Cider Yeast Choices

wolfie7873

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Let the flames begin. ;)

Read a recommendation last night somewhere to use Sweet Mead yeast for Apple Cider as it leaves a bit of sugar and the apple character in tact more than some other yeasts. Last year I used Nottingham, and was initially left with something very much like a delicious white wine (that my wife loved) that I backsweetened with FCAJ. This year I'm hoping to up the ante. The FCAJ did lend a bit of a processed flavor to the finished product that I'd like to avoid.

Does anyone have experience with Sweet Mead yeast for Apple Cider to corroborate what I read? Or sure-fire ways to impart fresh apple character to the finished product?
 
I was just thinking that in this case, research some wine yeasts. There's a strain, I believe it's called Eppernay, that is used in wines that don't ferment all the way through. That might be just what you're looking for.
 
I second Nosey on that one champagne yeast I've brewed a good fruity cider with this. Or you want sweetness try lactose sugar. Or that saccharine 100 times sweeter than sugar 1 teaspoon per batch is all ya need but you can tast the metallic tast me thinks good luck.
 
I've tried that artificial sweetener thing, using Stevia, natural and supposedly better. Having lived in Europe where feeding rats a trainload of the stuff is not considered good experimental technique for rejecting a food additive, cyclamate is by far the superior artificial sweetener. But my test of it resulted in a drain pour. I'll get sweetness from esters, from residual sugar or unfermentable, natural sugars but no artificial sweeteners. Yuck!
 
I've had a hunt through me brewing log book Wolfie even though you mighta already gone through with the brew?
Title Apple Pineapple Cider
4 lemons Juiced and pasteurised 60c then cooled
4 pineapples. As above
200g lactose
12lt Apple juice no preservatives

Pitch temp =20c
Craft series cider yeast (mangrove Jacks)
Og= 1.050 ferment 1 week primary rack secondary onto 50g French oak chips.
FG=1.006.

Notes = tartyness subdued crystal clear first pour with 12 hours in fridge. Nice twang nice oak aroma bloody good brew worth replicating.
I've tried the wine yeast with same recipe and prefer this yeast cleaner and dryer but then it depends how ya like it.
 
My next cider will be fermented with Red Star's Cote du Blanc, the Eppernay strain I mentioned above. I'm shooting for applewein, Frankfurt-style. My fermentables will be apple wine concentrate with a kick from several cans of frozen concentrate. I haven't figured out all the particulars just yet....
 
If you have the ability to cold crash below 40°F, you can stick with Nottingham or most any ale yeast (I use 3333). Use the crash to stop fermentation at some target FG between 1.008-1.020 and give the stalled yeast a week to settle out. It may need a couple crashes to fully drop out and avoid a restarted fermentation. What you rack off the sediment needs no backsweetening.
 
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...and I just discovered the crab apple tree we planted three years ago is just covered up with crab apples. Maybe next year their juice will find its way into my cider...
 
I've used WLP775 several times with good result but also have had a few fails. When it's good it's really nice, lots of apple flavour. I ferment at 20 degrees Celsius. As for back sweetening I like to use lactose which add some sweetness and some body.
 
I've used WLP775 several times with good result but also have had a few fails. When it's good it's really nice, lots of apple flavour. I ferment at 20 degrees Celsius. As for back sweetening I like to use lactose which add some sweetness and some body.
Thinking about making a cider. Like the sound of adding lactose. What ratios did you use... and timeline?
 
I've tried that artificial sweetener thing, using Stevia, natural and supposedly better. Having lived in Europe where feeding rats a trainload of the stuff is not considered good experimental technique for rejecting a food additive, cyclamate is by far the superior artificial sweetener. But my test of it resulted in a drain pour. I'll get sweetness from esters, from residual sugar or unfermentable, natural sugars but no artificial sweeteners. Yuck!
It's been a few years... what is your viewpoint on artificial sweeteners now? Back several years ago, i would have agreed with you... now I feel like natural is the way to go now. And figure out a way to sweeten after fermentation is done. Thoughts?
 
I have a cider on tap now. Recipe as follows:

2.5 gallons pasteurized cider w/o preservatives
1/2 packet Safale Safcider yeast

Ferment at 67 degrees for 10 days. Add 2.5 ounces of sugar and bottle.

This is about as simple as it gets. Nice flavor,dry, and sparkling.
 
If you have the ability to cold crash below 40°F, you can stick with Nottingham or most any ale yeast (I use 3333). Use the crash to stop fermentation at some target FG between 1.008-1.020 and give the stalled yeast a week to settle out. It may need a couple crashes to fully drop out and avoid a restarted fermentation. What you rack off the sediment needs no backsweetening.
I've used Nottingham and S-04 for cider with good results. Full attenuation leaves a reasonable level of sweetness.
I tend to like ciders on the dry side. Last one I did was Apple/Hibiscus using S-04 on it's own for several days followed by a dose of Red Star Champagne yeast. Fermentation was slow and steady and ended up fairly dry and crisp with a wonderfully sophisticated flavor.
 
Thinking about making a cider. Like the sound of adding lactose. What ratios did you use... and timeline?
Been a while since I did it now and I don't have my notes available, however after I wrote that I've changed my approach somewhat. I make smaller batches, 5 liter (~1 gallon), and add apple juice concentrate to keg at kegging time or when it's ready to drink.
 
I'm using safale now. First batch was very dry initially, but got a lot better after about 3 weeks.
I'm sure I saw another cider yeast (think Mangrove Jack) that came as sweet, medium and dry...
If mine's too dry, I just add some sugar (table sugar) too it. May not look very professional, but it works ;)
I've also made batches with bakers yeast, no temp control at all, ended up with a very dry batch and a sweet one. No idea what I did different between those batches, but anyway, I mixed them in the glass and they became pretty awesome that way
 
Another idea but more tricky less so i suppose if using the wireless hydrometers of late would be to add potassium Metabisulphate to kill fermentation.
But backsweetening into the keg storing cold sounds like a more viable option.
I really got to get one of these going.
It's the one bevvy the missus actually likes but if i do too good a job I might end up like @BOB357 with one of these on steady rotation to apease she that must be obeyed:D.

I know you do a good cider bob?
 

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