Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Cider Digest #0497
Subject: Re: Cider Digest #496 Wed Nov 9 19:00:06 EDT 1994
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 08:46:00 EST
From: michael.niemann@mail.trincoll.edu (Michael Niemann)
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: Wed, 09 Nov 94 12:17:10 PST
>From: Bob Tattershall <TATTERSH@WSUVM1.CSC.WSU.EDU>
>Subject: pasteurizing cider
In response to the question about pasteurizing. I believe the book states
that the bottles should be completly immersed in water. Then bring the
water to a boil and boil for 60 seconds. She also states that you should
open a bottle to see if you have the desired sweetness/carbonation, i.e.,
thre is no hard and fast rule, just try it. I'm not sure about the amount
of sugar per bottle, but I believe that one teaspoon might be sufficient
(based on my brewing experience).
Michael Niemann
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 10:14:46 -0800 (PST)
From: "A. Sturdivant \"Sturdy\" McKee" <sturdy@itsa.ucsf.EDU>
Subject: Pasteurization
Along the same lines as Bob's questions:
Can you pasteurize in the oven? How long at what temps? Am I safe doing
a 200^F bake for 30 min., 60 min., etc?
A suggestion on how long to wait:
My local brewshop owner suggested bottling two bottles in plastic soda
bottles and waiting until they become firm from carbonation, then
pasteurizing. This should yield adequate carbonation while preventing
unwanted explosions.
Cheers,
Sturdy
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 12:24:35 PST
From: Scott_Pisani@notes.pw.com
Subject: Woodruff
I wanted to keep this post separate from my "problems" post.
San Andreas Brewing in No. California has a Woodruff Ale which is very good.
If you can get your hands on it, it would give you an idea of the flavor.
I just brewed my Holiday Ale and used 1 oz. of Woodruff for 60 min in the
boil, and 1 oz. dry hopped (sorry, I am aware this is the cider digest). The
woodruff has a relatively mild smell/flavor to it. Sort of heathery, or, as
my girlfriend described it, "it tastes like a meadow." If the recipe hadn't
had other spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) with it, I would think I
would use even more than 2 oz. for a 5 gallon batch. One other item: the
nylon bag I kept it in (during the boil) got stained a nasty yellow/green
color that I can't get out.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 12:19:25 PST
From: Scott_Pisani@notes.pw.com
Subject: Cider Problems
I just made my first attempt at brewing cider after about 9 beer batches.
I got a total of about 6 gallons of apple cider and 1 1/2 gallons of pear
cider. The apple cider included regular, "strawberry apple cider", and
"cherry apple cider." None had preservatives (according to the labels).
I fermented in 1/2 gallon and 1 gallon amounts (generally, in the glass jar
the cider came in). I added *nothing* to the ciders but yeast - no honey, no
tablets, etc.
I used a red star yeast that my local shop said would make a "sweet cider,"
as opposed to a "dry cider", for all but one 1/2 gallon batch. That batch
(with normal apple cider) I used some yeast slurry from my last homebrew
batch, a wheat beer (hell, I'm experimenting here).
All the cider (OG 1.055) fermented. The one with wheat yeast only came down
to 1.032 or so. However, it's clearing the quickest, and is nice and sweet.
The pear cider (red star yeast) only got down to 1.020 or so. All of the
others fermented to completion, .997 - 1.000. However, none of them are very
sweet, except the strawberry apple (which started off sorta sweet). I racked
them all off of their respective slurries this past weekend.
My questions: If I'd like the batches I have to be a little sweeter, what
should I do? If I add honey now, will it start up a fermentation again? How
about if they are refrigerated? Should I not care if it does start
fermenting again? Should I just spice it & sweeten it at drinking time to
make it more drinkable? Should I add honey, bottle, refrigerate, and expect
a sparkling (but hopefully sweeter) cider? Can I even add honey at this
point? Has anyone had success with pear cider? Mine seems like it needs
*something* in flavor, and maybe needs a different yeast (or maybe a lot of
honey added before fermentation).
**Note: Since originally writing this (and not posting), two things have
happened.
1) I now know that I can add lactose to sweeten the cider, and it won't
ferment.
2) Most of the fermenting jars have the white ring around the collar. Do I
have a 6 gallons of death drink on my hands? If so, any comments as to why?
After fermenting, I racked each batch into a gallon jug, washed out the
original jar, and racked back to the original jar. I covered each up the way
I had for fermentation -- Saran wrap and a rubberband around the neck.
Thanks in advance. Sorry this is such a long post, but this digest needs to
"bulk up" a little, anyway... ;-)
Scott.
Scott_Pisani @ notes.pw.com
------------------------------
