Before fermenting, the juice must be clarified: it is the defecation phase. A beautiful brown hat and a good defecation is the beginning of a good cider house. To make cider, the defecation stage is not to be neglected!
The word is not very appetizing but this first and indispensable clarification is done quite naturally. It occurs in the must, 5 or 6 days after pressing a coagulation due to pectin. As with jam, long molecules bind together in a network. In the must, they trap a large amount of impurities that rise to the surface. It is the "brown hat" which does not have anything attractive; he must be evacuated. The simplest way is to let the barrel "cough" by adding regular must. Remember that at this stage of the cider making, it is necessary to limit the contact with the air as much as possible. Your barrels must be full. Once you have calmed down, if you have allowed your must
to be defecated in vats , this is the moment of withdrawal. Do not take the bottom of your vats or barrels to avoid removing the lees and place the must in barrels or vats. Fermentation can begin.
Some tips for getting a good bowel movement.
Press in cool weather. If the must is too hot the alcoholic fermentation will start too early and the brown hat will have trouble forming. 8 ° C, it's the ideal
Your apples should not have frozen or be green.
