What yeast for Cider?

howamidifferent

I'm going to try Khannies Turbo Cider recipe with the apple juice but was wondering if a specific cider yeast is needed or will one suitable for Mead work just as well since I dont have a cider one?

Khannie

Cider yeast is just Champagne yeast to the best of my knowledge.

What were you using for the mead?

howamidifferent

Hadnt done any mead yet but had purchased some yeast in preperation.
This is from the homebrewwest site:

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/lalvin-white-wine-icvd-47-831-p.asp

Oenological properties and applications
The ICV D-47 is a low-foaming quick fermenter that settles well, forming a compact lees at the end of fermentation. This strain tolerates fermentation temperatures ranging from 15° to 20°C (59° to 68°F) and enhances mouthfeel due to complex carbohydrates. Malolactic fermentation proceeds well in wine made with ICV D-47.

Recommended for making wines from white varieties such as Chardonnay and rosé wines. An excellent choice for producing mead, however be sure to supplement with yeast nutrients, especially usable nitrogen.

An excellent choice for dry whites, blush wines and residual sugar wines.

Khannie

Hmmm. That temperature range is high enough given our current weather and apparently cider brews better at lower temperatures (mine is tipping away at 12C at the moment for example). If you can keep it close to 15C, by all means. 20C would probably hurt a cider though. (note: I may be talking through my bum).

Overall, if you can wait then I would, otherwise....SURE IT'LL BE GRAND.

howamidifferent

Well, I have no patience so I put it together last night around 9:30PM. Placed it on a box on the floor to keep the tap off the floor. Temperature on room thermometer next to it shows 16 degrees . Temp on stick on lcd thermometer shows 16/18 . No activity visible this morning yet.

Here's hoping...

howamidifferent

@Khannie, a question if I may?

When you mention using splenda to sweeten, do you put this in at the bottling/kegging stage or just when drinking? If when bottling, how many would you use per 500ml bottle and would I still need to prime with sugar or carbonation drops as well to get it fizzy?

Khannie

Of course.

I add it when I'm batch priming. I'd boil up some apple juice and throw the splenda tablets in to dissolve them.

I've typically used splenda tablets or the cheapo sweetener that you can get in lidl (this is an order of magnitude cheaper - it's cyclamate and saccharine based). I have typically aimed for a bulmers level of sweetness and the way I figured this was by working out how much sugar is in bulmers and attempting to match it with sweetener. For me that means around 3-4 splenda tablets per 500ml or 4-5 lidl tablets per 500ml.

I have tried to reduce this over time and one time I undershot, so I just popped one of the lidl sweeteners in the bottom of my glass when pouring. They dissolve fine in cold liquid where the splenda tablets do not.

howamidifferent

Thanks Khannie!

Also just found this post so may try this also.

Khannie

Yeah, I prefer priming with apple juice too. Pretty sure I read it on here. It's convenient, mixes well and you end up with more cider.

I usually aim for around 6-7g of sugar (from the apple juice) per 500ml of cider because I like it fizzy. The lidl apple juice has around 110g of sugar per litre.

howamidifferent

Khannie wrote: »

Yeah, I prefer priming with apple juice too. Pretty sure I read it on here. It's convenient, mixes well and you end up with more cider.

I usually aim for around 6-7g of sugar (from the apple juice) per 500ml of cider because I like it fizzy. The lidl apple juice has around 110g of sugar per litre.

Last question please
If I used the apple juice to prime the bottles, do I still need the splenda to sweeten? The juice is just for carbonation right?

Khannie

Yeah, the sugar in the apple juice will ferment out, leaving a very dry (but fizzy) cider behind. If you prefer some sweetness, you need to add a non-fermentable sweetener (like splenda).