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Cider Digest #1619
Subject: Cider Digest #1619, 14 March 2011
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1619 14 March 2011
Cider and Perry Discussion Forum
Contents:
Flex Tanks ("Richard Anderson")
Re:Flex Tanks in Cider Making (WhetstoneCiderWorks)
Labellers (WhetstoneCiderWorks)
Fermentation Vessel Options (Robert Capshew)
Standard Classification of Apples ("Raby, Brian")
Flex tanks in cider making (Andrew Lea)
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: Flex Tanks
From: "Richard Anderson" <richard@westcottbaycider.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:49:19 -0800
I looked at flex tanks on the web and do see an advantage in making cider. I
use stainless steel, variable capacity tanks for both fermentation and long
term storage. In addition to dual use, stainless is easy to maintain. In the
long run stainless tanks are a good investment and should you decide to sell
them in the future be able to recover much of what you spent.
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Subject: Re:Flex Tanks in Cider Making
From: WhetstoneCiderWorks <whetstoneciderworks@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:43:43 -0500
I have a couple of Dexter 80 gallon Flex Tanks which I use for cider making,
and I wish I had more. They are versatile, easy to clean, lightweight.
I have used the floating skins to store less than a full tank of cider for
up to 7 months with no problems. I suppose at some point I would be worried
about oxygen problems, but this is based on intuition not any problems I
have had. I have one of their "maturation" weight tanks and one of their
heavier weight tanks. I have always stored cider in the heavier tank,
but again have had no problems with the lighter tank.
My only complaint is that on one of my tanks the gasket which seals the
lid to the tank does not fit the tank very well. I wrote to the company
and they sent me a free replacement gasket, which didn't solve the problem.
I would recommend these tanks highly and wish that the company had an East
Coast distributor.
Jason MacArthur
Whetstone Cider Works
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Subject: Labellers
From: WhetstoneCiderWorks <whetstoneciderworks@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:55:30 -0500
Well, this year I will be bottling cider for commercial purposes for the
first time. My goal is to bottle 120 cases. This means a lot of labels have
to be put onto bottles, and as I have started to look at what this might
entail I have discovered that labelers can be quite expensive. I would
love to hear how others may have overcome this problem, and especially of
low cost solutions which do not involve endless hours of tedious hand work.
Thanks!
Jason MacArthur
Whetstone CiderWorks
Marlboro, VT
------------------------------
Subject: Fermentation Vessel Options
From: Robert Capshew <rcapshew@insightbb.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:19:40 -0500
Re: Fermentation vessel options
We have several small wineries nearby that use white
food grade vessels for small batch fermentation. These
tanks have a removable band at the top that allows the
entire lid to be removed so that all surfaces are cleanable.
The lid has 2 bungs that allow an airlock. These drums
are sold in 30 or 55 gallon sizes and are very reasonably
priced at $25 to $35 each.
Bob Capshew
S. Indiana
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Subject: Standard Classification of Apples
From: "Raby, Brian" <brian.raby@roche.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:50:14 -0500
All,
Question to ask you all. I am in the thrones of designing an orchard that
will eventually turn into a pick-your-own/cider/hard cider business.
I have about 30 different apple varieties on my place and I'm planning on
adding to it this year. I have read various articles about cider blending,
and the portions of Sharp to Bittersweets to Sweets that you need.
I put together a chart to look at what I have to help me decide what type
of apple varieties I still need to get. To me, I feel I need more "Sharp"
apples to add to my collection. But the publication that I read are mixed
on several varieties that I have. For instance, one pub places Macintosh
as a sweet apple. Another says it's a sharp. Similar review for Jonagold,
amongst others.
Is there a defacto list that I can look at that is considered the industry
standard to help me choose my varieties? Any speculation as to why there
difference in how apples are classified?
Brian Raby
Hortonville Farms
Sheridan, IN
------------------------------
Subject: Flex tanks in cider making
From: Andrew Lea <andrew@harphill.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:25:29 +0000
Joshua wrote:
> As a light weight and low cost alternative to stainless steel, Flex Tanks
> have gained popularity among traditional wineries. The tanks are designed
> to replicate the oxygen exchange rates of oak barrels, and offered in
> different thicknesses. However, I have not found mention of their use by
> any cider makers.
I am not personally familiar with flex tanks, but I do know that large
scale (1000 L) bag in box from these suppliers
http://tpsrentalsystems.co.uk/products_liq_liners.php are being used
successfully by at least a couple of UK cidermakers for longer term
storage of finished cider up to a year.
Andrew Lea
nr Oxford UK
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End of Cider Digest #1619
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