Fermenting Cider in a 3rd World Country - Unique Obstacles

[412CiderGuy]

So I recently moved to Costa Rica and realized quickly there is no local wines or ciders. There are a few microbreweries in the country but most are small operations. While they do import wine there is almost NO CIDER in the country - I have only found woodchuck (ewww) and that’s $7 a bottle! I looked at this as a challenge and decided to try and brew my own. It’s been a learning experience to say the least. There is one brew store in the country and it’s tiny and VERY expensive (2-3 times what you pay in the states and it’s 11 hours round trip for me). I ended up bringing an assortment of supplies from the states and bought some carboys at the store.

I searched EVERYWHERE and couldn’t find apples at a reasonable price ($1 per apple even in bulk) but I found a concentrate company that had a big selection including apple. The issue is this stuff is for making juice and is loaded with sorbates (see below).

https://imgur.com/HNOsNic

I thought it was worth a shot so I bought 10 gallons and wet pitched my yeast and after 24 hours not the slightest sign of fermenting. I have 4 carboys and was going to test different methods and would love any advice. Please remember that getting anything down here is REALLY difficult especially brewing supplies (can’t even find a funnel…). I have friends that can bring small things when they visit but besides that I’m limited.

Here’s what I did for the first stalled fermentation:

1. I Used Lalvin D47 (no reason in particular I brought a wide assortment to try and grabbed the first one)

2. I sterilized everything then added the juice concentrate and purified water to the carboy (note: You can’t get distilled water here).

3. I added the yeast with yeast nutrient in warm water so it dissolved and then added to the carboy.

4. Realized I didn’t have sugar so ran out and bought 2lbs brown sugar to carboy.

5. LAstly added Pectic Enzyme and shook it to oxygenate.

It’s been 24 hours and I don’t see any bubbles but there looks like a little trub starting to float on top. (see below)

https://imgur.com/rB3nd1N

Secondary Questions:

1. The yeast had to be packed in my checkin luggage so went through some crazy temperature fluctuations. Maybe it’s dead?

2. I read sorbates breakdown after 24 hours. Could I pour the concentrate into the carboy and wait 24 hours then add yeast? Anything I can do to purge the sorbates faster?

3. What’s the best way to test flavor combos without having to make a whole 5 gallon batch? Should I just brew normally and add juice after and see what works best?

4. It’s REALLY hot here… So I have a chest freezer to ferment in but even on the minimal setting it’s too cold. I have a digital thermometer coming that can kick it off and on as needed but not sure if this is standard practice or if I’m running the risk of my cider getting too cold.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Brew something with local ingredients. Apples are not native to Costa Rica but lots of other stuff is.
What would brewers yeast do to pineapple juice? Guava? Or maybe try your hand at distilling? Some nice dark rum might make you more popular than cider anyway.

When I moved from Chicago to Germany, for a short time I missed Chicago style hot dogs and schlitz. Then I discovered dozens of far superior sausages and a world of better beer. I couldn't imagine toiling away in my cellar trying to recreate ballpark franks and light fizzy lager.

 

[Maylar]

Your apple juice is laced with preservatives that are designed to cripple or kill yeast. Sodium Benzoate blocks the yeast's ability to assimilate food/nutrients and Potassium Sorbate prevents the yeast from multiplying. Sorry, but that stuff will never ferment.

 

[johnnyseko]

Enjoy an Imperial!!
I'm jealous.

 

[don_bran321]

Find the Crazy goat brewery! The owner is from Allentown PA. He makes some great craft beers. Co Co Beach area I believe. Sorry if my spelling is off.
Secondly. You should try making a cashew fruit mead or beer. (local ingredients)
Yes unfortunately anything with preservatives is going to be impossible to Ferment. Gotta find pure ingredients.
If you are having problems getting yeast. Try harvesting wild yeast from produce. If you can find blueberries or juniper berries. GL!

 

[412CiderGuy]

Your apple juice is laced with preservatives that are designed to cripple or kill yeast. Sodium Benzoate blocks the yeast's ability to assimilate food/nutrients and Potassium Sorbate prevents the yeast from multiplying. Sorry, but that stuff will never ferment.

I was told that the sorbates will dissolve after 24 hours after opening the concentrate, is that not true? I am working on sourcing local apples (there is actually one farmer in the middle of nowhere i'm trying to track down). Is this 100% a lost cause?

