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Cider Digest #0450
Subject: Woodpecker
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 94 16:42:46 MDT
From: pjd@craycos.com (Phil Duclos)
>Date: Thu, 23 Jun 94 11:05:32 EDT
>From: NR706@aol.com
>Subject: Re: Cider Digest #447 Tue Jun 21 18:00:04 EDT 1994
>I've made a few batches of cider, with the idea of achieving a
>Woodpecker-like taste. The first thing I've learned is: You can't really make
>Woodpecker at home. If you look at Woodpecker's ingredient list, you'll see
>that they apparently brew something stronger and dilute it with carbonated
>water. As I understand it, they use commercal techniques that really can't be
>duplicated at home. That said, you can make a relatively low alcohol cider
>with ale yeast, but I've found that the yeast you use can make a lot of
>difference. Basically, an attenuative yeast leaves you with a super-dry
>product - not necessaily bad, but not at all Woodpecker-like. That's what
>happened to one of my early batches made with Edme dry ale yeast (probably
>one of the least expensive yeasts at the local homebrew shop). Since then,
>I've settled on Wyeast #1338 European Liquid Yeast, which reportedly is the
>least attenuative of the Wyeast products - so it leaves more sugar behind,
>resulting in a medium-sweet cider that's closer to Woodpecker. Some of the
>other Wyeastss may work, too (they're apt to be among the most expensive
>yeasts), but #1338 is the one I have the most experience with. Good luck.
I guess that I don't really believe this. As I recall, Woodpecker contai
ns
apple cider, sugar, yeast, carbonated water and sodium benzoate. I believe that
they brew a slightly higher gravity product using an attenuative yeast, filter,
dilute with carbonated water, add sugar to taste and perhaps force carbonate.
None of these steps is impossible for the home cider maker. In fact, none of
these is really difficult. Except for the sugar step, this procedure duplicates
the process that many homebrewers use for beer.
Filtering to remove the yeast is perhaps the scariest step. In reality,
its
really easy. Check out The Filter Store in the back of Zymurgy magazine. They
have a wide variety of filters available. Use a filter which will remove
most yeast cells and bacteria, say 1 micron or so. Those that use them say
that ceramic or stainless work the best and pleated paper is the cheapest. A
filter housing is cheap. Brew your cider, dilute to desired strength (or not),
keg it into Cornelius kegs and force filter. Add a little sugar and some
preservative and force carbonate. Counter pressure bottle if you want or just
dispense from the keg. Its really not that hard.
phil
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Date: 24 Jun 94 17:30:55 EDT
From: Pascal Hua <71221.2115@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Submission.
Hello,
I have been reading the digest for a while now. I just started a
batch of cider, and I have a couple of questions.
1)What are tanin and acid blend ? What is there purpose ?
2) I have seen fermentation lenght going from as short as a few weeks
to a couple of month. I have decided to go for following activity/SG to juge
how fermentation was going. Of course, I will try to let it age for a while
once in a bottle.
3) If I was to prime adding cider instead of shugar. How much should
I used ?
4) Is it better to add apple concentrate to up the SG or sugar ? I
assume that apple concentrate would up the SG (I haven't tried !).
Pascal
71221.2115@compuserve.com
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