Is yeast necessary?

[Sherry]

Hi everyone, I've been making cider for a few years now with reasonable results and have always used dried yeast. We moved to France a couple of years ago and found that they don't sell yeast anywhere, after chatting to my neighbour who used to brew he said that you don't need to add yeast and that it will ferment by it's self, has anyone ever done it this way and does it work? Any advice would be greatfully recieved!

 

[chefchris]

So ask him what is causing the fermentation, something has to eat the sugars. You need bugs of some kind whether it be wild yeast or brewer's yeast.

 

[eschatz]

Yeah, spontaneous fermentation is totally possible. However, it's extremely inconsistent. I would get my yeast shipped from the closest supplier (england or germany). What I would start focusing on is yeast handling and how you can use one batch of yeast over and over to save lots of cash. Pretty soon your neighbor will be trying to drink all of your cider because yours doesn't taste like vinegar!

Here are a few links that can help you.
Yeast Washing (probably the most helpful)
Making a Frozen Yeast Bank.

 

[Nurmey]

That is really weird. One of the world's largest and oldest yeast manufacturer, LeSaffre, was started and is still headquartered in France. They make tons of baking yeast but they do have a wine yeast division. I believe the wine division may be out of Germany but you would think that they would have a presence in their home country.

Oh well back to the subject at hand. As mentioned, wild yeast is very inconsistent but worth a try. I wonder if you could start farming some yeast using wine grapes? Make a small "starter" by fermenting some crushed grapes and collecting the yeast after the juice has fermented. I have no clue whether you would end up with good yeast or not but it might be slightly better than taking your chances on using the open air, collect whatever yeast is floating around method. Just a thought.

Welcome to HBT!

 

[david_42]

Fresh cider will ferment, as there is plenty of wild yeast on apples. Did this years ago when I lived in Ithaca, NY. Picked apples at the University orchards, took it to a press and split the juice. Let the juice sit for a month. That's all it takes.

Occasionally, we end up with drunk elk and deer around here, as they consume the fermenting windfalls. Not this year though, very small apple crop.

 

[Pumbaa]

Fresh cider will ferment, as there is plenty of wild yeast on apples. Did this years ago when I lived in Ithaca, NY. Picked apples at the University orchards, took it to a press and split the juice. Let the juice sit for a month. That's all it takes.

+1

as long as you dont wash the apples b4 you press them or pasteurize the juice you'll have more then enough yeast to ferment them from the apples themselves

 

[gregbathurst]

Cider was made for thousands of years b4 yeast was discovered, but yeast mail order shouldn't be a problem - I get my yeast and MLF culture that way.

 

[JoeSponge]

... We moved to France a couple of years ago and found that they don't sell yeast anywhere, after chatting to my neighbour who used to brew he said that you don't need to add yeast and that it will ferment by it's self,

You can try a couple things, including buying organic apples (er, I guess any fresh apples) and using the peelings in a small bit of apple juice until you see it fermenting. I also had a friend who swore by raisins -- evidently, there's lots of residual yeast left on the raisins. Again, the same thing... a couple cups of apple juice, with peelings or raisins, capped off w/ an air lock, and watch for activity. Once you get it going, add it to your regular carboy. Then, farm your yeast!

So, how is the cider in France?

 

[IrritableGourmet]

How can France, land of wine, not have yeasts for sale? Did you ask for a specific cider yeast? That's a more American thing so I would see them not having any, but Champagne yeasts? Named after the Champagne region of France?