In my experience with both cultivated and native yeast fermentations, a clean cultivated yeast imparts minimal characteristics and allows the inherent fruitiness to shine. The native fermentation is more an expression of the various flora and fauna existing in the must.
Hello. Thank you for your comment. Totally agree with this, and it is entirely up to the cider maker. My feeling is that I'd love to know how the wild yeasts/micro fauna from these varietals in their specific orchard would have changed the characteristics of the cider. It's a big risk to do this with an entire batch when you first begin down the road of cider production but as a control I think it would be a worthwhile opportunity to have a small batch of wild fermented cider run in tandem. Also, have a different variety of a neutral laboratory yeast (such as a Champagne yeast) in a control batch as well. In order to accelerate the learning process. My love of wild fermented ciders is just that, mine. But having worked with small production raw milk cheeses for a few decades (and beers to some degree) I know that nature tends to deliver more complexity than anything manufactured in a lab. But there are also inherent risks involved if you're running a business and are reliant on a predictable product and outcome. Having said that, good cider is good cider irrespective of the manufacturing process so that is the ultimate test.
In my experience with both cultivated and native yeast fermentations, a clean cultivated yeast imparts minimal characteristics and allows the inherent fruitiness to shine. The native fermentation is more an expression of the various flora and fauna existing in the must.
Hello.
Thank you for your comment. Totally agree with this, and it is entirely up to the cider maker. My feeling is that I'd love to know how the wild yeasts/micro fauna from these varietals in their specific orchard would have changed the characteristics of the cider. It's a big risk to do this with an entire batch when you first begin down the road of cider production but as a control I think it would be a worthwhile opportunity to have a small batch of wild fermented cider run in tandem. Also, have a different variety of a neutral laboratory yeast (such as a Champagne yeast) in a control batch as well. In order to accelerate the learning process.
My love of wild fermented ciders is just that, mine. But having worked with small production raw milk cheeses for a few decades (and beers to some degree) I know that nature tends to deliver more complexity than anything manufactured in a lab. But there are also inherent risks involved if you're running a business and are reliant on a predictable product and outcome.
Having said that, good cider is good cider irrespective of the manufacturing process so that is the ultimate test.