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New questions from an old cider maker


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#1 ChefLamont

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Posted 14 November 2011 - 10:02 AM

Ok, so it has been about a decade since I have made cider. It was what I started out doing when I had little equipment and less knowledge. I have recently decided to revisit cider and also start some mead. Now that I have more gadgets and a fair amount of beer knowledge, I have questions that I havent thought of before. So...1. For aerating the cider, I used to just shake the bucket/carboy. I have an O2 tank and stone now. Would there be any drawback to using that?2. For making starters, the FAQ says to use DME. Would it be better to use juice with nutrients since it is a closer environment to what they will be fermenting in or is DME still better because it is nutritionally complete and all I am doing is growing yeast?

#2 ChefLamont

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Posted 14 November 2011 - 12:36 PM

Ok now I am perplexed. I think it was you that said that saison yeast makes a great cider, so I got a tube of 565 to try just that. I was also going to make one with US04 dry yeast. I am looking for a cider that is not champagne yeast dry but not American mass market cider sweet. I was going to try US05 until someone here said they had excellent results with 04.For the cyser, I want to do a batch of Cruz's Apple Butter Cyser. I have a smack pack of the Eau De Vie yeast, but because of circumstances, it has gotten a little old. I probably would have grown it up anyway, but with that big fermentable bill, I might even step it twice.

#3 ChefLamont

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Posted 14 November 2011 - 01:51 PM

Ohhhhh ok. Gotcha. I have tried the liquid cider yeast and (youre right) was not all that happy with the results.This is the thread I got the saison idea from:https://www.brews-br...__1#entry841272(ABC) Right. I was wondering if there was a "starter" beverage to be made to get the yeast cake from. Like how you can do a scottish 60/- to get a cake for a Wee Heavy. I am just not familiar with the Eau De Vie and what people to with it to know if there is an analogous beverage.

#4 dmtaylor

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Posted 15 November 2011 - 05:47 AM

No need to aerate cider. You haven't boiled it, so the natural dissolve oxygen is all still there in the cider and no additional amount should be required.If making a starter, I would use cider. Personally I've only ever used dry yeasts, but if you want to play with saison yeast or whatever, let us know how it turns out!Both my S-04 and US-05 ciders are turning out very nice this fall. I think the S-04 yeast will crap out above 1.005, while the US-05 seems to be headed down lower than that. But neither is finished yet after a month.


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