cider yeast questions

[vtfireman85]

my father makes cider, he makes REALLY good cider. i want to try some with a bit of a more..commercial twist, when dad makes his he uses a variety of wine and Campaign yeasts each batch is a little different, but he does about 12 6 gallon carboys a year so it spices things up.he manages around 12-14% abv by adding a ton of sugar. i have a couple questions about it. i read last night in my Zymurgy magazine about a yeast experiment with White Labs yeasts, one was a Cider yeast and the another 5 were ale yeasts and 1 was a lager yeast, i am particularly interested in trying an ale yeast but would like to shoot for higher than say 5-6% ABV. will an ale yeast fully attenuate with added sugar or will they drop out before processing the whole thing and give me something with lots of residual sugary sweetness and not as much alcohol as i want? i was considering Yeast 1056 (because that is what my home brew store of choice sells i have nothing against White labs) secondly, once my cider has fermented, and ideally cleared up, can i then prime it as i would beer and bottle it to carbonate? or is there not going to be enough yeast in suspension, or too much so i ether get sweet flat stuff or bottle bombs?

thanks
Seth

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Typically 1056 will attenuate up to 11%, maybe 12%. If you are looking for a higher abv, you may want to switch to a high gravity Belgian yeast (but that would change the cider a bit). Shoot for 10% or less to ensure your yeast will still carb for you.

Sure, you can naturally carb cider. Use the same method as you beer bottling.

Hope that helps!

 

[vtfireman85]

Thanks! we have never carbonated, its more like wine, but we put it on ice...and let me tell you watch out! after the first glass.....you loose the ability to rationally ration yourself. ( we do use pint glasses not wine glasses though)

 

[jflongo]

I have used the Wyeast Cider Yeast, and it worked great for me, took my cider from 1.079 down to 1.000. And then I primed batched it with 2 cans of apple concentrate, and then bottled. Next time I make cider, I'm going to make 11 gallons.

5.5 gallons will use WYeast Cider Yeast
5.5 gallons will use WLP002 English Ale Yeast.

 

[Randzor]

If you want high alcohol content, go with the wine yeast. They are bred to be under that kind of environment vs a ale yeast where your striving to get to their top range of ABV.

 

[MarkKF]

I used Nottingham Ale yeast Added 4 lbs of sugar to 5 gal. for a S.G. of 1.080
That should yield 10% ABV but fermenation seems to have slowed at 1.015-1.020
That seems like 7.5-8% ABV But it tastes soooo good with residual sweetness