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Cider Digest #0369
Subject: Cider Digest #369 Thu Nov 11 18:00:02 EST 1993
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 93 18:00:02 -0500
From: cider-request@x.org (Are you SURE you want to send it HERE?)
Cider Digest #369 Thu Nov 11 18:00:02 EST 1993
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Jay Hersh, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Help! ("Pamela J. Day 7560")
Newbie needs help (what's new? :-) (Brad Richards)
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Send subscribe, unsubscribe and address change requests to cider-request@x.org
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Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 13:10:00 EST
From: "Pamela J. Day 7560" <DAY@A1.TCH.HARVARD.EDU>
Subject: Help!
Hello All,
I've just recently started my first batch of cider (2 1/2
weeks ago) and I'm wondering if anyone out there can give me an
idea of what king of an O.G. you get. I used 5 gal. hand pressed
cider (very little H2O, I pressed it myself) 2lbs. honey, 1 lb.
brown sugar, 2 cups raisins, irish moss, yeast nutrient, spices, etc.
I pitched champagne yeast, didn't trust the wild beasties. I forgot
to take an O.G., and while I know this isn't a calamity, I'm curious.
I racked it off last weekend, after the initial spout of CO2 had calmed,
and the gravity then was 1.020. It's still bubbling, and has cleared
alot, and I'd like to bottle in 2 weeks if possible. I'd like it to have
some carbonation, any advice as to what to prime with and how much?
Any advice via direct e-mail would be welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Pam Day (day@a1.tch.harvard.edu)
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Date: Thu, 11 Nov 93 15:12:24 -0600
From: richards@cs.wisc.edu (Brad Richards)
Subject: Newbie needs help (what's new? :-)
(I was careless, and sent this to the request address first. Sorry
if it makes its way back here in duplicate...)
Hello All,
I'm a newcomer to cider-making, though I've been brewing for some
time now. I took a liking to cider when I lived in British Columbia,
and have wished I could get cider now that I'm back in the Midwest.
I did what research I could by looking through some past issues of
the cider digest and the info that has gone by on rec.crafts.brewing,
and tried to put a batch together last weekend -- without much
success. I was hoping that some kind soul out there could give me
some feedback on what happened. So, here's my story...
I put together the following recipe:
2 Gallons fresh, unfiltered cider (no preservatives)
12 oz. Seneca Granny Smith concentrate (no preservatives)
12 oz. "TreeTop unfiltered" concentrate (preservatives??)
1/4tsp sodium metabisulfite
yeast nutrient as directed
Red Star ale yeast
The label on the Granny Smith said it contained no preservatives. The
TreeTop label didn't say one way or another, and I therefore assumed that
it didn't have any preservatives either. (Wouldn't they have to report
it on the label?) The directions on the sodium metabisulfite said that
1/8tsp = 1 Campden tablet, so I added the equivalent of 2 tablets.
I put everything but the yeast into a carboy and let the whole works sit
for 12 hours to give the sodium metabisulfite time to do its stuff and
disappear. I then took out a bit of the juice and simmered it with some
mulling spices for a bit. Added the simmered juice back into the carboy,
and added some rehydrated ale yeast. (I would like a cider on the sweet
side.)
The yeast didn't make it. Nothing. I gave the works another 12 hours to
sit, and added some more yeast. Again, nothing. I then began to suspect
that there was still some preservative at work in the carboy. I gave it
another 12 hours+, then heated the works on the stove to ~170 degrees and
let it sit for 30-45 min. on the theory (as seen on back issues of the
cider digest) that the heat would drive off or destroy the preservative.
Put back in carboy, cooled, and added rehydrated yeast AGAIN.
Still nothing. I thought maybe I'd killed the yeast with water that was
too warm. I usually brew with liquid yeast, and don't have much experience
with dry. I grabbed a half pint of sterile 1.040 beer wort and started
some yeast in that. When the yeast was showing signs of health and
activity I added the wort to the carboy. This time it looks like it'll go,
but it's barely fermenting after 24 hours (a bubble every minute or two).
In my limited experience with dry yeast in the past, it has taken off VERY
rapidly and led to vigorous fermentations.
So what did I do wrong? Why did I have so much trouble getting yeast
started in the apple juice? Could the TreeTop concentrate have had
preservatives in it? If so, could it really suppress yeast in 2+ gallons
of cider? How exactly does the sodium metabisulfite work its way out of
the solution? Was I wrong to leave it in the (open) carboy during this
stage? (I have an aversion to leaving the stuff sitting out in a bucket
- -- I've had infected batches of beer, and it just seems like a no-no.)
Thanks in advance for any hints you can give me!
Brad Richards
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End of Cider Digest
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