Yeast Harvesting: Plates & Slants Yeast and apples are the core ingredients of any cider, even natural/wild fermentations. Understanding your yeast, just like understanding your apples, is key to consistently making great craft hard cider. The yeast will impact your residual sweetness, aromas, tastes, clarity, and many other aspects of your cider. Working in conjunction … Continue reading Yeast Harvesting: Plates & Slants
Tag: propagation
Yeast Starter for Cider
A yeast starter is used to increase the biomass of a yeast and to ensure the yeast cells are healthy and ready to ferment. It is how you grow more yeast cells to ensure you have enough for a robust ferment and to ensure the yeast cells you are using are healthy and full of … Continue reading Yeast Starter for Cider
Yeast Propagation for Cider
Whether you use commercial yeast or wild yeast, you really should be thinking about yeast propagation. Yeast propagation is the process of taking a small yeast sample, usually from a plate or slant and growing it until you have enough to pitch into your juice to make cider. You might be thinking, that sounds like … Continue reading Yeast Propagation for Cider
Cider Words: Interesting but Uncommonly Used
Interesting and uncommon words related to hard cider. In my reading, discussions, and research, I have come across a variety of words that I found to be interesting. They are usually uncommon or at least I don’t tend to use them often. I thought it would be fun to explore some of these interesting words … Continue reading Cider Words: Interesting but Uncommonly Used
Apple Tree Propagation: Scion and Bud Grafting
Apple Tree Propagation: Scion and Bud Grafting Apple trees do not grow true from seeds. Just like people, they take genes from both parents and create a new apple. It may have characteristics of one or both or may end up being something completely different, like your blonde haired sibling in the family. To reproduce … Continue reading Apple Tree Propagation: Scion and Bud Grafting
Hard Cider Tip #13: American Vs. French Oak
I was able to get a good amount of Newtown Pippin apples last harvest so I used this heirloom apple to make a variety of hard ciders. I made Pippin Magic and Merry Pippin (Cider of Gondor) with Newtown being the main apple. I also added some Newtown Pippin juice to my ice cider, Frozen … Continue reading Hard Cider Tip #13: American Vs. French Oak