I have been making cider for years but not using only natural air born yeasts
I generally make 200/250 liters per year from proper cider apples the key one being Kingston’ black
I
Now have a still to fractionally distill the excess cider into calvados
My cider at best using a hygrometer is approx 6.5/7% max
This is so dependent on weather conditions
Brilliant to know there are other fab cider makers
😇😵💫 |
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"I have been making cider for years but not using only natural air born yeasts
I generally make 200/250 liters per year from proper cider apples the key one being Kingston’ black
I
Now have a still to fractionally distill the excess cider into calvados
My cider at best using a hygrometer is approx 6.5/7% max
This is so dependent on weather conditions
Brilliant to know there are other fab cider makers
😇😵💫"
Sounds good. How do you ‘age’ the calvados ?
I have Kingston Black, Dabinett, Major, Yarlington and Sweet Alford in my orchard |
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I cut my two trees back too much last year, so barely any fruit this year. Hopefully a bigger crop next year, so far I’ve only been generating 17-18 litres of juice, but I am refining my processing, so hopefully more efficient, and therefore more cider as a result! I do find it a chuckle, making alcohol from something growing in your garden  |
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"I cut my two trees back too much last year, so barely any fruit this year. Hopefully a bigger crop next year, so far I’ve only been generating 17-18 litres of juice, but I am refining my processing, so hopefully more efficient, and therefore more cider as a result! I do find it a chuckle, making alcohol from something growing in your garden "
You can freeze the juice for normal consumption ideally in cleaned out plastic milk containers but allows for expansion. !
It stop the yeasts working … it’s easier than a Baum Marie
Enjoy cider making though … it’s great fun and get the family involved too
See if you can borrow the kit for your first year
Check on face book. Market place
|
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"I have been making cider for years but not using only natural air born yeasts
I generally make 200/250 liters per year from proper cider apples the key one being Kingston’ black
I
Now have a still to fractionally distill the excess cider into calvados
My cider at best using a hygrometer is approx 6.5/7% max
This is so dependent on weather conditions
Brilliant to know there are other fab cider makers
😇😵💫
Sounds good. How do you ‘age’ the calvados ?
I have Kingston Black, Dabinett, Major, Yarlington and Sweet Alford in my orchard "
Oak barrels ideally you need a ferkin or a hogs head oak ( had to be ) either European or American white oak
Ideally once used for port or brandy
Ideally 5 + years
You can get the barrels but it’s vital for very obvious Reasons they are filled with water highly let the oak staves sit filled to the top to create a water tight seal
Then empty if satisfied
|
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Made it a few years ago using natural yeasts...fatal error is that underfloor heating encouraged other yeasts and fungi in the batch to prevail making the stuff undrinkable! You learn from your mistakes! |
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"I have been making cider for years but not using only natural air born yeasts
I generally make 200/250 liters per year from proper cider apples the key one being Kingston’ black
I
Now have a still to fractionally distill the excess cider into calvados
My cider at best using a hygrometer is approx 6.5/7% max
This is so dependent on weather conditions
Brilliant to know there are other fab cider makers
😇😵💫
Sounds good. How do you ‘age’ the calvados ?
I have Kingston Black, Dabinett, Major, Yarlington and Sweet Alford in my orchard
Oak barrels ideally you need a ferkin or a hogs head oak ( had to be ) either European or American white oak
Ideally once used for port or brandy
Ideally 5 + years
You can get the barrels but it’s vital for very obvious Reasons they are filled with water highly let the oak staves sit filled to the top to create a water tight seal
Then empty if satisfied
Those apples are excellent
have Kingston Black, Dabinett, Major, Yarlington and Sweet Alford in my orchard
The Kingston black is considered to be the crowning glory
I have this plus 6 others inc Kate which is excellent
Do you use some extra sugar to get a fizz on secondary fermentation?
"
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"I have been making cider for years but not using only natural air born yeasts
I generally make 200/250 liters per year from proper cider apples the key one being Kingston’ black
I
Now have a still to fractionally distill the excess cider into calvados
My cider at best using a hygrometer is approx 6.5/7% max
HMRC?
