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Cider Digest #0930
Subject: Cider Digest #930, 14 November 2001
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #930 14 November 2001
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Aged cider (Claude Jolicoeur)
best base apples and timing of ripeness (=?iso-8859-1?Q?=22Jay_Hersh_=28ak...)
Loic Raison (Tim Bray)
Sparkolloid (Claude Jolicoeur)
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Subject: Aged cider
From: Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 16:49:45 -0500
As a follow-up to a discussion on this list a little while ago, I found
last week a cider bottle that had remained from a batch I had done in 1990.
This cider was done with a mixture of early/mid-season apples like
McIntosh, Duchesse, Melba, and some crabs. Pressing was done by end of
September 1990, and the cider started fermentation by itself, without any
added yeast. I didn't add any sulfite either. Bottling was done by end of
February 1991, after fermentation to dryness. A bit of Dextrose was then
added, but still no yeast. I used Champagne bottles. Most of the bottles
were drank during the year 1992, but for some reason I don't remember, one
bottle was put aside and forgotten for 10 years.
So it is this forgotten bottle that I drank yesterday. The cider was still
excellent, with a nice sparkling like Champagne. There was a little
something special in the bouquet that is quite difficult to describe in
words. I didn't find it better than a 2 year old bottle, but it just felt a
little different.
As a conclusion, this a thing I will do again. Just the pleasure of findind
an old forgotten bottle is great. And then the tasting session, the
comparisons etc... I also found 2 bottles of the 1992 cuvee - I still
haven't decided if I will hide them for a few more years or if I will drink
them. Any suggestion?
Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec.
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Subject: best base apples and timing of ripeness
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22Jay_Hersh_=28aka_Dr=2E_Beer=AE=29=22?= <drbeer@doctorbee
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 17:06:58 -0500
Hi Jay Hersh here, early digest participant that hasn't chimed in much lately.
My current house has room for us to plant maybe 3 or at most 4 varieties.
We might consider grafting later on once the trees are established to
increase the number, but at the start we're limited. We live close to many
commercial orchards in MA and can easily get a supply of base juice apples.
Our intent is to buy base apples to press, and then use the few we can grow
ourselves to supplement the base apples.
In order to determine which apples we should plant one consideration is
what a good base apple would be. Depending on what base apple we think
we'll go with, we need to consider the ripening time of the varieties we'll
plant here in order to avoid having our apples ripen too long after the
base apples ripen.
Choices of things that are cheap and readily available include:Macintosh,
Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, but other suggestions (especially from
those in Eastern MA who know what's best suited and easily available in
this region) would be appreciated.
Once we have a handle on the base then we'll be able to figure out the best
supplemental varieties to grow ourselves so that things are ripe in the
same timeframe for us to press them together.
thanks a bunch,
Jay
Hopfen und Malz, Gott erhalts
------------------------------
Subject: Loic Raison
From: Tim Bray <tbray@mcn.org>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 17:55:06 -0800
We just returned from a trip to France, where we drank a lot of cider! We
found that the most common cider in restaurants was Loic Raison, a Breton
cidermaker. The cidre doux was particularly fine. Does anyone know if
this cider is imported to the US?
Cheers,
Tim
------------------------------
Subject: Sparkolloid
From: Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 23:08:47 -0500
Usually, my ciders clear up very nicely without any intervention needed if
I am patient enough - normally within a month after the juice has fermented
to dryness.
However, once in a while, the cider doesn't clear even if I wait several
months after fermentation has stopped. Someone in a wine and beer supply
shop recommended Sparkolloid - I tried it and got spectacular results.
Within 24 hours the cider starts to clear and it becomes perfectly clear
after 3 or 4 days. I now use it for the cider batches that do not clear
naturally.
Sparkolloid is a beige powder. I use about 20 ml for a 20 liter batch (1.5
table spoon in 5 gals), mixed with 1.5 cup of water and boiled during 15
minutes. I siphon the cider in another carboy, add the Sparkolloid mixture
et voila.
The only thing is that I have absolutely no idea of the composition of
Sparkolloid. If someone on this discussion list knows what is Sparkolloid,
I would appreciate very much to learn a little on it. I would also like to
hear from others that use it.
Thanks,
Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec.
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End of Cider Digest #930
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