Cider Digest #1555

eZine lover (@eZine)

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Cider Digest

 · 7 months ago

Subject: Cider Digest #1555, 15 March 2010 
From: cider-request@talisman.com 

 
Cider Digest #1555                                         15 March 2010 

                 Cider and Perry Discussion Forum 

Contents: 
  RE: Cider Digest #1554, 11 March 2010  Response to Scott Heath  ("Mike Swi...) 
  Re seeking French perry pear information (hvs) 
  adjusting pH (Andrew Lea) 
  French pears (Andrew Lea) 

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Subject: RE: Cider Digest #1554, 11 March 2010  Response to Scott Heath 
From: "Mike Swinnerton " <swin@charter.net> 
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:21:28 -0800 

Scott, 
I am original cofounder and cidermaker for Blue Mountain Cider Co. in Milton 
Freewater OR.  Primarily a Homebrewer with access to a lot of apples. 
We started with 304 equipment because it was less expensive and easy to 
find.  It worked very well to get us started.  When we went from a capacity 
of 2000 gallons to 16000 gallons we went with 316.  We did have to custom 
order the tanks. 

If you plan on using your equipment for a long time (10+ years) try to go 
with the 316.  The main issue with 304 is the microscopic pitting of the 
metal surface due to the PH and malic acid in Cider.  This creates places 
for bio terrorists to hide and mess with your cider.  It also makes cleaning 
tougher. 

The first thing I noticed about the 316 metal is how easy it is to clean and 
rinse.  On a larger scale this was a great benefit.  Knowing that we will 
not have to keep an eye out for changes in quality due to deterioration of 
the tank surface gives us needed piece of mind. 

On a smaller scale I have used 15 gallon glass Demijohn carboys.  They are 
tough to find but worth it.  They usually come with a plastic tub and cover 
set up to protect the carboy.  It makes handling a little easier as well. 

Here's to good cider making! 

Cheers. 

Mike Swinnerton 
Milton Freewater, OR 

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Subject: Re seeking French perry pear information 
From: hvs <hvschablowsky@gmx.net> 
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:53:37 +0100 

The ECP/GR Pyrus Database 
Gembloux - Belgium 
http://pyrus.cra.wallonie.be 

found Poire de Cloche 

Ask the curator M. Lateur 
They might have what you are looking for 
or search the catalogue of 
Bibliothèque des Sciences agronomiques - Gembloux 
http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/library/service/pib.html 

Hubert 
Dorfen Bavaria Germany 

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Subject: adjusting pH 
From: Andrew Lea <andrew@harphill.co.uk> 
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:46:07 +0000 

Scott asked 
> 
> What is the way, or the BEST way, to lower the pH of juice and/or 
> fermented cider? Is it just to add malic acid? Are there other 
> methods? I didn't have a pH meter when I was pressing and now I 
> see that my cider batches vary from about 3.75 to 4.1. Ideally I'd 
> like it around 3.5 for protection from spoilage. 

Blending, or use of malic acid (or citric if you must) are the only ways 
really. But pH isn't such an important consideration after fermentation 
as it is before, because you now have the alcohol to protect from 
spoilage and all the sugar has gone. Post-fermentation spoilage 
organisms are mostly aerobic, so keeping the cider tightly sealed and 
away from air is the most important thing you can do. A little sulphite 
can help. 

The most important consideration around acidity post-fermentation is the 
level of titratable acidity for a balanced finish to the flavour - which 
should probably be between 0.4 and 0.7%. If you pitch for this you will 
be in a pH range (say < 3.8) which provides microbial protection anyway. 

Andrew Lea 
nr Oxford, UK 
www.cider.org.uk 

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Subject: French pears 
From: Andrew Lea <andrew@harphill.co.uk> 
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:46:49 +0000 

Charles asked 

> Does anyone have a really good 19th century cidre library?  I'm looking 
> for info on La Jaunette and Belle (or Poire) de Cloche. 
> 

I have a few 19th century French cider books which also cover perry but 
I'm sorry to report I've drawn a blank on both cultivars. I looked in 
the following which all contain lists of perry pears: 

- - Le Cidre by Boutteville and Hauchecorne (1882) 
- - Le Cidre by Labounoux and Touchard (undated but ca 1902) 
- - Le Pommier a Cidre by Fau (undated ca 1900) 
- - Fabricant de Cidre et de Poire by Dubief and Malepeyre (1859) 
- - Same title 'new edition' (undated but ca 1892) 
- - Pomologie et Cidrerie by Warcollier (1909) 

and neither pear is mentioned at all. So they must be pretty obscure. 

The only 'hit' was in Charley's 1948 English translation of Warcollier's 
1929 "Cidrerie" as "Principles and Practice of Cidermaking" where 
"...Poire de Cloche is used for confectionery..." but there is no 
mention of its use for making perry despite listing other cultivars that 
are. 

Sorry to report a negative but perhaps others will be luckier for you! 

Andrew 

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End of Cider Digest #1555 
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