Harrowsmith – September 2019

100

Step

1

INOCULATE

(Day1, 2 hours)

Letthejuicewarmto

roomtemperature.Sterilize

thefollowingequipment

usingtheiodinesolution:

onecarboy,plusthefunnel,

thermometerandairlock.Add

thejuicetothecarboy,filling

onlythecylindricalpart(the

upperairspaceisneededto

accommodatefermentation).

Storetheremainingjuiceinthe

fridge,asitmaycomeinhandy

duringStep3.Activate1/2tsp

oftheyeastaccordingtothe

packageinstructions,thenadd

ittothecarboy.Sealitwiththe

airlockandstoreina darkplace.

Step

2

MONITOR

(Days 3 to7, 15 min)

Ittakesaroundfour

tosevendaystofermentthe

juicetoanalcoholcontentof

5.5to6.5percent.Startingon

Day3,carefullyremovea small

amountofciderusingthesiphon

tubing,andmeasureitsalcohol

percentagewitha vinometer

(ablown-glasstoolthatwould

lookathomeina chemistrylab).

Step

3

BOTTLE

(2hours)

Onceyourfermented

juicereaches5.5to6.5percent,

it’s time to bottle. If the alcohol

isabove6.5percent,theflavour

maysufferandyourfinalproduct

maynotproperlycarbonate.If

thishappens,youcanrescue

itbyaddingbacksomeofthe

extrajuicefromStep1.Startby

sterilizingthesecondcarboy,

thesiphontube,thefunnel

andsufficientbale-capbottles.

Duringfermentation,some

debris—acombinationofyeast

andsedimentknownas“lees”—

settlesinthecarboy.Inorder

toleavethelees(whichwould

otherwisemakeyourciderbitter)

behind,siphonofftheciderto

thesecondcarboy,thenfill

yourbottles,leaving 2 to3 cm

ofairspace.

Step

4

ALLOWFOR

ASECONDARY

FERMENTATION

Tocarbonateyourcider,letit

fermentinthebottlebyleaving

thesealedbottlesofcideratroom

temperatureforthreetofourdays.

Step

5

CONDITION

Leavethebottlesin

the fridge for around

two weeks. This step completes

carbonation and mellows the

flavour, resulting in a cider that

is sparkling, crisp and tasty.

FOOD & RECIPES: FERMENTATION