CHAPTER 6

Your Second Batch of Cider

If your first batch was delicious, drink it! Then follow your notes and the steps in chapter 5 again and see if you can replicate the results. Take thorough notes with each batch. There are innumerable variables when it comes to cidermaking—some that you can control and some that you can’t—and the best cidermakers are careful observers who practice their cidermaking skills with batch after batch.

If your first batch didn’t please you, ask yourself, “Why?” Perhaps the cider is flawed, or perhaps you made a good cider that simply isn’t your idea of what “good” cider should taste like.

For the small-batch home cidermaker, there are three much-feared flaws: the presence of excess hydrogen sulfide, which can smell of rotten eggs or cabbage and garlic; unintentional malolactic fermentation, which dulls the acids in the cider; and acetic fermentation, which turns your cider into cider vinegar.

It’s important to note that these “common” flaws are not all that common. Don’t be in a hurry to diagnose one or the other during the fermentation process or at racking. Don’t overreact at the slightest aroma coming from your carboy. If the evidence of one of these flaws is clear, however, there may be steps you can take to correct them—or, if the cider is too flawed, to learn from the mistake and start fermenting your next batch of cider.

There are other, even less common flaws, such as mousiness (the presence of a strong, mouse-like smell), from which there is no reasonable rescue—except another batch of cider.

When acting to remedy a perceived flaw, remember that every action you take to correct a flaw can have other, unintended consequences on the cider. Sometimes the best course of action is to learn to love your flawed cider, or pour it out and start again.

EXCESS HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H2S)

Hydrogen sulfide is a compound that gives cider the unpleasant aroma of rotten eggs.

There are three main culprits in the production of excess hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur compounds may have been present on the apples and transferred to the juice at pressing. (Some common fungicides used in orchards, even when applied following best practices, can leave a residue of sulfur compounds.) The yeast may have struggled to get the necessary sugar and additional nutrients it needed during fermentation or have been otherwise stressed, which can cause the production of excess hydrogen sulfide and other off-gases. Or excess hydrogen sulfide may have been produced by autolyzing (decomposing) yeast while the cider sat on the lees awaiting racking.

The causes of excess hydrogen sulfide production during fermentation are not completely understood, but many factors contribute including low levels of nutrients for the yeast, the use of sulfur in the orchard, and high levels of suspended solids in the juice. If present in strong concentration, it can develop into compounds that smell of cabbage or garlic or even compost and sewage. The human nose is extremely sensitive to all these compounds. However, the human brain is easily fooled by expectation and fear. If you expect to smell these aromas near the airlock or in the tasting glass, you may convince yourself that you do. Asking another person to smell and describe the aromas coming from the airlock or the tasting glass, without offering your own descriptions, is one way to double-check your impressions.

If excess hydrogen sulfide is present at the time of racking, there are two potential remedies that make sense for the small-batch home cidermaker. These remedies are more effective if the scent is on the “rotten egg” end of the spectrum than they are if the scent is on the far more concentrated “compost” end. The first takes place during racking.

In the typical racking process, every precaution is taken to limit the amount of air the cider is exposed to when it is siphoned from one carboy to another. The opposite is true if excess hydrogen sulfide is present. Instead of lowering the plastic tubing to the bottom of the receiving carboy, you will position the plastic tubing near the neck for a “splashy racking.” A “splashy racking,” as the name implies, splashes the cider into the receiving carboy, which can blow off the hydrogen sulfide.

Splashy racking is often effective in reducing hydrogen sulfide. You’ll smell the difference immediately near the neck of the carboy or in the tasting glass. But splashy racking also introduces oxygen into the cider, which can change the cider’s flavors or exacerbate other flaws that are present, and it can blow off other, desirable aromas. If you do a “splashy racking,” it’s doubly important to add sulfur dioxide, in the form of Campden tablets, at this stage. (See chapter 5.) Sulfur dioxide will help prevent excessive oxidation of the cider.

The second potential remedy is employed after racking. It can be used in conjunction with a splashy racking, but if the splashy racking was ineffective, your cider may be beyond remedy. For this hydrogen sulfide solution, you will need clean pennies made before 1982. Before 1982, the penny was made of pure copper. Copper reacts with the hydrogen sulfide and eliminates it.

