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I drink the yeast after I pour the cider off. Mine happens to taste really good and yeast is really really good for you.

The only three ways I know of to give cider more color. More air contact when pressing, more crab apples and dye... I never knew woodchuck made a dry... isn't a commercial cider anywhere near here dry enough for my tastes.

There is no need to use soap or bleach when cleaning bottles. I give them a good soak in sanitizer and rinse them under the sink then visually inspect them with a lamp. After thousands of bottles I've had three I've had 3 infected bottles so far and I've used plenty of really nasty moldy dirty...

As a contractor I had to take epa approved lead safety course so I can speak with some authority on this subject. Lead in fruit bodies such as apples is very rare. It's main concern is in root and leaf crops. Lead from automobile exhaust and paint chips falls pretty much straight down and stays...

Of the very few trees I know the names of cortland was one and it makes a terrible cider here in North Dakota as well, sweet sixteen was equally terrible. Panda, I don't own any trees and the nearest orchard is 150 miles away in Minnesota. Probably some where near you. I've found most small...

In draft style the fermentation is stopped before it is completed leaving residual sugars and flavors. Then it is kegged and force carbonated. My girlfriend picked up some woodchuck last night and I actually thought it was good, much better than when I tried it some 5 years ago. But it is much...

I'm just grumpy today but I can't stand the words cider and recipe in the same conversation. Sorry.

I have only used the WL 775 Cider yeast and have been happy with it and see no reason for me to change it. from my research it really likes to age a long time and might produce less flavor than other yeasts but I add tons of crabs apples to my mix and my cider just screams apples. I don't have...

6 months in the primary before bottling. It got better and better all summer till i finished drinking it up at 7 months in the bottle. I'm also gonna pay a lot more attention to ripeness this fall before I press. Probably going to do a starch iodine test. I know it will help.

There are hardly any desert apples here and the few I've run into are insipid and or poor producers. If I had land I would be planting every bittersweet I could get to grow. I do plan to run a side by side comparison concerning racking off the lees this fall to end my doubt. I actually expect...

I don't keg yet, I keep spending my money on expanding production. If I do a sweet and fizzy next spring ill pasteurize as per Pappers. It makes sence to me also that it would become slightly more acidic. It probably doesn't matter in the end I just have to watch my acidity. Don't get me...

Well I'm actually trying to avoid malic acid. The vast majority of trees that are planted here are cookers and keepers. Not one of 30+ trees that I have tested has measured above a ph of 3.8. If I could make it a little less tart more people would enjoy it. I let it sit all winter on its lees...

I like this. Would you mind describing the procedure and results? I use store bought concentrate to prime with but this would allow me further control. What happens to the ph? It seems obvious that more flavor would be retained vs a heat reduction. Have you compared? Sorry for the hijacking.

While owning my own land is still just a dream thanks anyway for that link. Lots of good info. What varieties are you planting this year?

I wouldn't bother or worry if it mine but I don't rack mine to secondarys and do rouse a little yeast when racking to the bottling barrel. After sitting for six months its still carbs fast and has lots of fizz in only 3 days.

That post really needs to be made a sticky. Gotta hand it to several people here that make this place what it is, the only good cider forum. I do read the email forums archives and like there less newbish nature but find the method of communication antiquated, impersonal, less prone to...

I'm sure it helped having such good proximity to your cider. It's a good sign, keep it going and you might have a house yeast you don't even have to take care of.

Crabs come in all types. My main problem is the varieties of regular apples around here are mostly cookers and acidic while the few subacids are very bland. I'm always on the lookout for bittersweets.

I grind and press the crabs looking to add as many as I can while trying to keep it good and drinkable. About 17% went into the mix last year and even more will go in this year. I end up with a dry drink that still screams apples. Adding them to the primary will just waste space IMHO.

Dry cider needs to age all winter. Just because you back sweetened it won't hide that.