Yeast / Apple suggestions for extra dry cider?

[paddygsu]

I want to start a cider for my wife for Christmas. She loves extra dry stuff like the Crispin Brut. Any suggestions as far as yeasts and apples/apple juices to use on a one gallon batch? Again, just looking to start it, not complete it, by Christmas.

 

[phug]

Champagne yeast will take it dry but you'll have to age it a little to get the apple flavour back

 

[MarkKF]

Champagne yeast will take it dry but you'll have to age it a little to get the apple flavour back

EC-1118 or Red Star Pasteur. Painfully dry but plenty of fizz.

 

[MindenMan]

I have been using Red Star Pasteur Red (not champagne) yeast for my ciders for the last six months or so, and to me, there is a lot of apple flavor at the end of fermentation compared to some of the other yeasts I have used. The other thing I really appreciate about the P/R yeast is, it is very temperature forgiving, (64-86*F) and doesn't throw a lot of esters. EC-1118 on the other hand, if fermented warm, will make a bunch of funky flavors that take time to get rid of. YMMV.

 

[DaMonkey]

EC-1118.

The apples/apple juice will have no effect on how dry the cider becomes.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

but a tarter apple might help to emphasise the dryness a little....

 

[gratus fermentatio]

EC-1118, K1-V1116, Premiere Cuvee, Epernay are all good sparkling wine yeasts & will take that cider extra dry & quite fizzy. You might consider "juicing up" your juice with unreconstituted frozen apple juice concentrate (FAJC), thawed of course. This will increase the OG, add acid & intensify the apple flavour a bit. You are always better off aging any wine/cider for at least a few months, but it will be better after a year with the above yeast strains.
Regards, GF.