Cider Digest #1924

eZine lover (@eZine)

Published in 

Cider Digest

 · 8 months ago

Subject: Cider Digest #1924, 26 December 2014 
From: cider-request@talisman.com 

 
Cider Digest #1924                                         26 December 2014 

                 Cider and Perry Discussion Forum 

Contents: 
  Re: cloth cleanliness (Wes Cherry) 
  Reply to "The Elf" RE: Sterile Filtration CD#1923 () 
  beginning cider making questions (SMB WEBER) 

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Subject: Re: cloth cleanliness 
From: Wes Cherry <eightway@kmonkey.com> 
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 08:38:13 -0800 

I have a squeezebox as well.  We have found we can "freshen" the bags 
in place by running a pressure washer down into the bags on the machine. 
We use an electric pressure washer (1900psi, iirc) - I bet a gas powered 
one would be too much pressure and damage the bags.   It isn't as good 
as a full out of place cleaning, but it's good enough to make it thru a 
difficult pressing session. 

Off the machine, soaking bags overnight in warm water with scottlabs pec5l 
and hc enzymes makes them easier to clean (also with a pressure washer). 

- -'//es 

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Subject: Reply to "The Elf" RE: Sterile Filtration CD#1923 
From: <lotic@juno.com> 
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:40:46 -0500 

Hi Tom Frey, 
I have never had any luck with sterile filtration. 
On occassion, I will run the cider through a 0.25um filter prior to 
bottling. 
Heck, yeast should be taken out at 0.45um. 
I usually get some activity in the bottle in a month or two. (a bubble or 
two) 
Therfore, it didn't work. 

I put it down to a couple of possible reasons: 
1: Yeast blowing past the filters. 
2: Hoses not perfectly clean. 
3: Receiving tank not perfectly clean. 

Yeast is getting through somewhere. 
Bottom-line is that sterile filtration is a defense-only manuever. 
I find that I need to go on offense as well. (sulfites) 

If you have an advice for me, I will gladly take it! 

Peter Mitchell 
Headwater Cider 

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Subject: beginning cider making questions 
From: SMB WEBER <weberscrossing9@gmail.com> 
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 08:51:57 -0500 

We are making our first real batch of cider and only read about doing it. 
Would welcome any advice anyone has time to pass on. 

We allowed different batches of milled apples (home grinder that uses a 
sink garbage disposal) to sit for anywhere from 1-2, maybe 3, days before 
pressing, often keeping them overnight outside when external temps were in 
30s-40s F.  Apples also sat for a while before milling and juice is 
viscous.  Added a little acid before sealing in glass carboy with air 
lock.  Acidity seemed low given that we at least wanted to start with wild 
yeasts. 

Initially, the must sat in our kitchen for at least a week.  Temperature 
was 65-68 degrees F on average.  Fermentation started and seemed to 
progress well:  a 2-5 inch head of foam developed, then died back a little 
but still had plenty.  We moved must to side porch where temp stays in 50s 
range, mostly in mid to low 50s (it is unusually warm here now, getting to 
around 58 degrees F outside yesterday; this made things warmer where the 
must is now;  we have no way to lower temperature there). 

Foam seems to have gone away, mostly, but airlock keep gurgling.  We wonder 
how much may be due to fermentation slowing because of lower temperature 
now versus fermentation with wild yeasts coming to an end.  We have not 
introduced sulfites at all yet and hoping we might get by for a while 
without doing so.  We are trying to decide whether we should sanitize the 
must now and welcome comments about it, given what we've done thus far. 

Must does not fill carboy completely to neck of jar;  but airlock keeps 
gurgling........  Wondering how much of a threat the larger exposed surface 
of the must is. 

Should we sanitize must before introducing cultured yeast or just add 
cultured yeast?  If we add sulfite, we thought we'd try reduced dosage in 
case any wild yeast might survive a little longer.  We would like 
fermentation to complete dryness, but wondering how long we should allow 
wild yeasts to continue, if they are continuing. 

Thank you for any advice or comments. 

Susan 
SMB Weber 

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End of Cider Digest #1924 
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