PineApple Cider

[BreweryD]

Testing a new recipe - would appreciate your thoughts. Trying a 1 gallon test of PineApple cider. Started with .5 gallon Trader Joe's honey crisp cider and .5 gallon grocery store apple juice. Combined OG @ 1.052. Pitched harvested/cleaned yeast from last batch of cider. Primary fermentation is winding down now (day 8). (I know this yeast will ferment down to ~1.008).

Going to wait a few more days, then transfer to secondary and add the following: 1 cup water, .25 cup brown sugar, 1 cup diced fresh ripe pineapple, 1 teaspoon cinnamon - all boiled together. Going to freeze this slurry to further break up the pineapple cells, thaw and add (this has a great smell and taste now). Thinking that the brown sugar will help restart the fermentation in the secondary, together with the sugars from the pineapple. With the fresh pineapple being so ripe, it doesn't have the acidic bite to it, so I'm not overly concerned about the ph levels.

Let me know if you think I'm nuts, or if this has potential for a good pineapple flavor.

 

[AzOr]

Personally I think you need to bump up the pineapple.
I make one with 1.5 lb/gallon of frozen Costco pineapple. This is for a 5 gallon batch. To get more flavor I also use 1/2 gallon of pineapple juice (from concentrate).
So....
5 gallons apple juice
1/2 gallon pineapple
7-8lbs froz pineapple
Imperial Napoleon yeast (I think the yeast character helps bring out flavor of pineapple)
**after decking off trub and transferring twice I end up w 5 gallons in keg.
You can also backsweeten with pineapple juice as well.

 

[Knightshade]

Personally I think you need to bump up the pineapple.
I make one with 1.5 lb/gallon of frozen Costco pineapple. This is for a 5 gallon batch. To get more flavor I also use 1/2 gallon of pineapple juice (from concentrate).
So....
5 gallons apple juice
1/2 gallon pineapple
7-8lbs froz pineapple
Imperial Napoleon yeast (I think the yeast character helps bring out flavor of pineapple)
**after decking off trub and transferring twice I end up w 5 gallons in keg.
You can also backsweeten with pineapple juice as well.

Is this all primary, or a part of it secondary? I’m guessing part of it being secondary since you’re racking twice?

When introducing fruit blended “stuff” into fermenter, are you bagging it, or just gently dropping it in?

Like that you mention using that yeast. S04/05 or Notty seems popular. Have been wondering if anybody has been doing any experimentation with some of these NEIPA strains yet.

 

[BreweryD]

Is this all primary, or a part of it secondary? I’m guessing part of it being secondary since you’re racking twice?

When introducing fruit blended “stuff” into fermenter, are you bagging it, or just gently dropping it in?

Like that you mention using that yeast. S04/05 or Notty seems popular. Have been wondering if anybody has been doing any experimentation with some of these NEIPA strains yet.

Knightshade, I actually syphoned off from the primary into a secondary jug that I put the pineapple/brown sugar in (no bag - just loose). I took AzOr's advice and doubled-up on the fruit from my initial thoughts (so it's two cups instead of one). At the same time, since it displaced a quart of cider from the primary, the secondary fermenter is nearly at a 1:3 ratio of fruit to cider. It's bubbling pretty active now (just transferred it earlier today). I harvested the yeast from the trub in the primary to use on a later batch.

To your yeast comment - Nottingham has been a go-to for my ciders, but I previously did a batch of pear cider from the Brewer's Best kit (don't hate me...it tastes good). I'm not sure what yeast they use in their kits, but it's good stuff (does anyone know what it is??). The yeast that I've been harvesting was initially from this kit (harvested prior to adding the pear flavorings in that batch).

 

[BreweryD]

Personally I think you need to bump up the pineapple.
I make one with 1.5 lb/gallon of frozen Costco pineapple. This is for a 5 gallon batch. To get more flavor I also use 1/2 gallon of pineapple juice (from concentrate).
So....
5 gallons apple juice
1/2 gallon pineapple
7-8lbs froz pineapple
Imperial Napoleon yeast (I think the yeast character helps bring out flavor of pineapple)
**after decking off trub and transferring twice I end up w 5 gallons in keg.
You can also backsweeten with pineapple juice as well.

AzOr - thanks for the advice - I've doubled up the pineapple (in secondary) based on your advice.

 

[AzOr]

I ferment cider in plastic buckets so I typically add frozen fruit in primary after activity has slowed down. I find it easier to use this method as opposed to fishing fruit out of carboys. I also use a large hop bag to contain all the pulp and then I just pull the whole bag then transfer to carboy after 10-14 days.

Good luck, I'm sure it'll turn out delicious.

 

[AzOr]

Also- pineapple loves ginger. Just enough to make it pop, too much will drown out the pineapple. I add 1-2oz fresh chopped ginger for a 5 gall batch. I have a batch going now and I forgot to add the ginger so I'm making a tincture instead. I'll add a tsp or so to each bottle.

 

[BreweryD]

Also- pineapple loves ginger. Just enough to make it pop, too much will drown out the pineapple. I add 1-2oz fresh chopped ginger for a 5 gall batch. I have a batch going now and I forgot to add the ginger so I'm making a tincture instead. I'll add a tsp or so to each bottle.

AzOr - thanks, great idea, but I'm getting too many variables for a one gallon test batch. When this one proves out, that'll go in the larger batch. Incidentally, everything was bubbling along nicely yesterday, but it's nearly still today. I assume the acid from the pineapple may have slowed the yeast, so added some nutrient (between 1/4 and 1/8 teaspoon for the gallon batch).

 

[BreweryD]

I ferment cider in plastic buckets so I typically add frozen fruit in primary after activity has slowed down. I find it easier to use this method as opposed to fishing fruit out of carboys. I also use a large hop bag to contain all the pulp and then I just pull the whole bag then transfer to carboy after 10-14 days.

Good luck, I'm sure it'll turn out delicious.

Do you feel that you get the same fermenting action when the fruit is bagged? I've been concerned that it wouldn't...but your way would certainly be less messy.

 

[AzOr]

Yes. When fermenting fruit, taste it after 5-7 days. You'll know, it'll taste like nothing. Then you'll know the fruit has given it's all. The pineapple also takes on a pale, almost translucent color.