Experiment first in your tasting glass. Sniff the cider. If you smell rotten eggs, drop a penny into the cider. Swirl the glass and then blow to remove any lingering aromas. Sniff the cider again. If a small amount of hydrogen sulfide was present, it should be gone. You can take this same approach with your carboy, adding a small handful of clean, copper pennies to remove the hydrogen sulfide.

In a commercial cidery with hundreds of gallons—and thousands of dollars—at stake, there are more extreme measures available, such as the addition of copper sulfate and ascorbic acid, but for the home cidermaker, dealing with just a few gallons, these treatments are overly elaborate.

At the end of fermentation, hydrogen sulfide production by autolyzing yeast can be prevented by limiting the amount of time that the cider sits on the lees. This is a balancing act, because time on the lees can also improve the clarity and complexity of a cider. However, if a cider smells of rotten eggs at the end of the fermentation process, or a cider that did not have an aroma of rotten eggs at the end of the fermentation process begins to acquire one as it sits on the lees, it should be racked immediately.

UNINTENDED MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION

During malolactic fermentation, malic acid is transformed into lactic acid. Because malic acid is a strong, sharp, bright acid and lactic acid is a weaker, broad and duller acid, the result of malolactic fermentation is a bigger, richer, fatter sensation in the mouth.

In some wines—for example, many New World chardonnays—malolactic fermentation is an intended process. Grapes contain several different types of acid, so the malolactic fermentation creates a full mouthfeel by converting the malic acid without eliminating the dominant tartaric acid and the other acids that give the wine its balancing acidity.

Apples, however, contain primarily malic acid, so malolactic fermentation in cider production most often produces a dull, unbalanced cider.

Unintended malolactic fermentation is caused by lactobacilli, bacteria that are also used in the production of cheese, pickles, and other foods. Some winemakers inoculate their wines with bacteria that causes malolactic fermentation. Most cidermakers work hard to avoid it.

If, after the alcoholic fermentation has completely stopped, the cider begins to bubble again, it is most likely undergoing malolactic fermentation, which can progress very quickly.

At racking or during subsequent tastings if you allow the cider to mature, you can detect malolactic fermentation by mouth. Has the cider lost palpable acidity? In your tasting notes, did you describe the cider as having a big, full mouthfeel, and stewed or very ripe fruits and earthy flavors? These are indications of a malolactic fermentation. During malolactic fermentation, you will also see a rapid rise in the pH level as the acid is converted.

If you diagnose malolactic fermentation in progress by sight (through rising bubbles) as the finished cider sits on its lees awaiting racking, rack the cider immediately. The addition of sulfur dioxide during the racking process will retard or stop the malolactic fermentation process. Store the racked cider below 60°F (16°C) to further reduce the chances of continued malolactic fermentation.

If malolactic fermentation has already occurred when you diagnose it, there are several options.

Some cidermakers choose to add malic acid to replace the bright acidity which is lost during malolactic fermentation. Other acids, such as tartaric or citric or an acid blend, can also be added to cider that has undergone malolactic fermentation. These acids are typically available from a winemaking or home brewing supplier. Unfortunately, these purchased acids can impart an intense, artificial-tasting sharpness, similar to that found in tart candies. If you choose to use additional acid, follow the package instructions, starting with the smallest dose.

Other cidermakers will keep the finished cider for blending with another batch. (See chapter 7.) The full mouthfeel of the cider that underwent malolactic fermentation could be the perfect balance for a sharper, thinner cider produced in another carboy.

Most cidermakers, though, will just enjoy their cider. Cider that has undergone malolactic fermentation is not, perhaps, what you were hoping to make, but the flavors that develop are far different from those of batches not exposed to lactobacillus. The bright, tropical, and citrus descriptions that usually fill your tasting notes will likely be replaced with stewed fruits and woody flavors.

If, however, you have been in the minority of home cidermakers who have been victim of unintended malolactic fermentation, you can reduce the chances of a reoccurrence by following many of the same steps that you would take to halt a malolactic fermentation you diagnosed before racking.

