First attempt at cider from an apple tree

[b7ryn]

Hey there,
I'm planning on using a friend's apple tree to try a cider. For sanitization reasons, I'd naturally be inclined to boil (or perhaps pasteurize) the liquid before fermentation, to ensure everything is clean in my food grade tub. It also allows my to do some hop experiments alongside this...
Any reason why boiling is a bad idea or not required? Or general advice?

Thanks in advance

Brian

 

[user 18729]

Boiling will leave you with a very cloudy cider. You could use Camden tablets to kill off any nasties.

 

[DavieC]

Hi , I made 2 batches last year, one with crushed campden tab, one without, both were fine.this year I'll try and get apples from a few trees of various flavours for a tastier cider,although flavour did improve over the months from my single apple.

 

[raymondo]

Don't boil.

Add one campden tablet per gallon, wait 24hrs add yeast. For natural fermentation, half campden table per gallon, fermentation will probably be slower starting this way.( Both of these methods do need acidity to be taken into consideration)
A natural fermentation will give a much more complex flavoured cider at the end.

Have a look in her for more detail. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/cider-workshop

Raymondo

 

[CeeGee]

I’d love to make some cider from apples. In our village there is a managed orchard and every year you can have as much as you like.

No scratter or press though, so will wait until I have a bit more cash.

 

[b7ryn]

Thanks guys. That's the apples starting to fall here in Scotland. Gonna press and freeze till I've got a 19L yield of juice. So I'm clear:
Defrost and mix full amount with 4-5 campden tabs
Add yeast starter (going with Champagne)
Leave to ferment
Carbonate through desired route (force carb for me)
Drink.

I'll know the OG when I press the first batch, so whether to boost the numbers or not.
I fancy the champagne yeast, but appreciate the amount of suphites may impact growth, hance the starter.

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Brian

 

[DavieC]

Hi Brian, sounds good,I think leave it 24hrs after campden tabs, I add some yeast nutrient at same time as the yeast starter so it gets going ok. Please let us know how it turns out.
My apples from our tree are very poor this year so I'll have to forage/beg some but I'm going to do a demijohn with no addictives apart from nutrient and see how the wild yeast turns out in terms of flavour(or infection).

 

[An Ankoù]

Hey there,
I'm planning on using a friend's apple tree to try a cider. For sanitization reasons, I'd naturally be inclined to boil (or perhaps pasteurize) the liquid before fermentation, to ensure everything is clean in my food grade tub. It also allows my to do some hop experiments alongside this...
Any reason why boiling is a bad idea or not required? Or general advice?

Thanks in advance

Brian

If you boil, your cider will taste of stewed apples. I hose my apples to get the crud off, dunk them in a tub of sodium metabisulphite solution and then dunk them in fresh water before they go to the scratter. Never had a batch go off (Surprisingly). Proper cider-makers just hose the apples off, I understand. Use a proper cider yeast. Youngs is my favourite.