Got my hands on pressed applejuice

[jay8s]

Ok so this is a new endevor for me, but a friend loved hard ciders. I have been given freshly press apple juice from a local winery, and have no idea where to begin. I might go the way of Edwort, but have read about issues with unpasturized apple juice. Anything I need to look out for. I am planning on working on this this weekend, probilby sunday, so not too big a rush, but any help would be GREAT!!!

Jay8s

 

[giligson]

I have done a number of ciders using wine yeast (they will pretty much all ferment apple juice dry) - you just need to choose the flavour profile.
This year I am trying an ale yeast Wyeast 1056 to see if it ferments with some residual sweetness.
Coming from the wine making side, I would suggest that you add some metabisulfite before pitching to stun any native yeast and kill bacteria. If you use dry yeast you will not need a starter. If you want your cider to be crystal clear you could also use some pectinase enzyme.

One of my favorite drinks is fresh cider - using champagne yeast- you drink it well before all the sugar is gone (2-4 days): the drink is mildly alcoholic, mildly sweet and mildly carbonated -it also tastes mildly of yeast but I call that a feature (my wife doesn't agree).

Theses are just some random ideas

 

[Yooper]

I would suggest adding some campden (potassium metabisulfite) immediately so that the cider doesn't start fermenting on its own from the wild yeast on the apple skins while pressing. You can then wait a couple of days to pitch the yeast of your choice into it.

 

[cd2448]

I would suggest adding some campden (potassium metabisulfite) immediately so that the cider doesn't start fermenting on its own from the wild yeast on the apple skins while pressing. You can then wait a couple of days to pitch the yeast of your choice into it.

Don't want to hijack but our local market sells apple juice that is very natural and tastes great but has added "potassium sorbate" - is this going to prevent wine or ale yeast from working? or was it just added to kill the wild yeast and I can leave a few days and pitch?

 

[Yooper]

Don't want to hijack but our local market sells apple juice that is very natural and tastes great but has added "potassium sorbate" - is this going to prevent wine or ale yeast from working? or was it just added to kill the wild yeast and I can leave a few days and pitch?

Sorry to say, but you're most unlikely to get a fermentation in anything with sorbate in it. I've heard once of a person overcoming it with a big starter, but 99% of the time it's unsucessful.

Sorbate is also what wine makers and cider makers use to inhibit wine yeast from reproducing when they want to stabilize. So, wine yeast is not usually able to overcome sorbate.

 

[cd2448]

Sorry to say, but you're most unlikely to get a fermentation in anything with sorbate in it. I've heard once of a person overcoming it with a big starter, but 99% of the time it's unsucessful.

Sorbate is also what wine makers and cider makers use to inhibit wine yeast from reproducing when they want to stabilize. So, wine yeast is not usually able to overcome sorbate.

That's what I was expecting, sadly. So it's back to supermarket (shoprite) apple juice - which actually turns out pretty good. Just thought it would be nice to make something with more natural apple juice.

 

[giligson]

Check around any local gourmet specialty shops or shops that sell organic juices - you might find something nice that is not preserved.

I wish I could get easy access to a cider press here but no such luck.

 

[jay8s]

I had not thought about the wild yeasties that may be on the skins, I will work on killing those off this weekend, and start fresh with champagine yeast next week.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[jay8s]

a new wrinkle. I might not be able to get my hands on the juice until next weekend. Can I have it kept in a refrigerator until next weekend with out much problem, or should I have it frozen, or should I just go get it myself? I am so very upset at how this is all working out. I guess orchards have their own plans.

Jay8s

 

[giligson]

ideally it would be nice to have it refrigerated and sulfite added asap to stop oxidation and stun wild yeast etc.