Hot Ferments--help!!!

[cottonwoodks]

I was hoping someone could tell me about what happens when your ferment is too warm. It's been bloody hot here, and no practical way to cool things off (even the basement has been 80F. I've done several batches, and the three batches (with SafCider yeast and Cider House Select yeast) both with purchased local orchard cider (pasteurized, but no preservatives) and with cider pressed from my own trees (Enterprise, Liberty, and Jonafree), and the all taste terrible. I am aware now that those yeasts probably need lower temps to make decent cider, but is there anything I can do now? They mostly taste like old stale cheap beer. Or, as the notes from one of them said: "SMELL--stale bar beer, hint of leather, hint of sweat. TASTE--metal, grapefruit, a little bitter aftertaste, rubber balls." In any case, nothing anyone really wants to drink. I started those in gallons, and then put them in bottles. Will aging help, or should I just pour them out?

The next batches I did in 6 and 5 gallon carboys, with Red Star Premier Cuvée yeast and Red Star Premier Côte des Blanc yeast, with a fermenting temp between 75 and 80F, yes, probably still way too warm. I've racked them into smaller carboys, but haven't tasted them yet. I'm HOPING they're not as terrible as the first three. The next one I get Belle Saison yeast, which is supposed to like the warmer temps; it smells quite a bit different than the others. They smelled mostly like yeast when they were fermenting, and this smelled a lot fruitier. Then I have a couple more gallons with Lalvin 71B which someone also said liked higher temps. I haven't tasted any of these yet.

The last pressing I've put in the freezer in gallon bags to take out and ferment when it's cooler.

But IS there anything I can do about all this cider? It was a bonanza year for my three apple trees, and I've always wanted to make cider before, and it'd be a tragedy if none of it was any good.

 

[SanPancho]

Lutra yeast from omega is a Norwegian kveik type yeast that will ferment clean and crisp at 80+. Be sure to add a lot of nutrients. Double or triple the usual amount.

 

[cottonwoodks]

Lutra yeast from omega is a Norwegian kveik type yeast that will ferment clean and crisp at 80+. Be sure to add a lot of nutrients. Double or triple the usual amount.

I'll see if my local homebrew shop carries it, or can get it, or I'll order some, and perhaps use it next year (too late for this year). Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Farside]

How humid is it? Would a swamp cooler type box work or wet towels draped around the carboy and a fan blowing air over them?

 

[cottonwoodks]

How humid is it? Would a swamp cooler type box work or wet towels draped around the carboy and a fan blowing air over them?

It's been pretty darned humid, but I'm not doing my fermentation where I live, so I don't want to leave any fans blowing when we're not there. I really want to know about what I can do with the stuff that's ALREADY fermented--is there any saving it?

 

[Farside]

It's been pretty darned humid, but I'm not doing my fermentation where I live, so I don't want to leave any fans blowing when we're not there. I really want to know about what I can do with the stuff that's ALREADY fermented--is there any saving it?

Time will do wonders. It won't perform miracles but you may be pleasantly surprised in 6 months.

I would recommend not to try and fix anything. More often than not, adding stuff or blending leads to a deeper hole so to speak.

 

[cottonwoodks]

Time will do wonders. It won't perform miracles but you may be pleasantly surprised in 6 months.

I would recommend not to try and fix anything. More often than not, adding stuff or blending leads to a deeper hole so to speak.

Oh good. That's what I'll do. I can let it all sit. It's not undrinkable now; it's just not very good..... Thanks!