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Cider Digest #0417
Subject: Raisins
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 94 18:59:29 EDT
From: wslack.UUCP!wrs@mv.mv.com.MV.COM (Bill Slack)
Brian O'G. asks about raisins in the cider:
Raisins are a traditional ingredient in New England Barrel Cider but they
are optional, so leave them out if they don't move you. Their contribution is
as you suggested: flavor, fermentables and yeast. A raisin, after all is
just a grape that has dried out a little. Raisins suitable for cider, i.e.,
no preservatives, are a source of fermentable sugars (hence more
gravity/alcohol) and will contibute their own fruity flavor to the cider.
Since there are no preservatives, some of the natural yeast from the grapes
is very likely to be present so you can expect a secondary fermentation and
an additional flavor contribution from the raisin and its yeast.
I always add raisins when I make NE Barrel Cider. If it didn't work, people
wouldn't do it. I just use ordinary grocery store raisins, but exotic ones
might be interesting.
Bill
__
wrs@gozer.mv.com (Bill Slack)
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Date: Wed, 2 Feb 94 19:06:05 -0500
From: bradley@adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley)
Subject: aging natural cider
Sorry to all cider digesters :) for my screw up on #415. I didn't
mean to send digest #414, I meant to send this:
In #414, Jay Hersh <hersh@x.org> muses as follows:
>So I am wonderinng if anyone else especially those who ferment with
>wild yeasts have experienced negative flavors developing as a result
>of aging.
Well, I'll try. Last year I fermented two gallons of identical cider,
one with the natural yeast, the other with WYeast Irish; the latter
batch was pastuerized (NOT boiled) to kill the yeast before the
Wyeast was pitched. In September (#334?), I posted the following:
>The results were similar: FG of 1003 with the native yeast, 1004 with
>the ale yeast. OG was 1045, so a little over 5% alc/vol for both.
>This is off-dry cider, but still quite dry to the palate, like "sec"
>cahmpagne (as opposed to the bone-dry "brut"). Not only did the ale
>yeast give me an extra point in the FG, but it has superior aromatics,
>*despite* the pasteurization.
Two months later (in November when I was way too busy to post)-:
I tried them again, side by side. The Wyeast Irish batch was
still tasty -- pretty much as described in September. The
natural yeast batch had gotten pretty tart. It was verging
on the unpleasant, and I drank it up immediately (not hard,
as there had only been a gallon of each). Even at fridge
temperature it was clear that the natural yeast had aged into
something much tarter. The cider was almost exactly one year old.
Hope this helps. Cheers,
Rob (bradley@adx.adelphi.edu)
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Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 9:44:19 EST
From: stave@apollo.hp.com
Subject: Re: Cider Digest #416 Wed Feb 2 19:00:06 EDT 1994
bogorman@whsun1.wh.whoi.edu (Brian O'Gorman) writes:
> Also, if the general consensus is that raisins should be
> added, what type of raisins should I add -Sultana, currant,
> or the regular run-of-the-mill supermarket raisin.
> Any hints or comments appreciated...
Whichever you decide, look carefully at the package. Some raisins
are packaged with a little vegetable oil to help keep them fresh.
This would probably screw up the cider.
Joel Stave
stave@apollo.hp.com
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