Search results

Interesting. Bittersweets are one of four kinds of cider apples that are usually used in combination to make a good cider. You may want to try it on its own. If made from apples like Dabinett it may turn out nice. I think a lot depends on how it was concentrated and stabilized. If heat was used...

Store-bought apples and apple juice contain mainly acid and sugar but lack tannins and aromas. The acid is masked by sugar. After fermentation you are left with acid and alcohol. For a nice cider you need more flavours and tannins. Acidity will be reduced / mellowed by malolactic fermentation...

@Chalkyt: why don't you make crab apple cider and add it to the cider you make later on?

I would press a few orchard apples and add the juice.

My guess: the store-bought juice is the problem. Can you get juice from an orchard where you live?

The longer you wait the better it gets ;) So soon and without malolactic fermentation it will probably not be very nice.

Big apples, good for pies. If ripening late that makes the case for Bramley's Seedling only stronger. In my neighbour's orchard B. S. is the last apple tree to drop its apples. Still many apples in the tree right now. How is your tree doing early May in Oz? They are strong growers. Is that your...

IMHO they look more like a Bramley's Seedling than a Jonagold. Jonagold is rounder, Bramley's Seedling a bit flatter.

How about malolactic fermentation before kegging and stabilizing?

Most likely won't be a problem at all as long as you keep O2 away from your brew. Most spices are sanitized to some extent anyway before packaging to increase shelf life.

We pressed the juice 16th, the teachers, who are professional cider makers, put it in a brewing vessel in a climate-controlled room. Not sure what the temparature is there but they told us the climate control wasn't working well. So I guess it won't be much lower than the open air i.e. at least...

Are you sure it is a Tokyo Rose? The pics on www show an apple with almost white flesh.

Isn't the red of a Gravensteiner a bit streakier? This is how my neighbour's Gravensteiners look: Gravenstein — Out on a Limb Apples

More than a week later no activity in the waterlock yet. Should we add yeast now or give it some more time? Would adding yeast help to prevent formation of off-flavours?

I am surprised to read you are having problems with fruit flies. I use these waterlocks: waterslot slangmodel rode kap – De Wijnmaker Never seen a fruit fly in it.

Time to get one. if you feel there is sugar left you can try adding some yeast nutrient. You may have added too much sugar for the available amount of nutrients.

That's a good one. I'll see whether that is possible. ATM the juice is in climate-conditioned room in the orchard organizing the course.

We won't be adding yeast, let the wild yeasts do the work. Our teacher told us that you usually get a lower ABV because some sugar will be converted into different molecules than alcohol and CO2. he reckons it will be approx 4,8%

Put the shredded apples in a linen bag and pile some stones on top of the bag. When you put them in a Vitamix blender I don't think you have to press. In my experience, when you ferment Vitamix juice you will be left with up to 50% lees. That is what I get when fermenting slow juicer juice...

About 6% ABV