StrandedinCanada
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2012
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Evening everyone...
Well, to start off - a big old fashioned 'thanks' for all the peeps that spoke out to help me get through my very first batch of cider making last September. As the nickname suggests, I took on board my Britishness and braved matters to produce some home made cider here in Canada. For a first attempt I was pleasantly surprised --- it wasn't half bad but now, after further research, I'm learning that it could have been much better because the batch was 100% sweet apples...
I'm giving it a go this year having sourced a bushel of Trameltts and a bushel of Yarlington Mill's a few hours away - so more to come on the cider-front later this year when they're in season...
OK, now on to PERRY making...
So I was scouring the Internet, looking for Apple orchards locally, when I found a farm that had a weekend sale on Bartlett (Williams) Pears. I know, before you say it, not the most ideal variety of pear (again, like the apples last year) - but they were reasonably priced and so I'm giving it a whirl.
JUST LIKE LAST YEAR: I'm appealing to everyone and anyone for help, advice and guidance.
Where are we at? The plan is to make about 6.5 UK Gallons of perry... (So needless to say I have a load of pears ready to go). Below is my plan of action - which is all based EXACTLY on my cider making experience from last year... THIS IS WHERE HELP, ADVICE and GUIDANCE may be needed :P
-> At the moment I've got all these pears sitting in the basement to ripen a little since there were stored in a refrigeration unit at the farm...
-> In a couple of days I'm gonna be looking for, quote, "You (I) will know when they are getting ripe enough when they have turned a bit yellow and can be dented when you press on them moderately with your
"
-> When that day comes, I've read that it's a good idea to mash it them all up, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight (if it's cool) and then press into juice the next day.
-> When I have juice I'm going to add in 6.5 crushed campdens and wait two days
-> 2 days later I plan on adding 1 tsp tannin, 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient and 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme (per each UK Gallon) & then add in my Yeast (Which this year is planned with a "Danstar Nottingham ale yeast", made in Austria)
-> Leave until nearly christmas
-> Syphon off into a steel beer keg
-> Force carbonate with keg-fridge/CO2
-> Drink at Christmas
So that, in a nutshell, is "the plan"... Having said all that, I humbly appear to your guys' expertise in 'all matter Perry'; you guys were immensely helpful last year and any input is appreciated. I've read a bit on tannin levels in pears being different (so not sure if that affects my plan to add tannin) and the possibility of adding, quote, "3 grams per liter of tartaric acid to acidify the juice". Whatever the advice, please remember these are generic North American pears (so table sweet and not really perry quality)...
Right, that there's my dilemma gentlemen... Thoughts?
Well, to start off - a big old fashioned 'thanks' for all the peeps that spoke out to help me get through my very first batch of cider making last September. As the nickname suggests, I took on board my Britishness and braved matters to produce some home made cider here in Canada. For a first attempt I was pleasantly surprised --- it wasn't half bad but now, after further research, I'm learning that it could have been much better because the batch was 100% sweet apples...
I'm giving it a go this year having sourced a bushel of Trameltts and a bushel of Yarlington Mill's a few hours away - so more to come on the cider-front later this year when they're in season...
OK, now on to PERRY making...
So I was scouring the Internet, looking for Apple orchards locally, when I found a farm that had a weekend sale on Bartlett (Williams) Pears. I know, before you say it, not the most ideal variety of pear (again, like the apples last year) - but they were reasonably priced and so I'm giving it a whirl.
JUST LIKE LAST YEAR: I'm appealing to everyone and anyone for help, advice and guidance.
Where are we at? The plan is to make about 6.5 UK Gallons of perry... (So needless to say I have a load of pears ready to go). Below is my plan of action - which is all based EXACTLY on my cider making experience from last year... THIS IS WHERE HELP, ADVICE and GUIDANCE may be needed :P
-> At the moment I've got all these pears sitting in the basement to ripen a little since there were stored in a refrigeration unit at the farm...
-> In a couple of days I'm gonna be looking for, quote, "You (I) will know when they are getting ripe enough when they have turned a bit yellow and can be dented when you press on them moderately with your
" -> When that day comes, I've read that it's a good idea to mash it them all up, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight (if it's cool) and then press into juice the next day.
-> When I have juice I'm going to add in 6.5 crushed campdens and wait two days
-> 2 days later I plan on adding 1 tsp tannin, 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient and 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme (per each UK Gallon) & then add in my Yeast (Which this year is planned with a "Danstar Nottingham ale yeast", made in Austria)
-> Leave until nearly christmas
-> Syphon off into a steel beer keg
-> Force carbonate with keg-fridge/CO2
-> Drink at Christmas
So that, in a nutshell, is "the plan"... Having said all that, I humbly appear to your guys' expertise in 'all matter Perry'; you guys were immensely helpful last year and any input is appreciated. I've read a bit on tannin levels in pears being different (so not sure if that affects my plan to add tannin) and the possibility of adding, quote, "3 grams per liter of tartaric acid to acidify the juice". Whatever the advice, please remember these are generic North American pears (so table sweet and not really perry quality)...
Right, that there's my dilemma gentlemen... Thoughts?
