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Cider Digest #1368
Subject: Cider Digest #1368, 11 February 2007
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1368 11 February 2007
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Film yeasts ("Mike Faul")
Re: Cider Lees (Claude Jolicoeur)
CD #1367 Cider Lees & girdled trees ("UNCLE JOHN'S - DEDE BECK")
Re: Voles ("John C. Campbell III")
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Subject: Film yeasts
From: "Mike Faul" <mfauL@faul.net>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 17:25:18 -0800
I have a batch of cider that is finished fermenting from a variety of apples
and it was filtered at .5 micron into two 350 gal tanks.
In tank one I have crystal clear cider that tastes really good and in tank
two I have a what appears to be a thin film yeast over the surface of the
liquid. It has a mild smell that I can't place. Not bad but not normal.
If I tap the tank from the side and take off a sample it tastes the same as
the other tank and is still good.
I'm wondering what type of critters might have gotten into the second tank.
Anyone seen any film yeasts that like bone dry ciders?
Mike
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Subject: Re: Cider Lees
From: Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:38:50 -0500
In Cider Digest #1367, 6 February 2007
>Subject: Cider Lees (yeast collected at the bottom of vats)
>From: "J. Kent" <Sheep@kent9999.freeserve.co.uk>
>Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2007 19:42:15 -0000
>
>Greetings from herefordshire UK,
>Has anybody got another use for the Cider Lees. The waste from the
>bottom of the vat after fermentation has ceased. Other than throwing it
>onto a compost heap.
Jeremy,
I use my cider lees for cooking. I never have enough. They are great to
make a sauce, with a roast and also with braised meat. In all occasions you
can use wine for cooking, you can use lees instead. Since lees are thicker,
they tend to make your sauces thicker also, which is usually a bonus. Try
it and invent!
Claude, in Quebec.
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Subject: CD #1367 Cider Lees & girdled trees
From: "UNCLE JOHN'S - DEDE BECK" <cider@ujcidermill.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 15:57:34 -0600
I usually distill the lees into brandy. However, that could be a dicey
venture if you do not have proper licensing . Could also be distilled for
fuel alcohol. Apple prices are fairly cheap in Michigan so running it right
down the drain is an option if I do not have time to fire up the still.
Eric asked about girdling. If the damage has not gone around the entire
trunk diameter I would not worry too much. I have had trees come back from
an almost complete girdling. I have 30 acres of my 50 on heavy soils. We
have in the past, purposely girdled 7/8 of the trunk diameter for the trees
on heavy soils. We did this to help slow the wood growth. Saves us some
cost of pruning and does not seem to affect fruit quality. I have never
attempted a bridge graft, give it a shot and see what happens.
Dick Dunn asked about importing good UK apple brandy. I can share some
experience from the short time I have been distilling. The spirit beverage
business is a tough nut to crack. Most distributors really do not want to
talk to you unless you have a boatload of product at a cheap price and have
lots of marketing money to go with it. Another problem is that each state
has its own rules about importation and sale. Example: In Michigan I have
to sell my spirits to the state first, and then they are sold to
distributors. I know other states do this and some do not. Labeling is
another issue altogether, Producers that want to sell here must meet
labeling guidelines that are different than EU guidelines. This is just a
couple of the many hurdles to get the product to the market. The market is
another thing altogether. It seems that American palates are buying up
mostly flavorless clear vodkas or artificially flavored vodkas. It seems
that Absolut and Stoli have more flavors of Vodka than there are
distilleries in the states (kidding). Look at the liquor shelf next time
you go, what few brandy's are available usually come the big wine houses
out West and are in a word, cheap or they have initials like V.S.O.P
attached to it and end up being too pricey to afford and usually disappoint
the taste buds. The best way to get a spirit brand marketed seems to be to
sell the brand to a company like Brown-Forman or Pernod Ricard. Kinda'
like selling your soul to the devil. I guess if you are in the sin business
it may be the best route to go. I share your frustration, if the Temperence
Movement did not happen this probably would not be an issue today.
Mike Beck www.ujcidermill.com or mjbeck@ujcidermill.com
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Voles
From: "John C. Campbell III" <jccampb@tseassoc.com>
Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:37:37 -0500
We (knock on wood) have never had a problem with girdling though we are
cursed with pine voles in abundance. 70 feet from our orchard starts a
oak forest. Yes, we have the occasional gopher (you can tell the
difference they push up the roof of their tunnels) but they only gnaw on
roots that happen to be in their way to grubs ....
What has happened to our trees has been attacks on the root system. So
much so that one of our Standard Spitzenburgs is held up by cables, and
that's a 15 year old tree.
We tried smoke bombs, a device that puts exhast gas down the holes and
toyed with getting this monster.
http://rodenator.com/videos.htm
Except we can't help feeling that the concussion would damage the roots
also -sigh-
For the past 4 seasons any trees we've put in? We have dug a 18" deep
'moat' 4' in diameter and put rat wire in it. In the evenings during
spring I fancy I hear their cries of anguish as they break their molars
on the wire.
jccampb
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End of Cider Digest #1368
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