 

[412CiderGuy]

Find the Crazy goat brewery! The owner is from Allentown PA. He makes some great craft beers. Co Co Beach area I believe. Sorry if my spelling is off.
Secondly. You should try making a cashew fruit mead or beer. (local ingredients)
Yes unfortunately anything with preservatives is going to be impossible to Ferment. Gotta find pure ingredients.
If you are having problems getting yeast. Try harvesting wild yeast from produce. If you can find blueberries or juniper berries. GL!

So funny enough everyone keeps telling me about that guy and we have the same accountant back home. Going to shoot him an email now!

 

[412CiderGuy]

Brew something with local ingredients. Apples are not native to Costa Rica but lots of other stuff is.
What would brewers yeast do to pineapple juice? Guava? Or maybe try your hand at distilling? Some nice dark rum might make you more popular than cider anyway.

When I moved from Chicago to Germany, for a short time I missed Chicago style hot dogs and schlitz. Then I discovered dozens of far superior sausages and a world of better beer. I couldn't imagine toiling away in my cellar trying to recreate ballpark franks and light fizzy lager.

I heard it's tough to make cider from something other than apples. I also heard the learning curve is massive and people usually throw away there first 10-15 batches. Have you tried making cider with something other than apples? How did it turn out?

 

[Jayjay1976]

I heard it's tough to make cider from something other than apples. I also heard the learning curve is massive and people usually throw away there first 10-15 batches. Have you tried making cider with something other than apples? How did it turn out?

I'm struggling to make simple drinkable beers with cheap and plentiful ingredients, so dont put any stock in my advice, just thought you might do better long term learning to brew the local intoxicants.

One day you will be back in bumblef@ck Idaho bored out of your gourd with regular old ciders; thinking back on your time in Costa Rica you'll start pining for a pint of that ungodly earthy guava root cider you made do with all those years ago. Just saying, time spent living abroad will expand your worldview and sooner or later you'll wish you had embraced more of the local flavor. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

 

[MarkKF]

I heard it's tough to make cider from something other than apples. I also heard the learning curve is massive and people usually throw away there first 10-15 batches. Have you tried making cider with something other than apples? How did it turn out?

Are there any fresh berries or is honey readily available? A fruit wine or mead might be a good start. Pineapple tepache perhaps?

 

[Maylar]

I was told that the sorbates will dissolve after 24 hours after opening the concentrate, is that not true? I am working on sourcing local apples (there is actually one farmer in the middle of nowhere i'm trying to track down). Is this 100% a lost cause?

Sorry, but those preservatives will not dissipate in any reasonable amount of time. It would be a nightmare to try to ferment that and even if you succeed the end result will taste like crap. 100% lost cause.

 

[Miraculix]

I'm struggling to make simple drinkable beers with cheap and plentiful ingredients, so dont put any stock in my advice, just thought you might do better long term learning to brew the local intoxicants.

One day you will be back in bumblef@ck Idaho bored out of your gourd with regular old ciders; thinking back on your time in Costa Rica you'll start pining for a pint of that ungodly earthy guava root cider you made do with all those years ago. Just saying, time spent living abroad will expand your worldview and sooner or later you'll wish you had embraced more of the local flavor. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

This!

Look at me for example. A German, drinking English beer!

Well, you do not need to go out of your comfort zone THIS far, but brewing the local stuff might be a really good idea! Banana guave pineapple cider sounds interesting to me.

 

[T-Zed Jarhead]

I have similar issues here in Tanzania

For the last few years I was fortunate enough to work with people from UK and NZ who would rotate in and out on a month to month basis, and I had them bring me kits, John Bull cider from UK and Mangrove Jack from Kiwi, and I brought two Cider House kits from the States on my annual home visit. These concentrate kits worked well. I used filtered bottled water (UV treated then reverse osmosis if you believe the label) and the provided dry yeasts.

The kits from US and NZ were in the stand up pouch packaging and the UK stuff was in tins, though I did get a Bulldog kit from UK that was in a sealed plastic bag inside a cardboard box. All were brought in checked luggage and I had no problem with them.

That project has come to an end, however, there is a guy growing apples in Uganda, who I believe is from Southern Californian who is working with local Ugandan's to grow apple trees there, (http://www.kuffelcreek.com/tropics.htm), including some that would be good cider crabapples, so I may have a source close by soon.

If you are going to be in Costa Rica long term, you might want to speak to the Kuffel Creek guys and see about getting some apple tree seedlings / bench graft shipped in and start your own orchard.

 

[412CiderGuy]

Quick update. So I actually got the batch going with a new yeast! It's been slow and steady for the last week and going to do my first tasting today!