This year I have 6 gallons juice that I will be splitting 6 ways. Last year I played with different apple blends and kept yeast a constant (Cote des Blancs). This year primarily I want to run some more yeast experiments and keep the juice relatively simple. My plans:
2 gallons fresh local orchard juice go into 6 gallons of my famous Smoked Harvest Apple Ale (uses WLP400/3944). Redd’s, eat your heart out… my apple ale actually tastes GOOD. The juice is a 50/50 mix from two orchards, one of which is very aromatic and sweet, and the other relatively bland but very tart. Should turn out very nice. Same blend goes for the next two batches of cider cider.
1 gallon fresh local orchard juice will be fermented with my favorite yeast, Cote des Blancs, which always turns out positively awesome and applesaucy but a bit dry.
1 gallon fresh local orchard juice will be fermented with Wyeast 1728 Scottish ale yeast, which based on what I’ve heard from others is supposed to keep the cider a little sweeter but nicely balanced.
1 gallon home-juiced from primarily Jonathan, Cortland and McIntosh will be fermented with my favorite yeast, Cote des Blancs.
1/2 gallon home-juiced from primarily Jonathan, Cortland and McIntosh will be fermented with Nottingham ale yeast, which people have said results in a clean, semi-dry cider.
1/2 gallon home-juiced from primarily Jonathan, Cortland and McIntosh will be fermented with US-05. I have had great results with this yeast before, although it does leave a slightly honey-like ale-like flavor. Certainly more tasty than Redd’s Apple Ale though.
That should do the trick for this season. I make cider once a year. This is the week.
I shall never hop a cider. Yuck.
I have tasted many Belgian yeast ciders. They do NOT taste Belgiany. Sorry.