Cider yeast
Cider yeast
Has anyone found any advantage in using a specific cider yeast for brewing cider?
Re: Cider yeast
That's the age-old question, Dave. Brewtrog will tell you (as would Dunc if he was still here) that beer yeasts make a huge amount of difference to flavour, and I can tell you that wine yeasts make a discernible difference to flavour. Traditional cider-makers rely on wild yeasts so, logically, it should be possible to identify the area of manufacture of a real cider IF yeast makes a difference. I don't know if it's possible or not. However, most cider makers I've read state that you get a better cider by starting with a mix of apples rather than a single variety. If that's true, then it looks like yeast is only secondary when it comes to the flavour of the cider.
The thing to do would be to make several batches of cider with the same fruit but different yeasts and then judge for yourself. Now there's an interesting, scientifically-based excuse for a piss-up
The thing to do would be to make several batches of cider with the same fruit but different yeasts and then judge for yourself. Now there's an interesting, scientifically-based excuse for a piss-up
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Cider yeast
As MKG said, yeast can make a major difference to flavour.
Firstly I wouldn't recommend using wild yeasts, yes it can work and probably would make brilliant cider, but the big risk is you get rubbish, even vinegar, so it isn't really worth the risk.
It really depends on what type of cider you like. Cider has been made with loads of differnet types of yeast (not by me personally), so a good bet is to experiment.
So saying there are a few bits that can help. Most yeasts that are marketed for cider making actually have sweetener added to them, so you will never end up with a dry cider using them as such the generally accepted yeast to use is champagne yeast (apparently westons use champagne yeast).
If you want to get a proper west country cider you've got even more fun on your hands due to something called malolactic fermentation (MLF) which gives the "farmyardy" twang to scrumpy. The problem here is that it's not easy to get the right mixture of yeast and bacteria for this. I've known people culture yeast from a bottle of old rosie, or even just pour a bottle into the brew. The biggest point with that is MLF takes a lot of time and a fair bit of nerve, as it looks like your brew is infected.
As with all homebrew it really depends on what you're after. If you're after a certain type of cider, or a certain flavour then I might be able to help a bit more, or I can ask people who know far mroe than I. If you don't mind then go for an experiment. If you really don't mind losing some then see what the wild yeast is like.
Firstly I wouldn't recommend using wild yeasts, yes it can work and probably would make brilliant cider, but the big risk is you get rubbish, even vinegar, so it isn't really worth the risk.
It really depends on what type of cider you like. Cider has been made with loads of differnet types of yeast (not by me personally), so a good bet is to experiment.
So saying there are a few bits that can help. Most yeasts that are marketed for cider making actually have sweetener added to them, so you will never end up with a dry cider using them as such the generally accepted yeast to use is champagne yeast (apparently westons use champagne yeast).
If you want to get a proper west country cider you've got even more fun on your hands due to something called malolactic fermentation (MLF) which gives the "farmyardy" twang to scrumpy. The problem here is that it's not easy to get the right mixture of yeast and bacteria for this. I've known people culture yeast from a bottle of old rosie, or even just pour a bottle into the brew. The biggest point with that is MLF takes a lot of time and a fair bit of nerve, as it looks like your brew is infected.
As with all homebrew it really depends on what you're after. If you're after a certain type of cider, or a certain flavour then I might be able to help a bit more, or I can ask people who know far mroe than I. If you don't mind then go for an experiment. If you really don't mind losing some then see what the wild yeast is like.
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Re: Cider yeast
ina wrote: die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln
Re: Cider yeast
Is right.
Re: Cider yeast
I'm afraid in the past I've always used "general purpose" homebrew shop yeast for cider....
so now I have bought un sachet of cider yeast (with sweetener as predicted) and have some on the go.... lete see what results
so now I have bought un sachet of cider yeast (with sweetener as predicted) and have some on the go.... lete see what results
Re: Cider yeast
Don't see why there'd be anything wrong with general purpose yeast, my planned yeast for my batch of apple wine (bit different, but close enough) is to use young's super wine yeast compound.
Re: Cider yeast
I've previously used champagne yeast (EC118?), and natural yeasts present on the apples, both with great results.
If you use beer/ale yeast, it might finish slightly sweet (1.010 on hydrometer), and if you want a sweet cider without adding chemicals (unatural sugars), then I'd recomend that method.
otherwise you could ferment out to dry, then stabilise with chemicals, and then back sweeten with sugars (natural or otherwise).
If you want sparkly cider, you either condition in the bottle, without stabilising, and adding priming sugar to do this, or you can force carbonate with CO2.
It does depend on if you're attempting to make a craft cider, from cider apples, that tastes like something from Herefordshire, or if you just want 5 gallons of tramp juice, made from supermarket AJ, that gets you pissed and doesn't taste offensive.
If you use beer/ale yeast, it might finish slightly sweet (1.010 on hydrometer), and if you want a sweet cider without adding chemicals (unatural sugars), then I'd recomend that method.
otherwise you could ferment out to dry, then stabilise with chemicals, and then back sweeten with sugars (natural or otherwise).
If you want sparkly cider, you either condition in the bottle, without stabilising, and adding priming sugar to do this, or you can force carbonate with CO2.
It does depend on if you're attempting to make a craft cider, from cider apples, that tastes like something from Herefordshire, or if you just want 5 gallons of tramp juice, made from supermarket AJ, that gets you pissed and doesn't taste offensive.
Global average carbon emissions - one ton per person per year.
Current emissions in UK – 9 tons per person per year!
Current emissions in UK – 9 tons per person per year!
Re: Cider yeast
I've tasted perfectly good supermarket juice cider with a fair west country taste to it. I've also tasted terrible cider made from cider apples. Yes, ok, supermarket juice isn't designed for cider making, but that can be remedied. The biggest problem people have with making cider from shop bought juice is time. It isn't half as quick as shop bought juice wines for aging (though juice wines still will improve with aging). The other problem people have is adding sugar to make tramp juice, yeah it'll get you drunk quick, but the extra sugar dilutes the, already weak, flavour of the apples.Crastney wrote:It does depend on if you're attempting to make a craft cider, from cider apples, that tastes like something from Herefordshire, or if you just want 5 gallons of tramp juice, made from supermarket AJ, that gets you pissed and doesn't taste offensive.