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Cider Digest #1539
Subject: Cider Digest #1539, 12 November 2009
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1539 12 November 2009
Cider and Perry Discussion Forum
Contents:
In case you missed it (Alan Yelvington)
Re: Cider Blends (Claude Jolicoeur)
Re: Intro and First Time Cider Questions (Timmy R)
Fifth Annual Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition ("Gary Aw...)
Whiskey barrels for cider? (Alan Yelvington)
bottle vs keg ()
Ice Cider Yeast recommendations (joseph margevicius)
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Subject: In case you missed it
From: Alan Yelvington <alany@semparpac.org>
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:02:33 -0500
I made it to the Franklin County Cider Day festival this year for the
first time, and was overwhelmed by all of the activities.
The "cider salon" was by far the best, with over 75 ciders from 25+
producers being poured. Paradise! Here's a short video from the main
room, but there was another tent full of cider and happy people. Mark
your calendars for next year, this is not an event to be missed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnq_D4aQd0
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Subject: Re: Cider Blends
From: Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:10:05 -0500
In Cider Digest #1537, 3 November 2009:
>Subject: Cider Blends
>From: Max Kitchell <maxkitchell1@gmail.com>
>
>Up until now my ciders have been based on apple varieties from my own small
>home orchard, principally Pink Lady, Sturmer, Sundowner and Bramley's
>Seedling. Some have been successful, others not so.
>
>Next season I may have access to a number of English cider apple varieties,
>viz, Stoke Red, Bulmers Norman, Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Sweet
>Coppin, Breakwells Seedling, Dabinett, Michelin, Somerset Red Streak, Brown
>Snout, Improved Foxwhelp, and Browns Apple. I am hopeful that these will add
>a whole new dimension to my own local varieties but as I have no experience
>in their use I am looking to the Cider Digest subscribers for advice on
>which combinations they have had success with.
Max,
The most important is to obtain a balanced blend that will have a moderate
amount of acidity (between 0.55 and 0.85% TA expressed as Tartaric acid).
Also, try to blend to get high sugar concentration - ideal if you can have
a S.G. of the order of 1.055 or 1.060, or even more.
The different varieties will give different character to your cider - you
will have to discover which you prefer, but I doubt that any you have
mentioned could be really offensive. It is probable that your first ciders
were too sharp, as the varieties you have on your small orchard are
propably all quite sharp. When you will start blending them with some low
acid apples (sweet and bittersweet varieties), you should notice an
improvement of the quality of your ciders.
Claude Jolicoeur
Quebec
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Intro and First Time Cider Questions
From: Timmy R <homebrewtim@me.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:48:41 -0600
Update - I decided to pitch a packet of Red Star Cote de Blanc and 1/4
tsp of yeast energizer into the WLP300 dormant batch of cider. It is
now happily (I think) fermenting at about 64F (basement temps).
fingers are crossed at least 2-3 of my batches will turn out....
- ------------------------------
Subject: Intro and First Time Cider Questions
From: Timmy R <homebrewtim@me.com>
Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:05:27 -0600
Good afternoon all, first-time poster here in S. Illinois.
I am first-time cider maker and intermediate homebrewer....I am
seeking some advice re: batches 3-5 of my recent cider experiment.
Update:
Batches 1 & 2 (WLP775 & Red Star Coite de Blanc; OG 1.042; pasteurized
cider) fermented out to about 1.001 and taste dry and tart. Those were
racked to CO2 purged secondaries and are sitting in my basement at
about 65F.
Batches 3-5 (each 2-gallons; unpasteurized; OG 1.053) are sitting at
55F. On 10/20 I pitched WLP300 and WLP775 (along with 1/4 tsp yeast
nutrient) each into a 2-gallon batch of cider I had treated 24-hours
prior with sodium metabisulfite according to Andrew Lea's
instructions. Today is day 5 and there is still no apparent activity.
Batch #5 I half-dosed with sodium metabisulifte and intended to let go
naturally (again in accordance with Andrew Lea's instructions.)
As of yesterday there was still no activity so I warmed up my
fermentation chamber to 60F. Batch 5 spontaneously started
fermenting. Batches 3 & 4 still had not activity. Today I warmed up
to 65F. The WLP775 batch appears to be showing slight signs of
fermentation. The WLP300 still shows no activity.
That's the story for now. I am hoping the cider has not suffered
during the 12-day lag time.
All advice is welcome and I look forward to the forum.
Cheers,
Tim
homebrewtim@me.com
------------------------------
Subject: Fifth Annual Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition
From: "Gary Awdey" <gawdey@att.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:20:03 -0600
The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association is pleased to announce its
call for entries for the Fifth Annual Great Lakes International Cider &
Perry Competition. This Pro-Am competition has divisions for both
commercial and noncommercial producers and is open to ciders, perries,
meads, beers, and commercial distillates, provided they are made with
apples or pears. There are nineteen categories of entry. For
traditionalists this competition includes a category for Standard Cider
& Perry (with five subcategories). The Standard category has
requirements that the entry be produced from a minimum of 85% juice, not
include both sugar and water (or sugar syrup and water) in the list of
ingredients, and not have added flavor. The Association reserves the
unrestricted right to submit commercial entries in this category to
testing to verify conformity to requirements.
Judging for the competition will take place at the Amway Grand Plaza
Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday, December 12, 2009.
Entries must be received at the drop-off/ship-to location between
Monday, November 23, 2009 and Tuesday, December 8, 2009.
Much effort has been put into grouping entries in ways that are both
inclusive and relevant from a well informed consumer's point of view.
