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Cider Digest #0650
Subject: Cider Digest #650, 4 March 1997
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #650 4 March 1997
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
HELP! Nail Polish Remover Smell! (BigMark1@aol.com)
Sugar additives (Steve Butts)
Sterilisation ("Keith Robertson")
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Subject: HELP! Nail Polish Remover Smell!
From: BigMark1@aol.com
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 17:20:09 -0500 (EST)
Hey, there:
I posted last month to several sources with few responses to a "stinky" cider
brew I had made:
Apple-Peach Cider (from Paul Correnty's "The Art of Cidermaking")
3 Gal. Fresh Apple Cider
2 Gal Peach Cider
5 lbs. Honey
1 tsp. Tannin
3 TB Acid Blend
1 Pack Wyeast London Ale
O.G. 1.068
This fermented for 3 months at an average of 65 degrees F. I did not rack the
whole time until the very end per Mr. Correnty's suggestions (elsewhere in
his book) to avoid disturbing the lees / adding any oxygen.
I wound up with a *very* unpleasant, nail polish remover-like smell.
I've been told it's the actual ingredient in nail polish remover - methyl
aldehyde maybe? I can't remember! (I saw it in a brewing book.)
I then added a clarifying agent (the one made from crab shells, I believe) in
order to clear the brew & possibly the source of the odor, per the advice of
a brew store. This, unfortunately, did neither.
Does anybody have any information on:
- - what this smell is
- - what causes it
- - can I get rid of it?
Please feel free to contact me directly - either at:
bigmark1@aol.com
or
big_mark@vnet.ibm.com
I'd hate to dump 5 gallons of cider - it pains me!
Thanks so much,
- -Mark Cohen-
------------------------------
Subject: Sugar additives
From: Steve Butts <Stephen.J.Butts@lawrence.edu>
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 11:27:32 -0600 (CST)
Folks --
A quick comment on the adding-sweetness issue: I've found that while the
addition of corn sugar does help produce carbonation, it does something
nasty to the taste of cider: it adds a kind of bitter, "hard," metallic
kind of flavor in a way that it either doesn't do to beer or is masked by
the more powerful malt and hop flavor therein. I've not really tried to
sweeten cider, preferring the dry type, but I've had good luck carbona-
ting by (1) fermenting at a relatively low temperature (40-45 F.) and
(2) bottling slightly early (and by "slightly early" I mean late Feb. for
an October pressing rather than March or April), and (3) waiting about 6
months. This (so far!) has produced no grenades and a nice, clear spark-
ling cider with many tiny, champagne-like bubbles. And when it doesn't,
hey, I've got really nice still cider.
- -- Steve Butts
BUTTSS@Lawrence.edu
------------------------------
Subject: Sterilisation
From: "Keith Robertson" <apples@cbl.com.au>
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 10:52:23 +0000
I have been making cider for some years in small batches about 5
Gallons at a time using the usual home brew type fermenters which
seem to work quite well and are easy to clean and sterilise but I
found the other equipment such as the grinder and fruit press a messy
business indeed requiring loads of chemical and water. After
pondering for some time about this I came up with a simple solution.
I purchased a small 500ml Sprayer, mixed one crushed Camden tablet
with water in this and now I spray this equipment with this and there
is no need to rinse with water. Its a great way to do buckets, spoons
and various other small items. I have my third batch fermenting at
the moment for this year and I will be making it until May and having
more than 400 cultivars of apples which ripen from January to June
should produce some interesting ciders.
Keith Robertson
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest #650
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