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Cider Digest #0021
Subject: Cider Digest #21 Wed Sep 4 18:00:05 EDT 1991
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 91 18:00:06 EDT
From: cider-request@expo.lcs.mit.edu (Are you SURE you want to send it HERE?)
Cider Digest #21 Wed Sep 4 18:00:05 EDT 1991
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Jay Hersh, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Burgandy cider / basic info. ("DRCV06::GRAHAM")
Fermenation Temps (loc)
Sweet Cider Recipy (bob)
Send submissions to cider@expo.lcs.mit.edu
Send requests to cider-request@expo.lcs.mit.edu
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Date: 4 Sep 91 11:20:00 EDT
From: "DRCV06::GRAHAM" <graham%drcv06.decnet@drcvax.af.mil>
Subject: Burgandy cider / basic info.
Monday, I stopped by the only fresh cider place I know of here in the Derry
area. They had some single variety cider pressed from burgandy apples. I
bought a gallon of the cider and all the apples they had. It is, without
any qualification, the best cider I've ever tasted. The cider is very deep
in flavor, very tart and rich. It is not especially sweet, at least, not
to the taste. Has anyone used this cider alone or in a blend to harden? I
know that the taste of a fresh cider will not necessairly translate to a
good taste when hardened.
To the request about basic info: I'm nearly blind, so take my suggestions
with a pinch of apple peel.
Yes, making cider can be as simple as adding yeast to sweet cider,
attaching an airlock and letting it ferment. In fact, much cider is made
with the natural yeasts on the apples and nothing at all is added.
Preservatives generally will either hinder your yeast from fermenting
correctly, or cause nasty flavors in the hard cider, stay away from them.
There are a lot of variables in cider making, just like in beer making.
You can go for semi-sweet cider, dry cider, still cider, or sparkling
cider, or nearly any combination of them.
The moderator of this list has a nice preparation on the subject, he may
send it to you just because you asked...
Cider is fun to make. Get a few glass gallon jugs and make it several
different ways so as to see how different things affect the outcome. Try
one with nothing at all, one with just yeast, one with sugar or honey and
yeast, one with honey and spices, etc. You get the idea. Some people heat
the cider first or use campton tablets to kill off the inherant stuff, some
done. Try a gallon of each.
If you are good about cleaning stuff, and don't leave the cider open to the
air, you probably won't have vvinegar. Vinegar happens when acetic acid
bacteria get into the cider and convert the ethanol molecules to acetic
acid. The same is true for any fermented liquid, hence cider vinegar, wine
vinegar, malt vinegar, etc.
Now a general question: What is the difference between apple wine and hard
cider?
Dan Graham,
Along came a spider,
And fell in the cider,
and drowned in his lust...
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Date: Thu, 29 Aug 91 12:55:40 EDT
From: loc@bostech.com
Subject: Fermenation Temps
Doug writes:
>>I have been fermenting my cider at 85-90 and I haven't
>>noticed any off-flavors at all. Does anyone have any
>>recommendations for an optimum temperature for
>>fermentation? Does temperature really make any difference?
Tempurature make a world of difference when it comes to
yeasties. A) they haven't figured out how to build air
conditioners and b) they don't have fur coats 8^). But
seriously...
It is best to ferment at between 65 to 75 degrees Farh. The
yeasties work at a good pace then. Hotter and they work
too fast which can cause the yeast to produce other chemicals
that cause off-flavors (this could be one problem with your
homebrew). Too cold and the yeasties think it's winter and
start to hibernate 8^). You want your pets to work at a nice
contolled pace so that they will convert the sugar to alcohol
and CO2 at a rate that their little systems can comfortably
handle it.
J. Fixx has a good book out about the science of brewing. It's
about 150 pages of really good information related to this. Yes, it
is more geared toward the brewer and not the cider maker, but alot
of the information is transferable regarding yeast activity. If
you have any interest in the science of this art I suggest you
pick up a copy. (I don't have the book right here, I'll try and
post the exact title, publisher et al soon).
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Roger Locniskar Boston Technology Inc.
<loc@bostech.com> Wakefield, MA 01880
- -----------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Wed Sep 4 13:07:18 1991
From: semantic!bob@uunet.uu.net
Subject: Sweet Cider Recipy
Hi,
Well I've been trying to formulate recepy that will yield a sweet cider,
I don't care if it is 100 proof, just as long as it's not dry.
So looking at the recipy just posted by robert:
> = 5 gallons sweet cider
> = 3 lbs brown sugar
> = 3 lbs honey
> = 2 pkg champagne yeast
Some quick calculations of the top of my head:
5 gal * 50 pts/gal (cider) = 250 pts
3 lb * 45 pts/lb (sugar) = 135 pts
3 lb * 40 pts/lb (honey) = 120 pts
505 pts / 5 gal = 1.101 SG
This is said to yield 'Kinda dry' cider using champagne yeast.
So I'm guessing that If I make a cider with a SG of 1.100 to 1.110 and
use an Ale yeast to ferment that this will yield a mildly sweet cider.
(Which should also make it harder to walk :-) No??
Any thoughts from the masses?
- -- Bob Gorman Jake had a vision. It was his, --
- -- bob@rsi.com the only real one he'd ever had, --
- -- uunet!semantic!bob and he clung to it. ... --
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End of Cider Digest
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