Making perry for the first time - any advice welcome!

[darlacat]

I've been brewing beer for ten years, but haven't ventured into cider-making. Seeing as my parents have a pear tree in their garden, whose pears are hard and tart and which they do nothing with, I feel like I should have a go at making perry later this year.

As a complete novice when it comes to cider and perry, any advice is welcome on pressing, yeast, process, etc!

 

[Cwrw666]

I've never made perry, or `pear cider' as it tends to be called these days. But - sounds like your pears are keepers, in that they're inedible when picked but sweeten and soften up on storage.
I do make cider. If you juice them straight away the resulting cider is like drinking battery acid. But store them for 3 or 4 weeks and the acidity levels plummet. I did mine for 4 weeks last year and there was hardly any acidity at all.

 

[johncrobinson]

Second Cwrw666s advice regarding storage.As for yeast I would use ec-1118 especially if you intend to sparkle it
But then i use that for most white wines
This yeast will get you to just about any %abv you want,And is the yeast for adding a bit of sparkle.

Pears come up slightly short on flavour when fermented so use plenty,And then some more.

If you don't have a press i would recommend a "pulp" fermentation,Skins and all.!!!
Use pectolase and a bit of heat to break down the fruit (don't boil.) then add pectolase to the cool juice/pulp when starting fermentation.

 

[darlacat]

Second Cwrw666s advice regarding storage.As for yeast I would use ec-1118 especially if you intend to sparkle it
But then i use that for most white wines
This yeast will get you to just about any %abv you want,And is the yeast for adding a bit of sparkle.

Pears come up slightly short on flavour when fermented so use plenty,And then some more.

If you don't have a press i would recommend a "pulp" fermentation,Skins and all.!!!
Use pectolase and a bit of heat to break down the fruit (don't boil.) then add pectolase to the cool juice/pulp when starting fermentation.

I was thinking about getting a scratter and/or press, but how would you go about a pulp fermentation? Just chop the pears (or use a blender? we have one of those nutriblast things that can pulp anything), heat, then ferment everything?

Do I need to add a campden tablet to the juice? Would you recommend fermenting with a bought yeast, as opposed to the wild yeast on the fruit itself?

I'm totally ignorant when it comes to cider and perry, so apologies for all the questions...

 

[johncrobinson]

Well if you get it to about 80c (not boiling) the juice/fruit will be sanitised.
Any wild yeast will be killed along with the nasties so you will need to add your own yeast (once its cooled)
EC-1118 is ideal.
Wild yeast is very hit and miss,not many will go beyond 5%abv the yeast i have suggested can on a good day get you to nearly 20%abv. (depending on how much sugar you add.)

Dont forget to add a dose of pectolase. Again once its cool.
And some yeast nutrient.

There will be no need for campden if you pasturise the juice as above.

A blender is fine,I would recommend the use of a fermentation bucket rather than a demijohn due to all the pulp.

Good luck.!!