cider without sulphites

[ThePrisoner]

I was thinking about making some cider this autumn but the book I have focuses a lot on the use of sulphites - is there any way to reduce these or not use them at all in the cider making process?

 

[LakeErieMonster]

Sure, just buy pasteurized juice/cider to begin with, ferment it out, carbonate, and enjoy your fizzy, dry cider... if you want to backsweeten, that takes a little bit more finesse. You would have to ferment your cider completely, add whatever you want to sweeten with, and then, pasteurize to kill the yeast once the correct level of carbonation is reached. I would stay away from backsweetening with unfermentable sugars, although this is possible, I do not like the flavors of them.

Of course it becomes easy if you keg, just ferment your cider out, chill it in the keg, dump in sweetening agent. Keep it cool and the yeast will remain dormant.

 

[ThePrisoner]

Sure, just buy pasteurized juice/cider to begin with, ferment it out, carbonate, and enjoy your fizzy, dry cider... if you want to backsweeten, that takes a little bit more finesse. You would have to ferment your cider completely, add whatever you want to sweeten with, and then, pasteurize to kill the yeast once the correct level of carbonation is reached. I would stay away from backsweetening with unfermentable sugars, although this is possible, I do not like the flavors of them.

Of course it becomes easy if you keg, just ferment your cider out, chill it in the keg, dump in sweetening agent. Keep it cool and the yeast will remain dormant.

So why add SO2 at all - it just makes it keep for longer?
If you are pressing apples, then you have to add SO2 tro kill bacteria?

 

[cernst151]

I've done several batches of cider and never used sulfates. Technically using them increases shelf life but I've found some really old ciders sitting on my shelf and they were just fine. Even when I pressed apples we picked up off the ground (we rinsed them first) we didn't use sulfates. We heat pasteurized them. Just bring the temp up to 130 for a while to kill the baddies. DO NOT BOIL YOUR JUICE! I've done wines without sulfates too and they've lasted for a few years so far with no ill effects.

 

[LakeErieMonster]

You will want to treat pressed apples or unpasteurized cider with Na or K metabisulfite (campden tablets) this will stop the wild bugs from the fruit from reproducing and challenging your yeast of choice for the fermentables.

 

[LakeErieMonster]

Btw, I think the FDA recommends 145F for at least 30 mins to pasteurize. Keep in mind temperature and time are inversely related.

 

[ThePrisoner]

So, the choice is
- sulphites and no pasteurising OR
- just pasteurising?

 

[gregbathurst]

You don't need to pasteurise juice, I make lots of cider with apples picked off the ground and not washed, no sulfite and never had problems. Just pitch rehydrated yeast straight away, and once vigorous fermentation dies down keep in a well sealed container full to the top. SO2 is an antioxidant as well as microbial agent, it is used as an insurance policy.
For people worried about the safety of apple juice for fermenting, remember winegrapes are never washed or pasteurised.