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Cider Digest #0884
Subject: Cider Digest #884, 17 December 2000
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #884 17 December 2000
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Temp Question (John Conwell)
pLambic Cider? (Christopher Hebert)
Apple crusher plans? (Eric Murray)
My first cider (in NYC) (Peter Matra)
Re: CIDER APPLE TREES (Lee Elliott)
New book: 'CAMRA's Good Cider Guide' ("David Matthews")
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Subject: Temp Question
From: John Conwell <JConwell@costco.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 09:01:39 -0800
I'm in the process of brewing my first batch cider ever and have a question.
Because I live in an apartment and don't have a cellar or garage or some
place that I can keep a steady cool temp, I'm putting my cider in my living
room next to an open window and keeping my appt at a consistent temp of 55F
(any colder and I'd have to move out). I have two questions. When the
cider is fermenting and once it is racked off its lees does it have to be in
a dark area? Also is 55F a sufficiently cold climate for the cider? Once
its racked off will it clear at 55F? Thanks,
John Conwell
Seattle Wa
------------------------------
Subject: pLambic Cider?
From: Christopher Hebert <chebert@couchwhite.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 11:45:08 -0700
T.J. Higgins writes about keeping it as simple as possible and then
describes a process through which one may use the natural yeast (and
bacterial) on the skins of apples to ferment his cider.
What I've chosen to do is to warm the sweet cider to kill residual
yeast/bacteria, and let it cool outdoors in the middle of a field in the
hopes that other wild yeasties inoculate the cider, a la lambic beer.
Unfortunately, for the past two weeks, there has been absolutely no
activity in the airlock. Did I do something wrong? Was it too cold
(about 30 - 40 F here in Upstate NY and it's in my basement at about 50F)?
Should I wait longer? Or, the doomsday scenario, bag the whole thing and
put some "real" yeast in?
Thanks for your help.
Chris
------------------------------
Subject: Apple crusher plans?
From: Eric Murray <ericm@lne.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 12:01:30 -0800
We made our second cider run this fall, using a press I made from
a hydraulic shop press and press plates made from high-density nylon
cutting board material.
The grinder was a (new) garbage disposal set in a sink with the outlet
running into a food-grade plastic bucket.
This setup let us press about 250 pounds of apples and produced
about 17 gallons of juice. However, it took a day and a half to do it.
The bottleneck was the crusher- the standard garbage-disposal
throat it too small for many apples, so we had to slice them
by hand. It also crushed the seeds with the apples, and I'd
like to try a crusher that leaves the seeds whole.
So, I'm looking for plans for a powered crusher that I can build.
I've got basic metalworking equipment and skills, a MIG welder
that can weld stainless, and a small benchtop lathe (7X10 US-style
measurements). Got plans or design ideas?
Thanks!
- --
Eric Murray Consulting Security Architect SecureDesign LLC
http://www.securedesignllc.com PGP keyid:E03F65E5
------------------------------
Subject: My first cider (in NYC)
From: Peter Matra <petermatra@mobile.att.net>
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 15:54:12 -0500
I wanted to write because I wanted to ask for some help re: my first cider.
This really was not my first. My first turned out good. but I had not
brewed one in about four years. I wanted to ask about some problems etc I had.
I had 3 gallons in a carboy with an airlock. Un pasteurized from upstate
NY. I let the wild guys get to work without adding anything else. just
plugged it up. Let it ferment for about two weeks where it visibly stopped.
Checked the gravity, which was very low. I didn't let it clear, nor did I
rack it into a secondary.
I was wondering- I tasted it and it had a sulphurous smell to it. not super
pleasant. it seemed a bit watery, not dry, nor sweet. just not yummy if you
know what I mean. is this normal? I bottled it about a week ago and am
letting it age and carbonate. I did a test and added brown sugar and honey
for carbonation to see what happens. (actually I mistakingly used up all of
my priming sugar!!!)
Does anyone recommend using Champagne yeast? Could that have made the cider
taste better? How long should I let it age for in the bottle? It probably
will get better with age?!
thank you!!
Peter Matra
------------------------------
Subject: Re: CIDER APPLE TREES
From: applehilorchard@webtv.net (Lee Elliott)
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 16:09:27 -0600 (CST)
We have our cider variety trees listed at
//community.webtv.net/ciderhilnursery/CIDERHILLNURSERY ALSO, All
orders for fall planting have been sent via UPS
------------------------------
Subject: New book: 'CAMRA's Good Cider Guide'
From: "David Matthews" <Dave.Matthews7@btinternet.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 23:19:53 -0000
Dear Cider Fans,
After delays for various reasons outside my control, I can now make
CAMRA's Good Cider Guide available for sale by mail order.
The Guide comprises:
- 400 pages, illustrated with b/w photos and labels throughout.
- Details of over 100 UK cider producers and over 400 UK cider outlets,
organised by county, with clear county maps.
- 19 feature articles on all aspects of UK cider, plus cider in France,
Spain and the USA. The two USA articles have been written by Cider
Digest subscribers - Bob Capshew and John Ross - and there's also an
article by Cider Digest hero Andrew Lea.
I think that it is absolutely marvellous (for a first attempt!), and that
everybody should buy a copy, but I'm biased of course!
The cover price is 9.99 Pounds Sterling, and together with postage and
packing this makes the total price as follows:
Where you live Total Price (Pounds Sterling)
UK 12.01
Europe (outside the UK) 13.61
USA, Canada, S.Africa 15.89
Australia, N.Zealand 16.39
Please send full address details and cheques (payable to D.Matthews) or
cash to me at:
91 Black Oak Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff, CF23 6QW, UK.
I look forward to reading your views and criticisms on the pages of Cider
Digest.
Cheers,
Dave Matthews (Editor, CAMRA's Good Cider Guide)
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest #884
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