Campden tablet or no campden tablet??

[BKBCo_UK]

I’m starting my first cider brew tomorrow with various apples from the garden and have enough for about 9l of juice I believe. There’s that again (and more) yet to be picked and more to fall yet so hoping for a good few ciders this autumn.

Having read a couple of books, one being a dated American book and a more recent UK book, and having watched a few YouTube videos on cider making, I’m at a loss as to whether I should be adding campden tablets after pressing or not. The dated US book recommends not using yeast, let alone campden tablets, and to let the apples natural yeast do the work but I’m not keen on that approach for my first batch. The recently published UK book doesn’t mention campden tablets after pressing at all but mentions them be added at the end of fermentation (I think, haven’t got the book on me to check). However, the YouTube videos all mention adding campden tablets and then waiting 24hrs before pitching the yeast.

So... I turn to the learned masses! What’s the best method for a first brew and subsequent brews? Campden or no campden tablet after pressing?

 

[cushyno]

It all depends what you're trying to achieve.

Adding Campden to the pressed juice is to kill off the wild yeast. Purpose of this is to use a yeast of your choice and have more control over the outcome.

Adding campden towards end of fermentation is to kill the yeast and leave some unfermented sugar, leaving a sweeter cider. Cider can ferment out really dry as almost all of the sugar is fermentable. If you want sweet cider, either kill the yeast early or wait until it has fermented out, then kill the yeast before sweetening.

The alternative is to let nature take its course and let the wild yeast from the pressed apples do it's business. Don't use any Campden at all and take what you get, usually it's pretty good. But you don't get to control what flavours the yeast imparts or how long it takes.

Some people let the wild yeast do its thing but also add a yeast starter to ensure it gets going before infection sets in.

For me, this year's apples were fermenting pretty much as soon as they were pressed and I let them get on with it but added some S-04 to help it along.

 

[BKBCo_UK]

That’s great, thanks. I think for the first brew I’ll add the campden tablet in after pressing so at least I know I’m able to create something drinkable at the end of the process and look for different methods the more I do.

 

[MarkBowie]

As above, adding allows for a more consistent cider and you can have more control. The problem with adding the tablets at the end is that it doesn’t necessarily kill off the yeast and in some cases will just make it lie dormant before finishing off in bottles (which causes the obvious problem(s)). The best thing to do is let it ferment out and either learn from the type of juice what suits your taste or find a way that suits to back sweeten.

 

[BKBCo_UK]

I went down the campden tablet before pitching the yeast route. Gave it a little over 24hrs before pitching the yeast and so hopefully it’s working it’s magic now. I’m concerned it’s not warm enough in the room that it’s in. The thermometer on the fermenting vessel is showing about 16degrees and the temp in the room is 20degrees. Nothing like a little trial and error I guess!