Has anyone ever used a Belgian Abbey Ale Yeast in cider? Would it work out and make it pretty fruity?
If not, what is a good yeast to reduce the acidity and make a good fruity cider?
The stuff thats already in there that was on the apples (provided its fresh pressed cider)
The Red Star Cote des Blancs yeast works really well for my cider – very clean, and supposedly finishes sweeter than other wine yeasts, although it still does ferment quite tart and dry. You might wish to backsweeten slightly after fermentation as I would, just to take the edge off the acidity.
A few years back, I made a cider using a culture taken from the dregs of a bottle of Chimay blue. It was interesting, but definitely had Belgian yeast phenolic notes. Yummy, but definitely a “specialty cider.”
Go with champagne yeast if you want a dry and neutral-flavored cider. If you want something fruitier, go with a Cote de Blanc, K1-v1116, or similar wine yeast. For an English-style cider, you can go with an English ale yeast.
White labs and Wyeast also sell liquid cider yeast, but I haven’t used them, so I can’t comment there.
Pure yeast strains will not reduce acidity. Acidity reduction will only come with time and with malolactic fermentation, which is started by certain strains of lactobacillus.
It’s better to let your yeast do its thing, judge the result and then add acids, tannins and fresh apple juice as necessary for balance.
I use the stuff that’s already on the apples, not least at it’s the best adapted to the fruit you’ve got.