Getting ready to pitch

[Shimmy1]

Some fresh-pressed cider. After much reading the last few days, we've decided to use D47 yeast. Dropped campden last night around 10, no pectic. My buddy is a winemaker, he is apprehensive about adding sugar, feels added alcohol might make a borderline product harder to drink, and we can always re-sweeten. OG is 1.046. So that's the first question. Second, we have the must around 50°F, what temp should we try and get it up to if that's too chilly? I have a couple more, but this post is getting long, lol.
TIA.

 

[Maylar]

Most yeasts want to be pitched into room temp must (68-70F). Once fermentation starts up you can lower the temp.

Edit: And we recommend not adding sugar. Your 1.046 will get you 6%-ish cider.

 

[Shimmy1]

Most yeasts want to be pitched into room temp must (68-70F). Once fermentation starts up you can lower the temp.

Edit: And we recommend not adding sugar. Your 1.046 will get you 6%-ish cider.

Thanks, Maylar. We slowly (over the course of about 8 hrs) warmed our must up to 68°. It's in a 6 gal carboy, we added 5 tsp nutrient and dry pitched after aerating vigorously for about 2 min with a stirrer on a cordless drill. Covered the top with towel, and let it be. This was Thursday, around 11 pm. By 7 am Friday, there appeared to be a little activity and about a half-inch of krausen. By 7 pm, it was bubbling well and the krausen had pretty much disappeared. Around 11 pm Friday, we checked the temp with a infrared gun, 58°F. Made the decision to airlock (this was 24 hours after pitch). Within a minute, we were getting a bubble every 3 sec.

 

[Shimmy1]

Checked today, temp is holding right around 58°, getting about a bubble every second. It's going to be interesting to see how long it takes to finish. Have any of you done batches at different temps with the same yeast to see what the differences are? Probably subtle, but just wondering if it's something we should try if we're not satisfied with this batch.

 

[Maylar]

Temperature matters. I haven't purposely experimented with different temps, mostly because I can't really control them. I'm at the mercy of Mother Nature and whatever temperature my basement brew room is at. I have noticed though that 5 degrees can make a difference in how far a particular yeast will attenuate to, and also whether I get any H2S sulfur. Example, last year's cider batch with S-04 finished and cleared at 1.004 at 62°F in my basement. I moved it upstairs into the house at 68° and it started fermenting again and finished dry at 0.996. FWIW, 62-ish seems to be a sweet spot for most yeasts in cider. And I've read that you want to keep D47 below 65 else you get fusels (at least the mead guys say so). And Nottingham at 75° makes nasty tasting cider (BTDT).

The craft cider folks are saying that the best cider is made at 50° with wine yeast. Rack off the lees at 50% SG to reduce the yeast biomass and let it take 5 months to complete. If I could control temp accurately I'd try that.

 

[Shimmy1]

Checked our cider this weekend. SG was down to 1.010. Racked into a 5 gallon carboy and proceeded to drink the extra. . We were pleasantly surprised with the product, had a very subtle sulfur hint, but overall very drinkable. Experimented a bit and discovered adding a teaspoon of FAJC along with a couple tablespoons of fresh cider to a glass made for some crazy good stuff. We now have 20 gallons working. Tried some Cote de Blanc's, 1116, and 1118, and did 3 more with D47. After much discussion on the pros/con's of adding sugar, we decided to go for it. Added both brown and white sugar to one, just white to one, just brown to another, and finally a can of FAJC+one gallon of store bought cider to the last one to fill it up. All the SG's were brought up to 1.060 with the added sugars. Can't wait to taste the new batches.

 

[MindenMan]

I am a firm believer of 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast and keeping the fermentation temperature between 50F and 55F from start to finish. It leaves a very fruity tasting cider; depending on the apples used there are sometimes notes of stone fruit with an occasional touch of banana on the nose. I have used many other yeasts when making cider, and 4184 is now the only yeast I will use when making cider.

 

[Shimmy1]

I am a firm believer of 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast and keeping the fermentation temperature between 50F and 55F from start to finish. It leaves a very fruity tasting cider; depending on the apples used there are sometimes notes of stone fruit with an occasional touch of banana on the nose. I have used many other yeasts when making cider, and 4184 is now the only yeast I will use when making cider.

Can't use it. Wyeast products contain gluten, and our ciders have to remain gluten free.