Yeast for Cider

[Jambo]

I'm trying to take some yeasty lessons from last year into my cider making this year. My thoughts are as follows:

- I've started using liquid yeasts for beer lately and the difference is amazing - could the same help my cider? I think so.
- Which yeast strain? Some interesting reading here: http://www.whitelabs.com/cider
I don't have any WLP002 currently but I have some WY1318 which I had hoped might be the same but actually WY1968 is the equivalent aparrently. Reckon it would do anyway?
- Last year's cider had strong sulphur odours which took a while to dissipate. My second batch to which I added yeast nutrient had less, so probably I should do more of this. Maybe the below will help too...
- Last year I had to pitch loads of sachets of dried yeast before anything would happen. Liquid yeast, nutrient, and starters should fix this I think? In the interests of hygiene and not really caring about flavour, would it make sense to boil the apple juice that one was planning to use for a starter?

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

[jmc]

Last year I used a mix of WLP002 and slurry from Old Rosie.

I was happy with results but still a bit acidic as I tend to get more cookers than ideal in the mix of apples I use.

This year I'm using Lalvin 71B as discussed in the Cider Workshop

Oenological properties and applications
The 71B strain is a rapid starter with a constant and complete fermentation between 15° and 30°C (59° and 86°F) that has the ability to metabolize high amounts (20% to 40%) of malic acid. In addition to producing rounder, smoother, more aromatic wines that tend to mature quickly, it does not extract a great deal of phenols from the must so the maturation time is further decreased.

I made a starter 3 days ago. Within 2 hours it had a 1cm head!
I stepped it up yesterday and had to place it in fermenting fridge at 16C to slow it down.

[Jambo]

Thanks JMC! Is that just freshly pressed apple juice in your starter with no treatment?

[6470zzy]

I like a combination of Red Star Cote Des Blanc and D-47

Cheers

[Jambo]

Fantastic reading on the 71B that you posted JMC, it's acid attenuating abilities are something that hadn't even crossed my mind. Like you, I have access to an abundance of cookers so this sounds like a winner. My brew was too acidic last year.

[jmc]

Thanks JMC! Is that just freshly pressed apple juice in your starter with no treatment?

The starter just contained 1L Tesco value AJ + the yeast, no nutrient or anything else.

I also got some potassium carbonate last year to help reduce the malic acid a touch.
Potassium carbonate is supposed to leave less after taste than calcium carbonate which can taste a bit 'chalky' (unsurprisingly)

I didn't use any carbonate in the end, as it does smooth out a bit on its own in time.

[Jambo]

Thanks again JMC!

[Rookie]

A couple of months ago I brewed a 1 1/2 gallon batch of 1.060 coconut cider that turned out great. I fermented it with Muntons regular yeast. F G was 0.998.

[Jambo]

Made up a couple of starters with this Lalvin yeast and nothing is happening after a couple of days. It's real apple juice, mostly from cookers.

I put a crushed campden tablet in each 1L starter for 24 hrs before adding the yeast. Also some pectolase. Then hydrated and pitched the yeast.

Nothing really doing after 48 hrs, added a wee bit of yeast nutrient, will see how it's doing tonight...

[ciderhead]

last year I brewed 25L with 002 and 028 based on the article, for the first 6 months there was definitely a beer taste but disapated after time. The 028 came second in a comp and judges did pick up "something different" from it
It was a great experiment and happy I did it but back to WLP Champagne and English cider yeast going forward.

[jmc]

Made up a couple of starters with this Lalvin yeast and nothing is happening after a couple of days. It's real apple juice, mostly from cookers.

I put a crushed campden tablet in each 1L starter for 24 hrs before adding the yeast. Also some pectolase. Then hydrated and pitched the yeast.

Nothing really doing after 48 hrs, added a wee bit of yeast nutrient, will see how it's doing tonight...

I think you may have added too much sulphite. I added 1cc of 5% campden per L to my AJ.

[Jambo]

I think you might be right JMC. I'll dilute it down a bit with some apple juice.

[Jambo]

That didn't really help so have pitched some more yeast. I had understood that the sulphite was supposed to come out of solution after a little while anyway? It must be well over a week now...

[6470zzy]

That didn't really help so have pitched some more yeast. I had understood that the sulphite was supposed to come out of solution after a little while anyway? It must be well over a week now...

1 whole crushie seems a little on the heavy side to use per litre
Have you taken hydrometer readings to verify that there hasn't been any fermentation?

[jmc]

That didn't really help so have pitched some more yeast. I had understood that the sulphite was supposed to come out of solution after a little while anyway? It must be well over a week now...

You're right it does eventually, but it probably killed the yeast you added initially, so good idea to add more yeast.
Have you checked your SG?