Cider Digest #1441

eZine lover (@eZine)

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Cider Digest

 · 7 months ago

Subject: Cider Digest #1441, 9 March 2008 
From: cider-request@talisman.com 

 
Cider Digest #1441                                         9 March 2008 

                 Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues 
                      Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor 

Contents: 
  Re: Carbonating Perry (Roy Bailey) 
  Stopping the fermentation before its finished ("Dwight Brown") 
  Calvados ("Timothy") 
  Re: Cider Digest #1440, 3 March 2008 (Claude Jolicoeur) 

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Subject: Re: Carbonating Perry 
From: Roy Bailey <enquiries@lambournvalleycider.co.uk> 
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 20:57:21 +0000 

In message , Bradley Hunter <hunter@midcoast.com> writes 
>I have five gallons of Perry that I made in Nov. 2006 that has been 
>racked a couple of times and is now brilliantly clear. Final gravity 
>reading is .996. 
> 
>I would like to bottle this sparkling in heavy walled Champagne bottles 
>that will take a crown cap. 
> 
>If this were a beer I would normally boil a pint of water with 3/4 cup 
>of corn sugar and add that, cooled, along with a fresh packet of 
>rehydrated wine yeast to ensure carbonation. 
> 
>Is this technique advisable in this situation or is a modified approach 
>suggested? 

By co-incidence I too have some 2006 perry (actually about 60 UK 
gallons) which I am also bottling for fermentation in Champagne bottles 
with crown caps, so my method might be of interest to you. I have 
adapted a system used for bottle conditioning beer, which has worked 
well for me in the past. 

The perry, which has been stored in 6 gallon containers, is racked off 
any residual yeast into a polybarrel and primed with white cane sugar. 
Andrew Lea has advised me to use a maximum of 20 grams per litre, so I 
actually used about 11. 

The yeast left in the container is mixed with a couple of pints of the 
primed perry and set aside under airlock in a warm place. Within 24 
hours this is fermenting vigorously, and when ready to bottle 1 pint of 
this is added to the 5 UK gallon (40 pint) barrel and thoroughly mixed. 
This is a ratio of 2½ per cent. 

If you don't have any perry yeast then the wine yeast would be suitable, 
but I suggest that white cane sugar is better than corn syrup as it is 
less likely to impart any flavour that would overpower the delicate 
flavour of the perry. And why dissolve in water? Sugar will dissolve in 
the perry well enough. 

I started this process back in November and the earliest bottlings have 
been stored in a warm place. They are clear with a very thin deposit of 
yeast, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will supply the 
required sparkle. 

Roy. 
- -- 
                         Roy Bailey - Proprietor 
                     The Lambourn Valley Cider Company 
                     (Real cider from the Royal County) 
                       <www.lambournvalleycider.co.uk> 

------------------------------ 

Subject: Stopping the fermentation before its finished 
From: "Dwight Brown" <dwightbrown@vip.net> 
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2008 17:01:10 -0800 

Can anyone tell me a good way to stop the apple cider fermenation before 
all the sugars are fermented?  I'd like to end up with about 1 -2% 
natural sugar. 
thanks, 
Dwight Brown 

------------------------------ 

Subject: Calvados 
From: "Timothy" <tboger111@earthlink.net> 
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 17:55:36 -0500 

Anyone know how to make Calvados, or simple apple brandy? If you simply 
distill alcoholic cider you get a clear "moonshine" No flavor or color. 
What are the details to make a good Calvados? I searched the archives 
back to January 07 with limited references to the subject. 

Thanks, Tim 

------------------------------ 

Subject: Re: Cider Digest #1440, 3 March 2008 
From: Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca> 
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:42:42 -0500 

In Cider Digest #1440, 3 March 2008 
>Subject: Carbonating Perry 
>From: Bradley Hunter <hunter@midcoast.com> 
> 
>I have five gallons of Perry that I made in Nov. 2006 that has been 
>racked a couple of times and is now brilliantly clear. Final gravity 
>reading is .996. 
> 
>I would like to bottle this sparkling in heavy walled Champagne bottles 
>that will take a crown cap. 
> 
>If this were a beer I would normally boil a pint of water with 3/4 cup 
>of corn sugar and add that, cooled, along with a fresh packet of 
>rehydrated wine yeast to ensure carbonation. 

Brad, 
This is quite close to what I normally do, except that you can easily 
triple the sugar dosage when you use heavy Champagne bottles. 
The way I do it is to measure the sugar (I also use corn sugar), and add 
just enough water to cover it, then heat under low heat until the sugar 
dissolves and mix in the cider. Then I usually rehydrate only half a pack 
of yeast - I use Champagne yeast Lalvain EC-1118 or Redstar Prise de Mousse 
for example. 
You may consider also using plastic Champagne stoppers (that have a 
mushroom shape) with metal wire "muselets" as we call them in French. 

Good luck! 
Claude 

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End of Cider Digest #1441 
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