Yeast for Cider. White Labs Experiment

[jmc]

I just noticed these White Labs notes about a US experiment to compare yeasts used to ferment cider.

From http://www.whitelabs.com/cider

EXPERIMENTS

In an experiment conducted by the QUAFF homebrewing club in 2013, members tested the following strains: WLP002 English Ale Yeast, WLP028 Edinburgh Ale Yeast, WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast, WLP575 Belgian Ale Yeast Blend, WLP775 English Cider Yeast, WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast, and WLP862 Cry Havoc Yeast. All cider makers used 5 gallons of apple juice and employed a variety of fermentation temperatures and nutrients.

The testing was funded by the American Homebrewers Association's Research & Education Fund (REF). To review the full report (one must be logged in with their AHA member credentials to access the following page), visit here. Also of interest is this overview of the REF program.

Below are the taste test rankings, with "1" being the most favored:
Official judges ranking (10 people judging):

1. WLP028
2. WLP002
3. WLP862
4. WLP775
5. WLP500
6. WLP575
7. WLP810


Cider makers (7 people judging)

1. WLP002
2. WLP028
3. WLP862
4. WLP775
5 .WLP575
6. WLP500
7. WLP810


Public evaluation at White Labs 6/15/2013 (45 ballots)

1. WLP002
2. WLP028
3. WLP862
4. WLP775
5. WLP500
6. WLP575
7. WLP810

I've used WLP002/Fullers yeast before with a TC and have been pleased with results. I was not quite as dry as champagne yeast.

I'd like to give WLP028 Edinburgh Ale Yeast a go as I think this is supposed to leave more residual sweetness.

[Nofolkandchance]

WLP 028 is my go-to yeast for most of my brews now it's very versatile. Hadn't really thought about using an ale yeast for cider though so maybe I'll put this one on the list for summer?

I've used WLP 775 English cider yeast with apples and it was very good also used it in a TC which turned out ok. Bone dry but drinking in a week

[oldbloke]

I recently had a few people over for a side-by-side of 4 yeasts in a turbocider.
The juice was 640ml Suma AJ concentrate + 500ml Morrison's cranberry to the gallon, with a short tsp powdered wine tannin. Each yeast was brewed straight or with 4tsp/gallon Morrison' sweetener (sucralose+maltodextrin)
Yeasts were Young's cider, Young's all purpose red wine, Gervin D, and Munton's Gold.
In general, the sweetened versions were preferred (just the dry side of medium)
One person actively disliked the GervinD. One declared the Munton's tasted like champagne. I have a fondness for the fruitiness the red wine yeast brought out. But overall the winner was the cider yeast, coz I make the stuff fo t'missus and that was her choice.