Watery, yeasty cider...how to improve next batch

[ILikeCider]

Hello!

Just bottled my third batch of cider, and each batch has been disappointing. All watery and with an unpleasant yeast taste. I’ve just bottled, so I know this one will get better with age, but with how watery it tastes, I don’t think it’s gonna help it too much.

So far I’ve done similar things with all batches, but here’s what I did for my last one:

Treetop apple juice + dextrose to bring OG to 1.060

Safale S-04 yeast

Primary for 3 weeks, then racked into secondary where Splenda was added for sweetness.


3 weeks in secondary, then into the bottling bucket. Backsweetened with 1/2 can of apple concentrate and bottled.

Final gravity 1.002


I’m wondering if leaving it longer would help? Or adding the apple concentrate in the beginning? Or some other way to add flavor?

Also, other yeast recommendations? Not sure if the yeasty taste is due to the specific yeast or something I’m doing wrong in the process.

I’m becoming real discouraged, so any help would be much appreciated!

 

[bmd2k1]

Relative newbie here...but have now done 3batches using S04. Current batch I started on 1/22...w/5gals Sam's 100% AJ & 4 cans FAJC....for an OG of 1.058. Took an SG today at day7...its 1.01. Room's temp has been 64-68F. So I will rack it into secondary today or tomorrow. I've found S04 to be a pretty fast fermentor...but if stopped soon enough leave good appley flavor/aroma for me. So far I haven't done individual bottles....just right back into the 1gal containers for conditioning/flavoring. A couple weeks in those helps it smooth out a bit...lets my cinnamon sticks do their thing etc. I find I can pour from those containers till gone...and still get a decent carb. So far I haven't backsweetened my S04s...or added any bottling sugar. Did a batch with WLP775...first & last...not my fav...and did backsweeten with FAJC. I prefer a smooth...semi-sweet cider. I have some 100% tart cherry & wild blueberry concentrates I use for flavors...so far.

Also...so far no nutrients, sulfites etc used.

Maybe you're leaving in primary too long?

 

[Bowen1911]

I primary for about a month, and then secondary like you would a lager, for at least another month and a half. Then I keg and carbonate. The batch I have on tap right now is made from Ryan's Apple cider (easy to find in the PNW) and S-04. No sugar, no pectic enzyme, no nothing. Tastes just slightly drier than angry orchard. I've got another batch fermenting right now with Mangrove Jack's Lager yeast, so we will see how that turns out in a few months.

My first cider was made with Old Orchard juice, and it came out really dry and minimally flavored. Start with good juice in, and you will probably get better juice coming out.

 

[MarkKF]

A. Use better juice. Fresh cider is best.
B. Add yeast nutrients.
C. Keep temps low.
D. Don’t use Splenda.

 

[thedevilandgod]

Agreed with MarkKF. Use cider, not juice. Juice is watered down cider, which means less sugar for the yeast.

And fermentation is important. Add nutrient, as the yeast needs some nutrients not always found in cider. The yeast also creates lots of the flavor compounds needed for good cider, especially within the first 72 hours of fermentation, so make sure the temperature is around what the manufacturer suggests, likely 68F. Bad fermentation (too low/high temp, lack of nutrients) can still hit gravity, but can create a lot of off-flavors and mouthfeel you’re describing.

 

[bmd2k1]

A. Use better juice. Fresh cider is best.
B. Add yeast nutrients.
C. Keep temps low.
D. Don’t use Splenda.

Curious...do you always add nutrients?

 

[MarkKF]

Curious...do you always add nutrients?

Yes

 

[bmd2k1]

Relative newbie here...but have now done 3batches using S04. Current batch I started on 1/22...w/5gals Sam's 100% AJ & 4 cans FAJC....for an OG of 1.058. Took an SG today at day7...its 1.01. Room's temp has been 64-68F. So I will rack it into secondary today or tomorrow. I've found S04 to be a pretty fast fermentor...but if stopped soon enough leave good appley flavor/aroma for me. So far I haven't done individual bottles....just right back into the 1gal containers for conditioning/flavoring. A couple weeks in those helps it smooth out a bit...lets my cinnamon sticks do their thing etc. I find I can pour from those containers till gone...and still get a decent carb. So far I haven't backsweetened my S04s...or added any bottling sugar. Did a batch with WLP775...first & last...not my fav...and did backsweeten with FAJC. I prefer a smooth...semi-sweet cider. I have some 100% tart cherry & wild blueberry concentrates I use for flavors...so far.

Also...so far no nutrients, sulfites etc used.

Maybe you're leaving in primary too long?

Here's my 5gal S04 batch...just bottled for aging/conditioning.

 

[GnenieGone]

I've only done 1 cider and it came out awesome. 4 gallons of Treetop apple juice and WYeast Cider Yeast dumped right into a sanitized bucket fermenter. It doesn't ferment out all the way so it leaves some sweetness and body. Don't rack the yeast. 04/splenda is going to give you flavors you may not want in a cider also. EC1118, clean yeast, is another option but you'll have to back sweeten with a can or 2 of concentrated apple juice. Make sure you're sanitizing everthing also.

Keep it up! Brewing is pretty easy with a few tricks under your sleeve.