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Cider Digest #0387
Subject: Sodium Benzoate
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 93 09:48:59 EST
From: Scott Dorsey <kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov>
Sodium Benzoate is funny stuff... some people can taste it, and others
cannot. The people who can taste it don't always say that it tastes
the same, and the trait is definitely genetically related. There are
a few substances like this.
This stuff is present in extremely high quantities in diet drinks, and
is responsible for the funny aftertaste that some people can taste in
them. It's needed because, while conventional soft drinks contain a
lot of sugar which acts as a preservative (since organisms just can't
grow in such a strong solution because of the osmotic pressure), diet
drinks are more likely to get contaminated, so a substantial amount of
preservative is required.
Sodium benzoate won't hurt you... my father drinks two or three six
packs of diet coke every day and he's been doing that for the last
sixty years or so. But it might lend unpleasant off-flavors.
Put some on your tongue and taste it, to see. If you don't like it,
don't use it. Use a weak solution of it and see if your family members
can taste it, too....
- --scott
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Date: Thu, 9 Dec 93 13:25:17 -0500
From: Philip J Difalco <sxupjd@fnma.COM>
Subject: Champagne Wyeast (is a starter necessary)
I just bought a package of Champagne Wyeast that I plan to use for my next batch
of
Cider. Prior to this, I've only used dried champagne yeasts.
In the past I've made starters for my liquid yeasts - but for this cider, I just
plan on popping the packet, and after swelling to over an inch (the packet that
is)
I plan on pitching.
If you'd recommend making a starter for a Champagne Wyeast, what should my mediu
m
be composed of? Is a quart (or so) of unpreserved cider an adequate medium for
a
champagne wyeast starter?
I'd appreciate responses from anyone who has had experience with this variety of
Wyeast.
Thanks.
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