119: Stinky Cider Troubleshooting | Scott Laboratories

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Prevention & Correction of Sulfur-Off Odors in Cider Production was presented by Rebecca deKramer, cider specialist at Scott Laboratories at CiderCon2018.

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This chat begins at approximately 9 minutes in.

Rebecca presents on the following topics

• Defining Sulfur-Off Odors
• Causes of Sulfur-Off Odors
• Methodologies for preventing Sulfur-Off Odor formation
• Methodologies for correcting Sulfur-Off Odors
• What kind of strains of yeast to use
• Temperature for fermentation
• How much yeast to use?

Chemical Elements impacting cider

• Sulfur - H2S (hydrogen sulfur)
• mercaptans from by the break down of certain amino acids
  • if they oxidize, Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) or methylthiomethane is an organosulfur compound with the formula (CH3)2S can be produced. DMS is aromatic and can not easily be removed by copper - Rebekka speaks on the use of copper to remove specific odors

The first thing to do for off odor - sulfur

• aireate
  • the most simplest technique to control off odors?
    • Rack cider off of the gross lees
• If at the end of fermentation the cider is producing off odors, "simply stirring the gross lees into solution can help."

Most common factor contributing to sulfur off odors?

• the yeast being stressed

Rebekka's recommendation - "Have happy yeast. If you have happy yeast, you will have a good fermentation. If you have unhappy yeast they will make your life hell."

• Orchards that use a sulfur based spray for orchard control. Depending upon the timing of the spray it could leave residual copper on the apple, that can affect the cider.

Additional cider and cider yeast considerations

• The more clarified or concentrated the juice will affect the fermentation as it will have less nutrients for the yeast.
• Canning cider can make cider suspectible to oxygen

as can some screws caps

24:16 - Fermentation

Indigenous Fermentations or using wild yeast. Rebekka recommends management via nutrient control, because you do not know what yeast is in the driver seat. "It is a leap of faith"

Commercial Pitch - there are numerous options, but make sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

• If you have no temperature control for fermentation, avoid yeast that require temperature control.
• Do not under inoculate.  The chances are high that you will have a stressed yeast if you do not follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
• rehydrate dry yeast before pitching - to nurture a happy yeast environment

Treat as soon as you start smelling an off flavor

Use the Penny Test for finding H2S.

Drop a 1984 or earlier penny into a glass of cider and see if it removes the H2S.

will H2s or a mercaptan

It responds instantly.

If it doesn't respond Rebekka says that the cider is likely in a desulfite form treat with asorbic acid to reduce

Make sure it is a penny that is as old as 19

Contact Scott Laboratories

• Website: http://www.scottlab.com/
• email: [email protected] 
• Telephone: 707- 765-6666

Mentions in this Chat

• ciderGoingUp Campaign 
• Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company
• John Edwards - Chemical Fingerprints in Cider presented at CiderCon2018 will be posted soon - Stay tuned. John's business: Process and Analytical NMR Services

Ask for the following cideries and businesses- By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat

1. Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14
2. Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35
3. Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29
4. Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60
5. The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California
6. Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56
7. Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75.
8. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg.
9. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia
10. Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103
11. Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK
12. Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat

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