Apple Picking & Cider Pressing

Post by **JimPotts** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:36 pm

My cider's have appeared to quit, one's at 1.020 (Windsor), the other at 1.026 (US-05).

Suggestions?

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DrPaulsen · Post by **DrPaulsen** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 2:34 pm

quinton wrote:And what about the sulfur smell? How long for it to dissipate?
And is the sulfur smell from using campden tablets?
I want to drink my cider now.

I think the initial sulfur smell comes from campden tablets. (It is my understanding that campden tablets react with O2 in the must to form SO2, thereby reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen and stunning the aerobic bacteria.) I think the later-forming sulfur comes from a combination of SO2 being agitated out of solution by the CO2 bubbles and from sulfur compounds given off by the yeast. Both will dissipate with time.

Every cider I've ever made (3 years in a row, including 30+ gallons last year) required at least 8 months to mellow. I believe this is due to a very slow malo-lactic fermentation taking place, whereby the harsher tasting malic acid is converted into a softer tasting lactic acid. I'm planning to buy some malo-lactic cultures from Joe at BIY this year and see if I can't speed up the process. I'm also going to play around with adding various yeast nutrients to reduce the amount of sulfur given off by the yeast and reduce maturation time. The mead makers say that they learned this technique from commercial wine makers, who have used it to reduce the aging times required for red wines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malolactic_fermentation

tompb · Post by **tompb** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:06 pm

I attributed the sulfur to the wine yeast I used. It could be the campden tablets I guess. The worst smelling one last year turned out the best. Don't give up too easy.

DrPaulsen · Post by **DrPaulsen** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:26 pm

I wound up with 16 gal of cider (1.052 - 1.054 OG) and 5.5 gal of cyser (1.088 OG, 6 lbs of honey). I'm not planning to stop the cider early, but I will be adding malo-lactic cultures to try and accelerate the maturation process. I'm toying with the idea of back sweetening with a spiced syrup and/or lactose.

johnnyik · Post by **johnnyik** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:46 pm

Mine have both finished, both ended at .996. I racked to secondary and added campden tablets. I will let them sit here at cellar temps for 2-3 months then rack to kegs and chill to 34 for another 2-3 months to hopefully kill all the yeast. I did reserve 2 1/2 gal and added 1.5lbs raisins to make some applejack. Trying it out...don't know what will happen but seems easy enough.

Bear · Post by **Bear** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 6:14 pm

racked mine over a second time and all the sulphur smell is gone now that it's off the sediment. still kind of sharp, almost acidy flavor. lee, did you ever get you hands on those malo-lactic cultures? is joe stocking them?

DrPaulsen · Post by **DrPaulsen** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 6:20 pm

Joe ordered some or me. I used 1 White Labs tube per 10 gallons. I think it made a huge difference in my ciders.

On Saturday, February 2, 2013, Bear wrote:

racked mine over a second time and all the sulphur smell is gone now that it's off the sediment. still kind of sharp, almost acidy flavor. lee, did you ever get you hands on those malo-lactic cultures? is joe stocking them?

I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. - Winston Churchill

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