This is so dependent on weather conditions
Brilliant to know there are other fab cider makers
😇😵💫"
|
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"Made it a few years ago using natural yeasts...fatal error is that underfloor heating encouraged other yeasts and fungi in the batch to prevail making the stuff undrinkable! You learn from your mistakes!"
Interesting … did you have a proper seal on your fermenting barrel?
Did the air lock get contaminated?
If all those are spot on they it must be the hygiene issue … like using Milton in the prep process
Natural yeasts work well at temps above 16degres c
Ideally 18- 20
Under floor heating max at 25/26 which would only accelerate the fermentation I think
I found be wrong
Anyway …. Please doing give up as the thread suggests alcohol for free … from your garden !!
It still amazes me ! |
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"I cut my two trees back too much last year, so barely any fruit this year. Hopefully a bigger crop next year, so far I’ve only been generating 17-18 litres of juice, but I am refining my processing, so hopefully more efficient, and therefore more cider as a result! I do find it a chuckle, making alcohol from something growing in your garden
You can freeze the juice for normal consumption ideally in cleaned out plastic milk containers but allows for expansion. !
It stop the yeasts working … it’s easier than a Baum Marie
Enjoy cider making though … it’s great fun and get the family involved too
See if you can borrow the kit for your first year
Check on face book. Market place
"
I've made two batches so far, two years apart due to my trees still being fairly young and not producing every year. Each time I ended up with 35 500ml bottles of approx 6.2%, the second batch I left 6 bottles for almost a year to see the difference in flavour, and it was fantastic!  |
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"Made it a few years ago using natural yeasts...fatal error is that underfloor heating encouraged other yeasts and fungi in the batch to prevail making the stuff undrinkable! You learn from your mistakes!"
My personal choice now is not to let the natural yeast do the fermentation, in my experience in the past I've had some unpredictable results, so I use a specific cider yeast.
These are designed to give better levels of achohol and less methanol and malic acid. I make a 'pitch' with the cider yeast beforehand so it will dominate over the natural yeasts.
Just my preference to do it like this, everyone has different ways they make their cider. Over the years I think I've got better at judging the blend etc, so now it comes out pretty smooth and tasty.
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By *apidaryMan 2 weeks ago
Chipping Norton |
"Not a maker but I do benefit from a few cases of cider from a local maker who gets duck eggs from me and then pays in cider "
Summons up images of rural bliss, with a cast of Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith & Paul Eddington.
My apples this year have become chutney or sauce. |
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"Made it a few years ago using natural yeasts...fatal error is that underfloor heating encouraged other yeasts and fungi in the batch to prevail making the stuff undrinkable! You learn from your mistakes!
My personal choice now is not to let the natural yeast do the fermentation, in my experience in the past I've had some unpredictable results, so I use a specific cider yeast.
These are designed to give better levels of achohol and less methanol and malic acid. I make a 'pitch' with the cider yeast beforehand so it will dominate over the natural yeasts.
Just my preference to do it like this, everyone has different ways they make their cider. Over the years I think I've got better at judging the blend etc, so now it comes out pretty smooth and tasty.
Absolutely right … it’s predictable and with all the effort you need to naked sure there is a bounty at the end of it all
I have gone back to au natural again. !
Till I have to pour away gallons …. Then it will
Low temp champagne yeasts or type specific cider yeasts
"
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"I cut my two trees back too much last year, so barely any fruit this year. Hopefully a bigger crop next year, so far I’ve only been generating 17-18 litres of juice, but I am refining my processing, so hopefully more efficient, and therefore more cider as a result! I do find it a chuckle, making alcohol from something growing in your garden
👍
You can freeze the juice for normal consumption ideally in cleaned out plastic milk containers but allows for expansion. !
It stop the yeasts working … it’s easier than a Baum Marie
Enjoy cider making though … it’s great fun and get the family involved too
See if you can borrow the kit for your first year
Check on face book. Market place
I've made two batches so far, two years apart due to my trees still being fairly young and not producing every year. Each time I ended up with 35 500ml bottles of approx 6.2%, the second batch I left 6 bottles for almost a year to see the difference in flavour, and it was fantastic! "
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not had the space since my breakup though 
