Fermenting cranberry juice/cider questions

[sbanach]

I have been experimenting with a cranberry / cider blend for Thanksgiving. I had much success with fermenting apple cider with different added fermentables; brown sugar, honey, malt extract, cane sugar.

Question: What's a good yeast for fermenting cranberry juice. I used a Lavlin Champagne yeast. It fermented well for 3 days until desired FG and cold crashed. It still smells like sulfur. Any good yeasts out there or recommendations that will help with this? Thanks in advance!

 

[Yooper]

I have been experimenting with a cranberry / cider blend for Thanksgiving. I had much success with fermenting apple cider with different added fermentables; brown sugar, honey, malt extract, cane sugar.

Question: What's a good yeast for fermenting cranberry juice. I used a Lavlin Champagne yeast. It fermented well for 3 days until desired FG and cold crashed. It still smells like sulfur. Any good yeasts out there or recommendations that will help with this? Thanks in advance!

If you cold crashed it after 3 days, it wasn't done- as champagne yeast will easily go to .990 and/or up to 18% ABV. That's why it smells like sulfur, I'd guess. The stress of the lowered temperature will produce some off-flavors and smells. Champagne yeast may not completely stop at fridge temperatures, just get stinky.

 

[AndrewTodd]

I plan on making a cranberry apple cider and will likey use a Nottingham ale yeast.

 

[Gunrunner]

I tried the cranberry thing and was not happy with the results. It was too tart and tatsted as if it were a wine that went bad (used champagne yeast). I added two cans of apple juice concentrate and that helped quite a bit. I have decided to let it age a bit longer (kegged) and check it in another few weeks to see if it improved. All in all it is not too bad at the moment but I do not think we could drink the whole 5 gallons. I think I would stick to staright apple cider (but that was my experiment).

 

[ditchbanker]

I decided to make my first cider experience cranberry cider, too, based on the upcoming holidays. I'm about 11 days into fermentation, and action seems to have about stopped. W/ an original SG of just 1.044, and using EC1118, I've been fermenting around 64*. I haven't taken a gravity measure since I started, but based on no activity in air lock, the bitter taste and the fact that it started to clear yesterday, I'd guess bellow 1.00 now. No off flavors, but certainly not as good as commercial cider's I've tried. I know it needs time to age, but it's going to have to do that in the bottles. I plan to bottle it soon and start a batch with just apples. I think plain apples will yield a better taste.

If anyone wanted to know, I plan to bottle DRY and lightly carbed.

 

[sbanach]

Thanks everyone! I'm thinking I may just add enough cranberry juice to my already fermented apple cider so that it's noticeable, but not dilute it. Next year I may try fermenting a mix of cranberry and apple cider. I may even try and get my hands on some fresh cranberries for a 1 gallon experimental batch next year.

@Yooper, I may try a different yeast next time. I didn't want it to ferment at 1.0 or below because I didn't want to strip all the cranberry taste away from it. This is why I cold crashed so soon.

@ditchbanker. I hope your cranberry cider turns out well!! I have done about 8 test batches of cider this year. From my experience, it's best to boost SG to 1.06 with brown sugar and cold crash around 1.018. You will have a good amt of abv without stripping the apple taste...

 

[bosster01]

I tried the cranberry thing and was not happy with the results. It was too tart and tatsted as if it were a wine that went bad (used champagne yeast). I added two cans of apple juice concentrate and that helped quite a bit. I have decided to let it age a bit longer (kegged) and check it in another few weeks to see if it improved. All in all it is not too bad at the moment but I do not think we could drink the whole 5 gallons. I think I would stick to staright apple cider (but that was my experiment).

I just did the same thing and holy crap it's so tart I don't think I can drink it. I added 2 cans of FAJC and kegged - we will see if it improves or if it'll be dumped.

 

[spatelectric]

im new at his but love to try. I am trying a cranberry my self . im doing a gallon , two cups suger, TBLS brewers yeast and 1/2 TSP enz. I had a violent fermentation in just the first 10 hours it foamed a dark foam stopped up the airlock and blew it off. I've done apple this way without a problem. Can anyone give me some advice on where im going wrong?