Celebrating the Art of Cider Fermentation
In the heart of early November, with temperatures hovering around 67°F, Claire Luchette, author of "Uncultivated" and a resident of Chicago, embarked on a unique journey - learning to craft barrel cider, a standard volume of 55 gallons.
The process, as Claire discovered, is not one of human creation but rather a symbiotic dance between yeasts and apple juice. As soon as the juice is pressed, yeasts begin to colonise, fermenting the juice into cider in a matter of days.
Preparing for this natural phenomenon required careful consideration. Carboys, the standard vessels for home wine and cider production, were employed due to their weight and shape. However, for the initial attempts at scaling up production, Claire found hand-me-down plastic barrels from a local winery, priced affordably at $10 each.
The indoor environment proved perfect for kickstarting yeast activity. Yet, the process was not without its challenges. The yeast activity was a little too vigorous, causing the cider to bubble over for a few days before settling down. To mitigate potential messes, the floor was prepared with towels, and the cider was fermented indoors to maintain success from the 5-gallon level.
A crucial aspect of the process was managing the foam that formed on the cider surface. By Day 7, the foam had oozed down the outer surface of the barrel, necessitating frequent cleaning to prevent messes. The foam reached its peak on the fifth day, covering the entire surface in a light yellow crud dancing with tiny bubbles.
Despite the mess, Claire remained undeterred. She understood that the process of making good cider involves not making bad cider. During the primary fermentation stage, yeasts reproduce and convert sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). This CO2 is expelled from the liquid, creating a shield on the surface of the cider to keep oxygen out.
The initial fermentation process took place in various locations, including a bathtub, but the weight of a full barrel soon made this option impractical. Instead, the cider was moved to a more suitable location, allowing life to blossom in the bottle, and the "product" was not the physical drink but the appreciation of the life itself.
Cider makers, as Claire learned, are responsible for providing conditions for yeasts to do their work, not for creating recipes or cooking the cider. The sweetness in cider is not its natural state and must be achieved by combating yeasts.
In the end, Claire's journey was a testament to the beauty of the natural process of cider-making, a dance between humans and yeasts that results in a beverage that celebrates life itself.
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