Connecticut CT cider search

[sebastienzeman18]

Hi guys,

I'm located in CT and looking for some unpasteurized cider for making hard cider. If anyone knows of any spots or farms I could get some from that would be extremely helpful. Also if you have any info on how good it is or pricing I would greatly appreciate it. If not a simple location name would be great! Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[Ayzala]

Greetings,
There are multiple farms up here in Glastonbury but I guess a bit out of your way. From what I've found most farms make their ciders without pasteurizing, many are just raw cider. There are a few that will add citric acid to preserve but that won't bother yeast. I've even found a few that will fill 5 gallon buckets for you. So just ask around and you will find one.

Is there a reason you want unpasteurized cider? Are you trying to naturally ferment? If not, pasteurized cider makes it so you don't have to hit it with Camden beforehand.

Well good hunting.

 

[sebastienzeman18]

Greetings,
There are multiple farms up here in Glastonbury but I guess a bit out of your way. From what I've found most farms make their ciders without pasteurizing, many are just raw cider. There are a few that will add citric acid to preserve but that won't bother yeast. I've even found a few that will fill 5 gallon buckets for you. So just ask around and you will find one.

Is there a reason you want unpasteurized cider? Are you trying to naturally ferment? If not, pasteurized cider makes it so you don't have to hit it with Camden beforehand.

Well good hunting.

Pasteurization tends to inhibit yeast from fermenting the beer. Since I want to ferment it myself with a yeast strain I like it needs to be unpasteurized. Thanks for the recommendations. From my location nothing is super close so Glastonbury really isn't that far to fill up a couple 5 gallon fermenters. Campden tablets work well but typically I just heat up the cider to 165F for 15 minutes and that kills everything off. Do you know if any of the farms in your area are selling at this time of year or do they only start selling toward the end of summer?

Cheers!

 

[madscientist451]

You've got plenty of apple growers in your area that make cider, the bad news is you'll have to wait about 5 more months before they've picked the apples and pressed them. I've found that the late season varieties make better hard cider, but you may get lucky and even find some real cider apples being pressed.
If you take a road trip and go to Franklin County Cider Days, you'll likely be able to get some above average juice for hard cider:
https://ciderdays.org/

 

[Ayzala]

Heating your cider to 165 for 15 minutes is pasteurizing, the same pasteurizing the farms would do. As you know, this process will not effect yeast at all, I've done it many times. You just don't want preservatives other than the citric acid.
Most farms are not going to be pressing until the fall. Sometimes I find local farm cider in stop and shop and it's only pasteurized. Maybe you could get lucky.

 

[sebastienzeman18]

Heating your cider to 165 for 15 minutes is pasteurizing, the same pasteurizing the farms would do. As you know, this process will not effect yeast at all, I've done it many times. You just don't want preservatives other than the citric acid.
Most farms are not going to be pressing until the fall. Sometimes I find local farm cider in stop and shop and it's only pasteurized. Maybe you could get lucky.

Oh interesting point. I know that some store bought cider uses chemicals/additives to pasteurize and preserve and the yeast will never get started but maybe thats only preservatives and I have misunderstood that. I appreciate the feedback and will definitely shop around some farms to see if they are offering any cider towards the end of the summer/early fall. Appreciate the help.

 

[Ayzala]

What you are trying to avoid is Potassium Sorbate, that's what kills yeast. Pasteurized or with citric acid are fine.

Good luck!