanks Maylar, but can you expand how you add the sulfite at racking? Do you dissolve a campden tablet directly into your carboy after racking for instance? If you can detail the actual process a little, that would help. Also, does this leave any sulfite flavor or odor and if it does, will it...

Thanks, that helps - I also don't care as long as it is yummy, but I really had no idea how much I was changing the alcohol %, being somewhat a "green" cider maker. :mug:

Thanks - that makes total sense. Will try that next time :cask:

Hi, I've been wondering about how to determine the actual alcohol % of my final cider after back-sweetening with apple juice (to 1.005 S.G), allowing it to carbonate, and then pasteurizing. I do the usual O.G. minus S.G. to determine the final alcohol %; but it struck me that by the addition...

Hi Maylar, I have a question about the sulfiting you mention. I've heard this advice before but don't understand a couple of things - at what point are you adding the sulfite? To the primary BEFORE racking, during the process, or after? Once it is added, since you want to keep the oxygen out -...

UPDATE: posting an update for info in case anyone can benefit. Leaving the cider sit for awhile while I was on a 2-week vacation; I found that it was a bit reduced in acid when I got back. The cider had been divided into 4 1-gallon jugs in order to do a little experimentation - plain, and with...