Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t taken Cider Quiz #1, click here to take it before exploring the answers. Question #9 explores the process of maceration, where pomace is left to sit for a time before pressing. As you might expect, you can find more details about maceration and apple peels in the articles at the bottom of this article.
Question #9: What does macerating the milled pomace do?
Maceration is a process step where pomace is allowed to rest after milling and before pressing. This requires a two-step process where juice is extracted by first milling the fruit into smaller pieces to aid juice extraction during pressing. If you do a direct press process, belt roller press or juicer, you lack the ability to macerate as you are processing whole apples. Maceration consists of milling, grinding, or cutting apples into small pieces, usually about pea sized, and then letting it sit. The time period varies but is usually 8-24 hours but I have read about some locations extending it to 72 hours. Why would you do this? Let’s explore the answers.
1. It increases sugar levels in your juice: Incorrect Answer – Maceration isn’t the process that would increase the sugar concentration. That process is sweating. Concentration is a combination of the amount of sugar and the amount of water present. Maceration doesn’t release more sugars or reduce the amount of water, so it wouldn’t inherently increase the concentration of sugar. Sweating your apples allows evaporation to reduce the amount of water in your fruit and potentially convert more starches to sugars.
2. It breaks down pectin, release more phenolic compounds, and increase juice yield: Correct Answer – Maceration is an enzymatic process. Milling or grinding the fruit releases and mixes these enzymes naturally or they can be added to the pomace. Enzymes enable reactions that breakdown the fruit cells structure. One of the compounds found in apples and pears that give the fruit structure is pectin. It is what allows jelly/jam to solidify. The enzymes cleave the pectin. This reaction release more juice from the fruit cells. It also aids in the extraction and release of various phenolic compounds. It is important to remember that milling does add oxygen to the pomace. This can cause the loss of phenolic compounds through oxidative reactions. It can also enable acetic acid bacteria and other aerobic reactions if maceration is left too long or in a warm environment.
3. It converts malic acid into lactic acid: Incorrect Answer – Maceration doesn’t directly impact malic acid. There are numerous reactions that can convert malic acid to lactic acid. Lactic acid bacteria can create this reaction, but this usually occurs after fermentation is complete during a process called Malolactic Fermentation (MLF). Yeast can also convert malic acid to lactic acid. Some strains, like Lalvin 71B, convert malic acid to ethanol. If your maceration turns into a fermentation, like red wine, it isn’t really maceration any longer. Maceration is generally defined as a limited time allowing enzymatic reactions while the pomace rests.
4. All of the Above: Incorrect Answer – As noted above, maceration doesn’t increase the sugar level or convert malic acid to lactic acid so this answer is not correct.
Maceration offers cider makers an opportunity to improve yield, increase phenolic compounds, and reduce haze in their finished ciders. This is because enzymatic reactions occur that remove pectin and add phenolic compounds.
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