Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Cider Digest #0357
Subject: Cider Digest #357 Mon Oct 25 18:00:02 EDT 1993
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 93 18:00:02 -0400
From: cider-request@x.org (Are you SURE you want to send it HERE?)
Cider Digest #357 Mon Oct 25 18:00:02 EDT 1993
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Jay Hersh, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Fermentation Problem? (tkeough)
re: Sweeting a Red Star batch (Gregory=Kushmerek)
Small Pressings (R.) Cavasin" <cav@bnr.ca>
cider presses ("Todd Orjala")
Send articles for submission to cider@x.org
Send subscribe, unsubscribe and address change requests to cider-request@x.org
Raw digest archives available for ftp only on export.x.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 09:58:44 -0230
From: tkeough@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Fermentation Problem?
Hello to all. I really enjoy the digest and have found much in the manner
of useful information here, as well as a few receipies that some of the readers
have sent to me. My problem is as follows...on Oct. 6/93 I was given a cider kit
as a gift. Not really having all the suitable equipment at the time I decided to
proceed and use my beer carboy for initial fermentation. I sterilized all my
stuff and luckily found a secondary just in time. I siphoned the cider into
the secondary attached the fermentation lock and began to wait. Initially
bubbles were appearing in the lock at a rate of 5 per minute, however, for
the past 5 days there have been no bubbles at all. The temp. has been maintained
between 18-22 C, and the SG is now 1.1000 from the initial 1.200. The cider
is supposed to sit in the secondary for 21 days. Should the temp. be increased
to 20-24 C to increase the fermentation rate or is a quiet lock nothing to
worry about?
Thanks
Trevor "God I wish I was normal" Keough
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 93 09:06:08 EDT
From: Gregory=Kushmerek%Acctg%FIN@HumRes-Server.Net.Tufts.EDU
Subject: re: Sweeting a Red Star batch
There are two ways too sweeten a batch using Red Star Champagne:
1. Use saccharin or nutrasweet. I do not advocate or support this method, but
I've heard it's used in commercial English products.
2. Keep adding sugar when the fermentation slows down. I've done this and
you'll wind up with a very alcoholic product that's way too easy to
drink.
Anyone heard of any other ways?
- --gk
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 10:34:00 +0000
From: "Rick (R.) Cavasin" <cav@bnr.ca>
Subject: Small Pressings
Hi gang,
Just thought I'd post the results of the weekend's labours.
I was unable to press my selection of 'special apples' at the
time that the cider from the mill arrived, so I figured I'd
blend them after a racking or two. The cider from the local
mill was a little disappointing, coming in at OG~ 1.039 or so.
(apparently consisted mostly of MacIntosh). It tasted OK, but
really couldn't hold a candle to some cider I got from a friend
in Southern Ontario (O.G.~ 1.053). Unfortunately, his cider is
sorbated (apples sent out for pressing). Anyway, the local
cider had been fermenting happily for a little over a week and
I racked it. Have been using Wyeast's Irish ale strain (wanted
to use the German Ale strain but the starter fizzled and
I had to pitch something!).
Now the fun part! I defrosted some crab apples and cooking apples
that I had in the freezer. Based on an illustration in a cider
making book a friend showed me, I made a dandy little device for
pulping the apples:
Basically, it is a piece of 1/16" thick stainless steel measuring
1.25" by 7" attached to a 12" long piece of 1/4" rod, to form a sort
of 'propeller' with a long shaft. The edges of the stainless plate are
sharpened (well, it not being a hardened steel I'm not sure how long these
edges will hold). The shaft passes thru a hole in the center of the lid
for a 2 gallon plastic pail, and goes into the chuck of a hand drill.
The apples go into the pail (you need a minimum amount for effective
chopping - too few and the apples just get pushed around), the lid goes on,
you brace the bucket between your feet and BURRRRRRRR, apple puree.
Crude but effective. Rounding the corners of the 'blade' reduces the
marring of the bucket.
The cooking apples were a mix of Cortland and Paula Reds, most had been
quartered and cored before freezing. I dumped the puree into my small
table top press using only a nylon fruit bag. I had alot of trouble
pressing these apples, the juice just didn't seem to want to come out,
and when it did, it came out more like sauce than juice. After getting
all the 'sauce' out, I passed that through an old pillow case to remove
the pulp. I got 2L of 1.050 juice out of 3.8Kg apples.
I then pressed some crab apples (don't know the variety - fairly big and
red). This time I put the nylon bag inside the pillow case. The
crabs actually pressed much easier!, despite the fact that the apples
were much harder (prior to freezing), and I had the extra layer of
cloth in the press! got 1.6L of 1.052 juice from 2.5 Kg apples.
That's what, 67% extraction by weight.
Then I pressed some other crabs (smaller yellow ones) which hadn't
been cored prior to freezing (they pulped just fine). Got 2L of 1.062
juice from 3.2 kg apples. (66% extraction)
These crab apples sure would make a potent
cider if used on their own! The crab juice was actually drinkable
if a bit too tart/astringent. We'll see once the sugar's fermented.
So now these pressings are happily fermenting away, and I'll be blending
them with the Mac cider at racking time (in various proportions in one
gallon jugs). Thinking to get some Northern
Spy's, Russets, Gala's, etc. for further experimentation. I'll have
to get that 110 lbs of pears out of the freezer first though!
Wish I had a bigger press......
Cheers, Rick C.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 93 14:12:07 -0500
From: "Todd Orjala" <t-orja@maroon.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: cider presses
Hello people:
I have been searching in vain for a cider press or at the very least the names
of press manufacturers. While traveling in Vermont recently I tried without
success to find a used or an antique press. I have access to high quality,
unpreserved cider (Kaste's) in the Twin Cities area but have also come into a
nice supply of apples this year and would like to give blending and pressing my
own a go.
Does anyone have names of manufacturers and approximate prices which they would
be willing to share? Thanks.
Todd
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest
************************