Most entry categories conform to BJCP style guideline categories:
Beer
20. Fruit Beer. Restricted to beers made with either apples or pears
only
23. Specialty Beer. Restricted to beers made with either apples or pears
only, but may include other ingredients
Mead
25A. Cyser (Apple Melomel). Apple Juice and honey-no other ingredients
25C. Other Fruit Melomel. (Pear) Pear Juice or blend with pear juice and
no other ingredients
26C. Open Category Mead (must contain apple or pear)
Standard Cider & Perry
27A. Common Cider
27B. English Cider
27C. French Cider
27D. Common Perry
27E. Traditional Perry
Specialty Cider & Perry
28A. New England Cider
28B. Fruit Cider
28C. Applewine
28D. Other Specialty Cider/Perry
Some additional categories in this competition are not recognized by the
BJCP:
2006-1 Macro Cider or Perry (see full details of how this is defined in
the entry packet)
2006-2 Intensified Cider or Perry
A. Prefermentation (Ice Cider) (Open to commercial and noncommercial
divisions)
B. Postfermentation (Pommeau) (Open to commercial division only)
2006-3 Distilled (Open to commercial division only)
A. Eau de vie
B. Brandy (Oak Aged)
In accordance with this competition's custom, and in keeping with the
not-for-profit Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association's mission to
promote and educate, there will also be a training seminar for judges
the evening before the judging. This is free to competition staff,
including judges and stewards. Any remaining space available will be
offered first come first reserved for a nominal fee of $15.00 to anyone
else wishing to participate and benefit from this opportunity. Due to
increased interest the number of extra spots has been raised this year
but space remains limited. If you are determined to attend it is best
to notify Rex Halfpenny as soon as possible to get your name on the
list. The seminar will take place in the Pearl Room on the second floor
of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Friday,
December 11 from 7PM until 9PM Eastern Time.
Judging panels are made up of cider and perry makers, certified BJCP
judges, professionals of related industries, university academics of
various related disciplines, and food & wine writers. If you would like
to participate in the judging, you must contact competition organizer
Rex Halfpenny (mibeerguyd@aol.com) and provide the following
information.
- - -Name and contact information
- - -Commercial producer affiliation if any
- - -Judging experience; novice, experienced, advanced, BJCP rank (if
applicable). (It is customary to pair less experienced judges with more
experienced judges). =20
- - -Style categories that you are best qualified to judge
- - -Style categories entered (this is used to ensure that judges will not
evaluate their own products)
Each entry must include an entry form attached to the bottle with a
rubber band and the appropriate entry free. Noncommercial entries are
$10 for the first entry, $7 for the second, and $5 for each subsequent
entry. Commercial entries are $50 per entry ($35 for members of the
Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association). To encourage international
participation the entry fee will be waived again this year for entries
produced and shipped from outside North America. Entrants are still
responsible for paying their own shipping and duty costs.=20
Each entry must include a minimum of 24 ounces (or 750ml, i.e. two 12-
ounce bottles). It is suggested that at least two containers are entered
(regardless of size). This gives the judges the opportunity to sample
your entry from a fresh bottle should it be elevated to the second round
Best of Show (BOS) judging. The second bottle may also be used by first
round judges should they perceive a problem with the contents of the
first bottle.
To aid in maintaining fairness of blind judging commercial entries will
be poured out of sight of judges and identified by a randomly assigned
identification number. Noncommercial entries will be poured at judging
tables and must be sent in bottles free of permanent labels or markings.
For the full entry packet please email the Association's competition
chair Rex Halfpenny (mibeerguyd@aol.com) , lead registrar Jeff Carlson
(carlsonj@gvsu.edu), or view it online at www.michiganbeerguide.com
<http://www.michiganbeerguide.com/> or at
http://www.primetimebrewers.com/. =20
Gary Awdey
President, Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association
------------------------------
Subject: Whiskey barrels for cider?
From: Alan Yelvington <alany@semparpac.org>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:44:17 -0500
Has anyone out there done a group purchase of whiskey/bourbon barrels
for cider making? I want to get some, but I'm trying to find folks to
make a decent order. I live in NW PA and would like two for maturing
cider in. So far I've tried CraigsList with no success. Apparently the
Amish around here don't use wood barrels. Go figure. If anyone is in
this part of the country and interested, please drop me a line.
Al Yelvington
Russell, PA
alany@semparpac.org
------------------------------
Subject: bottle vs keg
From: <derek_bisset@shaw.ca>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:18:18 -0800
I received some bottle conditioned cider from a friend recently. I noticed
that the bubbles are very fine and last longer than those from my own keg
conditioned cider .The cider was very smooth and slightly sweet.
I finish my own cider in pressure kegs and remove the yeast by drawing off
some of the cider. I see a cornell keg , for example as a large champagne
bottle.
Will I get an improved quality of cider if I go straight to champagne
bottles from my secondary ferment instead of pressurising and storing
in bulk?
Since there must be some advantage to the labour intensive method of
producing champagne over the charmat bulk method I assume that it results
in improved quality in the champagne.
------------------------------
Subject: Ice Cider Yeast recommendations
From: joseph margevicius <jmargevicius@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:24:50 +0000
I am a home cider maker trying to create an ice cider by using succesive
freeze-thaw cycles on my freshly squeezed apple juice. I will then
ferment the resulting apple juice concentrate in the normal way. I will
probably start out with a S.G around 1.15 or so. I would like the cider
to stop fermenting on its own, but not to dryness, rather leaving behind
a relatively sweet, thick, appley apertif (similar to the ice ciders one
can find in Quebec).
Can anyone recommend an appropriate commercial yeast? If anyone else has
tried this, do you have any pointers?
Thanks
Joe
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End of Cider Digest #1539
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