Cider yeast

[mdwest]

Ok.. So I'm ready to try my hand at home brewing some hard apple cider...

Any recommendations on yeast? What like to eat the sugars in apple cider the best?

Also.. Anyone ever tried twisting up a recipe? Maybe some cinnamon or some clove or something like that in there? Or am I best just going with plain old apple juice or cider?

 

[NIZZLE]

White Labs WLP775 English Cider Yeast. give me a minute and I'll get you a recipe out of my books.

 

[NIZZLE]

Graham's English Cider
5 gallons Treetop (or equivalent) Apple Juice
4 black teabags (English or Irish Breakfast)
3 key limes (or one regular lime)
1 pack s-04 yeast
(yeast nutrients as needed)

Directions
Add juice of lime(s) to 3 cups of water, bring to a boil then turn off heat. Steep teabags for 7-10 mins, cool for a few mins then add to carboy. Add nutrients and juice into carboy with an aggressive pour to help aerate the juice. Add yeast, put an airlock on then place in a cool (60F-70F) environment.

Primary for one month, then rack to secondary, topping off with juice. Leave in secondary until crystal clear (usually 2-3 months or so from pitching) then bottle with 4oz priming sugar.

Takes about a month to carbonate, tastes good after 3 months, but just gets better with age. I usually start opening bottles about 5 months after pitching.

 

[NIZZLE]

5 gal. cider
5 lbs. dark brown sugar
1 package of cotes des blanc
hand full of french roasted oak chips

heat one gallon of cider on the stove (do not boil)
add 5 lbs of sugar to hot cider and stir untill sugar is disolved then remove from heat.
Sanatize fermenter, lid, air lock hydrometer and thermometer.

alow cider to cool a bit before adding to glass carboy. If you are using a bucket then add the 4 gallons of cider then add cider containing sugar and mix throughly for about 5 mins.
Take a temperature reading you want to pitch yeast around 80 degrees. Place lid on top and rehydrate yeast.
take a hydrometer reading.
Then pitch yeast and give it a good stir.
Place lid and air lock on.
Transfer after 2 week to secondary.
Wait 2 weeks then add sanitize oak chips to the secondary.
wait another two weeks before bottling .
Let it set in the bottle for at least a month two allow flavor to blend.

 

[NIZZLE]

I'm assuming you don't keg.

 

[NIZZLE]

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[mdwest]

I dont keg.. I just bottle in 1 liter growlers...

1 quick question... I read on some blog that the only cider or juice that can be used is all natural/organic with no preservatives.. that off the shelf "grocery store" products wont work.. something about the preservatives killing off the yeast...

The publix brand of apple cider and apple juice have asorbic acid in them as the preservative.. I cant see that killing yeast.. but.. before I went and wasted 5 gallons of juice.. and a month of time trying to make cider.. I thought I would confirm or deny...

any thoughts?

 

[NCost]

I used 2 Gallons of Motts apple juice and it worked fine along w/ the 2 gallons of fresh cider I used.

You can use the yeast of your choice. I used a London Ale yeast, my friend likes it dryer and used Champagne yeast.

 

[mdwest]

AWESOME info guys! Thanks!

Will be starting a 5 gallon batch this weekend!

 

[NIZZLE]

I also use pectic enzyme and I always use yeast nutrients. Have fun and enjoy brother.

 

[NCost]

I don't use either of those but I always make a yeast starter 2 days ahead of time and have more than enough active yeast for any brew I do.

 

[NIZZLE]

I just like my brews to be crystal clear and I'm picky and I like my ciders high alcohol.