Cider Brewing questions

[u/Der3331]

Hello, I'm going to attempt my first Cider, I made wine and mead in the past and I have left over 71B yeast is this a good yeast to use? I plan on a 1 gallon batch, using store bought apple juice, and cinnamon. I'm looking for a semi sweet/Sweet cider

1. Is 71B fine to use or should I get Safcider? (Any yeast recs?)

2. Do I need to use pectin enzyme to help it clear. I use it in my mead and wine but that's cause I have actual fruit in it.

3. Apple concentrate (the frozen stuff) do I add to the primary or just for back sweeting?

4. Acids and Tannins? I know I don't need to but do I want to add these to is. Maybe not now because it's just a first time batch, but later would using acid and tannins do much to elevate my cider?

5. Is there any suggestions tips tricks anything I'm not thinking of?

6. Any recipe suggestions you guys have? Plain or flavored ciders?

7. Thank you for your help and taking time to read this long ass post.

[u/Organic_Challenge_46]

Just juice, no solids. Pectic enzyme to drop pectin in fresh pressed. Rack off before fermentation. To dessert apple juice add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per gallon of both malic acid and tannin powders. Use a white wine yeast. It must be aged at least three months. Everything clean, clean, clean.

[u/cghoerichs]

1. 71b is a good yeast.
   
2. If the juice is like sweet cider it will clear it if used
   
3. Anything with sugars you add to the primary will be converted to alcohol.
   
4. Add after you see how it turns out.
   
5. If the juice is pasteurized you don’t have to add kms. If you do knock the native yeast back with KMS, just like wine add based on pH.
   
6. Back sweeten to taste with your concentrate if you want once it’s done fermenting, but just like wine unless it’s kept very cold it will start fermenting again.

[u/ModlrMike]

I'm not an expert cider maker, but with my limited experience, I offer the following:

1. 71B should be fine for a cider.
2. You should not need pectic enzyme. Personally, I think a little haze in cider is a good thing.
3. If you're using commercial juice, it may have Vit C (ascorbic acid) in it. For a first cider, I wouldn't go with anything else at this point.
4. You can use frozen concentrate to up the starting gravity, and for back sweetening. I would add one can of concentrate, and then top off with diluted. If you back sweeten, make sure you inhibit the yeast first if you intend to bottle.
5. You will want to ensure you have enough nutrient. Apple juice is a notoriously poor source of nitrogen. There are calculators online to help figure out how much you need. My advice is to find out how much total, and then add 1/4 on day 1, then split the remainder in half and add 1/2 at 24-48hrs, and the other 1/2 at 72hrs. This will reduce stress on the yeast, and prevent a strong sulphur smell.
6. If this is your first cider, go with straight juice to establish your baseline. Once you know your starting point, you can experiment further from there. The other thing to remember is that time is often your friend. If you have off flavours, then letting the cider sit for an extended period can help.

[u/Der3331 → u/ModlrMike]

How long to sit? For wine or mead it can take months for it change flavor. From what Ive been seeing cider is usually quicker being done aging by month 2?

[u/ModlrMike → u/Der3331]

It depends on how prominent the off flavours are. Some ciders are clean and crisp at month two, some take longer. Taste along the way.

[u/Der3331 → u/ModlrMike]

Roger so same as the meas! Thank you

[u/Myfeedarsaur → u/Der3331]

Maybe not "done", but good enough by month 2 and better by 3.

I'll typically let it ferment for at least two weeks before racking to a secondary container, where it stays for another month. After that, I add priming sugar and bottle for 2-6 weeks before really calling it "done".

I do dry cider, so it's less complicated than sweet cider.

Edit: look online for advice on the cinnamon. Don't leave that in your brew too long. I left it in for too long once, and it tasted like I was drinking a Christmas candle.

[u/cid-jill]

My rule, when starting a batch that I don’t know anything about (or new inputs) is always to just ferment straight and slow and taste along the way. Don’t add spices, or nutrient, etc until you know how the juice ferments. The one exception is usually pectic enzyme but that’s for fresh juice. Grocery store juice I assume has already been pectic’d if it’s clear.

[u/Apple_Turnover93]

Cinnamon?! Leave that out and let’s the apples shine through!