MLF seriously impproves cider

[Devonhomebrew]

just saying my cider after i racke dit it started MLF and 1 month later its starting to get a nice farm house taste to it nice and sour with funkyness to it cant wait until it warms up and the MLF can really kick in. The best thing i cansay is cider needs to undergo MLF and also it needs to be mature very mature. :twisted:

 

[mcscruff]

I really want to try MLF but it takes so long and it looks like quite a bit of effort to get the yeast from old rosie

 

[bobsbeer]

You can get MLF culture from HB shops.

 

[oldbloke]

nice and sour with funkyness to it

Not actually what I want from cider. Had quite enough of it when I grew up in Zummerzet.
Prefer a cleaner style, but fuller than you get from just AJ+tannin, so will continue experimenting with adjunct juices.
I guess I'll have to have a go at MLF sometime, but can't say I'm that bothered.

 

[ScottM]

nice and sour with funkyness to it

Not actually what I want from cider. Had quite enough of it when I grew up in Zummerzet.
Prefer a cleaner style, but fuller than you get from just AJ+tannin, so will continue experimenting with adjunct juices.
I guess I'll have to have a go at MLF sometime, but can't say I'm that bothered.

I'm the same, although for the first time I tried a straight up AJ TC with a decent amount of tannin and matured for 3 months. It's currently kegged and I enjoy it backsweetened with 4tsp of sugar per litre and then gassed in the sodastream. Best cider I've ever tried

 

[oldbloke]

Well it's undeniable that a good time maturing makes the world of difference, with or without MLF.
I like mine dry though - handy, makes the process simpler. Luckily t'missus agrees

 

[ScottM]

Well it's undeniable that a good time maturing makes the world of difference, with or without MLF.
I like mine dry though - handy, makes the process simpler. Luckily t'missus agrees

I like my cider dry too. Every other variant I have made... pomegranate, raspberry lowicz, ribena, etc, etc, etc.... I have all had dry and they have been fantastic. The straight up apple was just too dry without the other flavours to do the rounding off so 10g of tsp per pint does the job nicely. Having said that I really liked it with 1tsp per pint but the Wife thought it was far too tangy

 

[graysalchemy]

Well it's undeniable that a good time maturing makes the world of difference, with or without MLF.

This is what people don't seem to get. Too many people are introduced to 'turbo cider' via youtube, and think that you can make a quick and easy alcohol fix. True you can but it will disappoint and taste like Sh*te.

 

[anthonyUK]

This is what people don't seem to get. Too many people are introduced to 'turbo cider' via youtube, and think that you can make a quick and easy alcohol fix. True you can but it will disappoint and taste like Sh*te.

I have to admit I'm guilty of this. I think my expectations were too high given the hype surrounding TC.
Still, it was so awful that I have left it alone in the bottle for over a year and it's improving. With a fruit syrup shot it is pretty decent so will be OK this summer.

 

[graysalchemy]

At least you kept it Anthony and not chucked it. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

Here's a thought...

...so my TC for this year is going to be a proper west country smelly one, but...

Is it possible to kill lactobacillus and still leave your cider in a shape where perhaps you could re-inocculate with yeast to carbonate and bottle condition?

Think about it this way - if I want a little bit of MLF, just for that buttery smoothness but not the full on stinks-like-a-barn effect is there a way?

Does Campden kill bacteria maybe? :hmm:

 

[graysalchemy]

I don't know calum but I don't know how much activity you have once it is bottled, I have never seen any Lactobacillus activity in the bottle. The other thing to do would be to control the MLF by the amount of Malic acid used.

:hmm: :hmm:

 

[alanywiseman.]

Here's a thought...

...so my TC for this year is going to be a proper west country smelly one, but...

Is it possible to kill lactobacillus and still leave your cider in a shape where perhaps you could re-inocculate with yeast to carbonate and bottle condition?

Think about it this way - if I want a little bit of MLF, just for that buttery smoothness but not the full on stinks-like-a-barn effect is there a way?

Does Campden kill bacteria maybe? :hmm:

I would just add less malic acid at the start. If the resulting cider needs more acid then I would look at adding some lactic or citric acid to it to balance it out. I would not add more malic as the bacteria will ferment it in the bottle :thumb:

 

[Thrupney_Bit]

Hi Calum

I've been looking at this too and will pass on what I have learnt so far. Adding sodium metabisulphate (e.g CT) can permenently inhibit LAB but potentially you may well need to ramp up S02 levels quite high (more than I'd like) to make the effect permenent. Commercially (and on homebrew scale) lysozyme is used. This will permenently halt LAB and can then be bound and deposited to the bottom of your fermenter with betonite. Leaving you able to rack off and be able to reintroduce yeast for bottle carbonation. Scott Labs do a useful FAQ here:

http://www.scottlab.com/products-120.aspx

In this country, homebrew quanties of lysozyme cannot be purchased (or none that I can find) but it can be bought from abroad. A company called Northern Brewer sell it in small packs. The other route is to just pasterurise your cider. I do this at home in a large pan when I'm making apple juice.

Hope that helps