Racking soon after the end of the alcoholic fermentation, adding sulfur dioxide as recommended during the typical racking process, and storing the racked cider below 60°F (16°C) will help to prevent malolactic fermentation. If you wish to leave the cider on the lees for a longer period of time before racking to allow the cider to drop bright and develop additional flavors, you can reduce the chances of malolactic fermentation by adding sulfur dioxide at this point, instead of waiting for the racking process. Follow the instructions on the package of the Campden tablets to prepare and add 30 to 35 parts per million of sulfur dioxide.

ACETIC FERMENTATION

Acetic fermentation is the process through which alcohol is converted into acetic acid, the distinctive component in vinegar. Acetic fermentation occurs when a strain of acetobacter bacteria is present and the cider is exposed to oxygen and moderate temperatures.

You can encourage the acetic fermentation by exposing the cider to more oxygen. Unlike the cidermaking process, the vinegar making process thrives on oxygen. Transfer the liquid to an open container and stir once a day to promote acetic fermentation. Temperature also affects acetic fermentation. Store the liquid between 60°F to 80°F (16°C to 27°C).

The acetic fermentation process will take three to four weeks. Taste the developing vinegar until it reaches the desire strength. During the vinegar making process, a vinegar “mother” may form. This jellylike substance or film is a collection of cellulose and acetobacter. It is harmless and can be strained out to halt acetic fermentation. It can also be reserved to inoculate future batches of vinegar.

To prevent acetic fermentation in future batches, be sure you clean all the necessary equipment before starting alcoholic fermentation to prevent the introduction of acetobacter. Each step you take to avoid exposing the juice or cider to oxygen also reduces the chances of acetic fermentation. Adding sulfur dioxide to the juice, using an airlock, racking carefully, and topping off the racked carboy are all steps in the cidermaking process that also prevent acetic fermentation. Storing your cider at below 60°F (16°C) is also a smart preventive measure.

OTHER POTENTIAL FLAWS

Some far less common flaws include the following:

Exposure to metal during the pressing process, far rarer, can also cause a change in cider color. If the juice was exposed to iron or copper, the cider can take on a black or green hue. This discoloration is most likely to occur when cider is exposed to air after bottling. You can use citric acid to test if metal is the cause. Divide the bottle into two glasses and add a pinch of citric acid to one. If the glass with citric acid changes color significantly more slowly, metal exposure is likely the cause. Although there are techniques used at the commercial scale to remediate the cider, for the home brewer there is little recourse.

Microbial haze can usually be avoided by good sanitation practices. Pectin haze can be prevented or partially remedied with a pectolytic enzyme. And tannic haze, the most rarely seen version, can sometimes be fined from cider using gelatin and bentonite available at a winemaking supplier. Be aware, however, that fining a tannin haze can remove the appealing structure of a cider.

“I DON’T LOVE IT.”

This is the most common flaw with a home cidermaker’s first batch of cider: Your cider doesn’t have any major defects that render it undrinkable. You just didn’t make a cider that is to your taste. Think about wine. Even wine lovers don’t love every well-made wine they encounter. Each wine drinker has a preference for particular grapes or growing regions. It’s similar with apples.

Don’t worry if your first batch of cider isn’t your ideal cider. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of trial and error, and a little luck to accomplish that.

Hopefully, you like the cider well enough to be proud of your efforts and to enjoy it. At the very least, you need to taste it, following the objective process outlined in chapter 2. What do you smell? What do you taste? How would you describe the mouthfeel? How would you describe the finish?

Now think about the cider subjectively. Which of those aromas, flavors, and sensations do you like? Which ones don’t you like? Compare the tasting notes from your first batch of cider with your tasting notes for some ciders that you love. What do you feel is missing from your cider?

For the purposes of this exercise, your observations about acidity, bitterness, and astringency will be the most helpful. These three components can greatly affect how you feel about your first batch of cider. And they are the most easily manipulated in your next batch of cider through the apples you start with. Are you lacking the acidity that brings the cider to life in your mouth? Look for juice with more sharp apples for your next batch. Are you lacking the bitterness that balances acidity or the astringency that provides a solid structure for your cider? Look for juice with some bittersweet apples for your next batch.

The more nuanced flavor profile of a cider is more difficult to tailor. It takes time and tasting to learn which mix of apples (and even what growing environment in the orchard) will create the aromas of leather or stone fruit or moss you most prefer. Talk to experienced cidermakers and apple growers in your region for more guidance or, once you have more experience, experiment with post-fermentation blending. (See chapter 7.)