So I've been gathering apples from around my neighbourhood and making cider with them for the past couple of years. These apples tend to be low ph (< 3.4), high acid (> 8g/L malic), and some are also high gravity (sg > 1.070). Tough conditions, yes, but not impossible. I stick with champagne (DV10 and EC1118 mostly) for the most part, but also dabble with other yeasts.
I've been getting strong banana esthers (isoamyl acetate) late in primary fermentation more and more as of late. I sulfite the juice to 100ppm, wait 24 hours, add pectinase, wait 24-48 hours, aerate & pitch properly rehydrated yeast, and feed 2-3 g/L of Fermaid O (1/3 at pitch, 1/3 after 24 hours, 1/3 after another 24 hours). About 1/3 of the time I get the banana explosion.
Anyone have any ideas why this happens and how to prevent it?
I've been getting strong banana esthers (isoamyl acetate) late in primary fermentation more and more as of late. I sulfite the juice to 100ppm, wait 24 hours, add pectinase, wait 24-48 hours, aerate & pitch properly rehydrated yeast, and feed 2-3 g/L of Fermaid O (1/3 at pitch, 1/3 after 24 hours, 1/3 after another 24 hours). About 1/3 of the time I get the banana explosion.
Anyone have any ideas why this happens and how to prevent it?
