Critique my steps/methods please?

[dawn_kiebawls]

I have about 10 gallons of fresh pressed cider in my freezer that I need to FINALLY (they're ~2 years old) do something with! I'm going to make a cider but have never used fresh pressed juice so I want to make sure I get this right. I'm planning to:

1) Thaw the jugs by leaving at room temp
2) Once thawed, fill my fermentor
3) Add the appropriate amount of Camden tablets, crushed into a powder and stirred in (I think its 1 tablet per 5 gallons but will need to verify that)
4) Add 1/8 tsp wine tannin
5) 12 hours after Camden was dissolved, add 1tsp/Gallon of Pectic Enzymes
6) 12 hours later, add yeast nutrient/energizer and pitch yeast

Thanks for any and all help. Cheers!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Campden is optional.
Pectinase is optional.
Nutrient is optional.

There's nothing wrong with anything you mentioned.

IMO you left out the most important details: How will you prepare the yeast for pitching? Will you control fermentation temperature? Will you be testing pH? Will you be adding sulfite after fermentation? Will you be racking? Carbonating? Sweetening?

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

IMO you left out the most important details: How will you prepare the yeast for pitching? Will you control fermentation temperature? Will you be testing pH? Will you be adding sulfite after fermentation? Will you be racking? Carbonating? Sweetening?

I guess I did leave out some pretty important information! I haven't given any thought to preparing the yeast, but my package (WLP775) says it's best before August 7th so it's pretty old. I'll make a ~1/2 gallon starter with some of the juice.

I will control fermentation temps for about 10-14 days because my ferm chamber is my keezer at the moment.

I will not be measuring pH

Unlikely that I will add more sulfites other than preparing the must before pitching.

I will rack it out of primary into a glass carboy for aging (4-6 months, maybe longer depending how busy I get), which will be at room temp (~72F)

Carbonating for sure, most likely in a keg

Undecided about sweetening


On a side note, I'm quite interested in your funky cider! I think I'll use my remaining 4 gallons of juice and inoculate it with some Bugfarm. What do you think of that? I'm a little worried that a 2 year freeze of the juice will have all but wiped out any of the wild yeast that was once living on the skins. Thanks for the help!

 

[RPh_Guy]

I will not be measuring pH

I do not recommend using sulfite before fermentation unless you measure pH. ... Particularly if you aren't planning on adding sulfite after fermentation.

Be sure to minimize headspace when racking.

Personally I'm not a fan of pectinase because I don't like the extra methanol. Every one of my ciders clears with or without pectinase.

On a side note, I'm quite interested in your funky cider! I think I'll use my remaining 4 gallons of juice and inoculate it with some Bugfarm. What do you think of that? I'm a little worried that a 2 year freeze of the juice will have all but wiped out any of the wild yeast that was once living on the skins. Thanks for the help!

I suspect primary fermentation will still be fine, although probably a little delayed even though the juice has been frozen.
I haven't used bugfarm so I can't comment on the culture.
I love my BAC cider ... Drinking one right now.

Cheers

 

[doublejef]

Personally I'm not a fan of pectinase because I don't like the extra methanol. Every one of my ciders clears with or without pectinase.

What do you mean about extra methanol? You do taste it in cider?
Some of my cider stay cloudy, some are quite clear without pectinase but pectinase make 100% crystal clear cider.

 

[RPh_Guy]

What do you mean about extra methanol? You do taste it in cider?

Pectinase significantly increases the amount of methanol in cider and wines. To my knowledge it doesn't affect the taste.

And....it's likely harmless. It just bugs me.

I love my BAC

I realized you probably don't know what I meant. BAC is what I call my faux Barrel Aged Cider.

 

[blasterooni]

Pectinase significantly increases the amount of methanol in cider and wines. To my knowledge it doesn't affect the taste.

And....it's likely harmless. It just bugs me.

I found some interesting data concerning methanol and pectinase, it appears that methanol is produced most when pectinase AND sugar are added to the must. Here is the link to the article, and I will include a pic of the section pertinent to the notion of pectinase and methanol production (sample B had only pectinase added)

 

[RPh_Guy]

I found some interesting data concerning methanol and pectinase, it appears that methanol is produced most when pectinase AND sugar are added to the must. Here is the link to the article

Thanks, link?

 

[blasterooni]

Thanks, link?

Oops, had something on the burner when I posted this and forgot go include the link. I'll post it when I get home tonight.

 

[blasterooni]

Thanks, link?

Sorry about the late posting of the link, the week got REALLY busy, and I never got to get back to the computer, but here is the link
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4700919/