Process

[Ian1970]

OK, so after some checking, watching videos etc I've come to the following conclusion in terms of my cider making process, please feel free to correct me if anything looks obviously wrong!
Gather the apples in going to use, clean in a bucket with Campden tablets and leave for around 1 hour, rinse with cold water, chop apples to pulp, press apples, add Campden tablets and leave over night. Add pectolase, yeast nutrient, any additional sugar and yeast, put somewhere warmish for around 7 days, drain off to second container / demijohns and leave for approximately 2 months, move to bottles and add a little sugar for the fizz, leave for at least another 2 weeks.
Does this sound about right?
I'm aware that you can overdo the warmth where the cider is kept for fermenting, apparently anything over 25 will kill the yeast.
Can you have too low a temperature for fermentation? Some people in the UK seem to leave it in their garden sheds over winter?

 

[Moonraker]

I think the first round of Campden tablets in the bucket is probably a waste of Campden tablets if you are going to add them to the juice anyway. Apart from that sounds ok to me. :^)

Fermentation will slow and stop if it's too cold, so ideally keep in a warm place at first and then move to a cooler place for conditioning. My current batch (9 days in) is in the utility room and fermentation is starting to slow as it nears the end so I will likely rack off this weekend, give it another week to settle down before it goes out to join my previous batches at the back of the outside garage for conditioning for about a month before bottling.

 

[Ian1970]

I think the first round of Campden tablets in the bucket is probably a waste of Campden tablets if you are going to add them to the juice anyway. Apart from that sounds ok to me. :^)

Fermentation will slow and stop if it's too cold, so ideally keep in a warm place at first and then move to a cooler place for conditioning. My current batch (9 days in) is in the utility room and fermentation is starting to slow as it nears the end so I will likely rack off this weekend, give it another week to settle down before it goes out to join my previous batches at the back of the outside garage for conditioning for about a month before bottling.

Thanks Moonraker

 

[freester]

OK, so after some checking, watching videos etc I've come to the following conclusion in terms of my cider making process, please feel free to correct me if anything looks obviously wrong!
Gather the apples in going to use, clean in a bucket with Campden tablets and leave for around 1 hour,

As @Moonraker says I wouldn't bother with that one.

rinse with cold water, chop apples to pulp, press apples, add Campden tablets and leave over night.

you can add the pectolase at this stage

Add pectolase, yeast nutrient, any additional sugar and yeast, put somewhere warmish for around 7 days,

I wouldn't set a timescale. I usually leave 2 weeks or at least until it stops bubbling then leave a few days more check OG that it's down to 1.000-1.002 additionally it doesn't need to be as warm as you think I get a good ferment in the garage at 5-15 degrees.

drain off to second container / demijohns and leave for approximately 2 months, move to bottles and add a little sugar for the fizz, leave for at least another 2 weeks.
Does this sound about right?

Personally I try and leave it in secondray or bottles until the spring. Depending on temp the bottles will carbonate within a week.

I'm aware that you can overdo the warmth where the cider is kept for fermenting, apparently anything over 25 will kill the yeast.
Can you have too low a temperature for fermentation? Some people in the UK seem to leave it in their garden sheds over winter?

That's exactly what I do with my trad. Juice, let nature take it's course leave all winter in garage rack off in spring.

 

[Ian1970]

As @Moonraker says I wouldn't bother with that one.


you can add the pectolase at this stage


I wouldn't set a timescale. I usually leave 2 weeks or at least until it stops bubbling then leave a few days more check OG that it's down to 1.000-1.002 additionally it doesn't need to be as warm as you think I get a good ferment in the garage at 5-15 degrees.



Personally I try and leave it in secondray or bottles until the spring. Depending on temp the bottles will carbonate within a week.



That's exactly what I do with my trad. Juice, let nature take it's course leave all winter in garage rack off in spring.

Freester - thanks for this. Really appreciate the detailed reply, it will help a huge amount. Thanks.

 

[Hagrid]

...apparently anything over 25 will kill the yeast.

Commercial yeasts have a recommended temp range but 25+ wouldn’t kill them. It can, however, “stress” the yeast. (I’ve got images of all these little yeastie beasties talking about how they can’t handle the hot weather.... sounds like me really...) but I digress.

Stressing the yeast in this way can lead to “off flavours” which are undesired flavours on the brew. Different yeasts have different tolerances and give different off flavours. Some people aim to achieve them.

You’d be looking more towards 66•C before you start pasteurising and killing them off.

 

[Ian1970]

Commercial yeasts have a recommended temp range but 25+ wouldn’t kill them. It can, however, “stress” the yeast. (I’ve got images of all these little yeastie beasties talking about how they can’t handle the hot weather.... sounds like me really...) but I digress.

Stressing the yeast in this way can lead to “off flavours” which are undesired flavours on the brew. Different yeasts have different tolerances and give different off flavours. Some people aim to achieve them.

You’d be looking more towards 66•C before you start pasteurising and killing them off.

Good to know. Thanks Hagrid