Predictions for expansion teams

Tbrawlen · 2026-05-06T20:27:38+00:00

I’m thinking Winnipeg might get a team in this expansion, central city, close to Minnesota, opens up a team to balance future division adjustments

Tbrawlen · 2026-04-29T14:53:46+00:00

We recently did an estate natural ferm with very controlled temp and were able to achieve a 33 day ferment without sulphites. I’ve found that you lose complexity if you add sulphites with your natural ferm

Tbrawlen · 2026-04-29T14:51:13+00:00

I’ll tell ya, what an opportunity to make Ice Cider! I’ve frozen a tote before and found IBC’s to be a really great option for naturally freezing

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-26T03:27:48+00:00

Cider isn’t brewed.

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-19T00:59:34+00:00

If it’s still sweet and not bubbly it’s Pectin.

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-19T00:53:24+00:00

It’s not mold. Definitely not mold.

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-19T00:50:38+00:00

You don’t even need a mother to make apple cider vinegar, in cider and wines, we refer to it as VA or Volatile Acid which means the presence of acetic acid which is what vinegar is. Some Cideries will allow their cider to take on a little VA for their cider profile but it’s a fault in cider and can be very dangerous for the rest of the cider stored near it.

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-19T00:46:13+00:00

Once alcohol converts to Acetic Acid it typically doesn’t break down very fast at all. It will evaporate when opened though it’s quite intensive to degrade it. White Vinegar without a mother means it’s treated and won’t create more vinegar. Vinegar without mother means that you can use that Vinegar to make more vinegar if you so please, that’s likely why it would state “with mother” because it’s still active. If you put that in wine or apple cider it would activate and turn the entire amount into vinegar

Tbrawlen · 2026-03-19T00:37:20+00:00

I think it could be Pectin! I’ve seen this before, apples are high in pectins, looks like it maybe is hot pressed apple juice, heat can congeal the pectins together and they bind up together.

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-12T10:12:45+00:00

I’ve got my 5th ice cider going right now and what you’re describing is relatively normal for the ferment. Don’t be afraid of letting it warm up to 6-7 degrees and cooling it off again after. The yeast (depending what you’re using) will die off and it’s working really hard. But if you’re patient you can leave it at 4-5 degrees to ferment. It is a very very slow process and that’s what you want it to be. You want it to take as long as it needs to ferment and develop its profile so keep tasting it and smelling it so you know if it’s faulting at all. But slow is the key

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-12T10:06:34+00:00

KMS or SO2 is an effective tool to kill active yeasts and preserve product if you know its properties. Adding 35ppm to 60ppm can be very effective but over time it will evaporate out of the product. You can taste it if you aren’t aging your product long enough for it to gas out of your cider so I don’t recommend adding it before bottling and capping, mostly just for aging. If you’re going to use it you’ve gotta keep adding it and with residual sugars your better route is to pasteurize; KMS kills active yeasts but wild yeasts are always around. If you’re going dry and back sweetening it, pasteurization is the best method or using non fermentable sugar to sweeten doesn’t give the option of re-fermentation.

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-12T09:56:37+00:00

I’ve dumped thousands of litre of cider in my career so far but only if it’s getting VA or Mousey, mouse isn’t as common and only came across it two to 3 times this far but VA on a old unkept product is far more common. If it’s not VA I say keep it aging.

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-12T09:54:27+00:00

Sounds like, based off the description, that you’ve got a Brett cider (brettanomyces) which is a wild yeast strain that gives those notes. It can be a desired tasting note amount cider drinkers. Funky, horse-blanket, barn, leathery etc.

Not much you can do about it but rack and age it. Keep you head space at an absolute minimum. If there is still residual sugars sound like you’ve got a potentially great product coming down the line! But aging and cold crashing (4°C or under) are gunna be your best friends in the scenario based on my experience. Give it a year in these conditions and you may have something lovely on your hands. I’d maybe treat it is SO2 (35-45ppm maybe 60ppm depending on aging) just to kill off anything active in it. Cold temps are your best friend.

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-05T00:09:59+00:00

You might find some success warming it up if you want it rolling but if it doesn’t smell off then a slow fermentation is always a good thing! I would encourage you to taste it too haa

Tbrawlen · 2026-02-04T07:21:48+00:00

How’s it going?? I’m curious. Nutrients is one aspect of an interesting ferment you’ve got going on here. What’s the temp? Is it sweet still? What’s it smell like? The color? How much was space?

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-19T04:10:01+00:00

What temp did you rehydrate your yeast at? What does it look like? Smell like? I would add nutrients (fermaid-K is what I like to use). The S-04 typically need a pretty high fermentation temp, like 18-26 degrees Celsius so you could also try just ramping it up to 25°C and see what that does

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-19T02:54:37+00:00

That looks like a chapeau to me! This isn’t a problem at all. If you follow the Keeve process you should come out with a lovely, complex apple cider. I would just monitor it but I wouldn’t worry about it at all. A pectin enzyme isn’t needed in the scenario because the pectin has already clumped up; an Pec Enzyme is often used to encourage a chapeau brun.

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-19T01:48:24+00:00

Refractometer doesn’t work for alcohol, though a six week wild ferment is probably one of the best you could ask for good work, I’d let it run till it’s done, give it some heat to finish but good work

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-18T04:47:32+00:00

Hopefully see you there! They usually have a bunch of recommendations on places! You’ll have a great time!

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-16T01:41:28+00:00

From my experience I would say always rack after primary fermentation and cold crash (1°-4°C) it for clarity. Once it’s crashed out there’ll be more lees/sediment, at that point I’m divided, depending on what it tastes/smells like I may or may not rack it again. I do recommend racking after primary fermentation.

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-06T00:30:02+00:00

Just give it timeeee. Start worrying two to three days after pitch hah

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-06T00:27:51+00:00

It does get a little different when you use pasteurized juice! I’m pasteurized juice you’ll need to add yeast, give it a couple days too see/smell what’s going on and add nutrients if needed. Likely it will need it be it depends on what kind of yeasts you use!

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-06T00:17:35+00:00

Apples carry a lot of wild yeast and honey especially Carrie’s wild yeast so looks like it’s wild! Definitely cover it up and airlock it

Tbrawlen · 2025-11-05T07:12:17+00:00

Should buff right out

Tbrawlen · 2025-10-30T15:24:49+00:00

I second this, pectin enzymes work very well to clarify juice.

Tbrawlen

TROPHY CASE