A Guide to Cider Fermentations

Guide To Cider Fermentations

Who doesn’t love a crisp, refreshing cider in any season? The artisanal cider market is changing the way cider is perceived in America, from a sugary sweet beverage to a complex unique alternative to beer. White Labs has several products to help you create the perfect hard cider.

Yeast Choice Matters 

Many recipes for cider suggest a wine strain or a package of generic dry yeast. We’re here to tell you that yeast choice for your cider does matter.

If you don’t believe us, split your batch into two fermentations and try them side by side. We’ve seen so many beautiful ciders with some of the following liquid yeast strains: 

Yeast and Bacteria Suggestions
WLP001 California Ale Yeast
WLP002 English Ale Yeast
WLP028 Scottish Ale Yeast 
WLP101 SuperCell Yeast Blend
WLP611 New Nordic Ale Blend Yeast
WLP616 Funky Cider Blend
WLP645 Brettanomyces claussenii
WLP648 Brettanomyces bruxellensis Trois Vrai
WLP650 Brettanomyces bruxellensis 
WLP653 Brettanomyces lambicus 
WLP672 Lactobacillus brevis
WLP677 Lactobacillus delbrueckii
WLP693 Lactobacillus plantarum
WLP715 Champagne Yeast
WLP773 Scottish Cider Yeast Blend
WLP775 English Cider Yeast

A Guide to Cider Fermentations 2

Yeast Inoculation Rates

In cider, inoculation rates correlate with how fast the fermentations take place. If you’re looking for a slower fermentation to preserve fruit aroma, a lower inoculation rate can be valuable.

Cider Pitch RatesNutrients are Necessary

Nutrients should be added to warm water, dissolved, and then added before fermentation. Most must is insufficient in nitrogen; we recommend adding YAN (Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen) concentration at ~150g/BBL.

Our nutrient recommendation is SeltzerMax®as it adds nutrients to fermentation to help reduce off-flavors such as sulfur without adding additional flavor. White Labs recommendations are 5-6.5 g/gal or 150-200g/bbl.

Make It Wild

Creating a spontaneously fermented cider can be difficult. Try using alternative microorganisms to create a more unique and complex cider. WLP616 Funky Cider Blend is just a few organisms we carry to create that natural cider funk. Alternatively, check out our bacteria like Lactobacillus sp., or our wild yeasts such as Torulaspora sp. or Brettanomyces sp. to create a tart funk-forward cider. 

A Guide to Cider Fermentations 3Tips & Tricks 

  • Add nutrients at the initial yeast pitch, 24 and 48 hours later, and when gravity has dropped 50% attenuation.
  • ​Although strain dependant, a rule of thumb is to ferment warmer 59-71°F (15-22°C) for more yeast expression and influence and cooler 59-64°F (15-18°C) to keep delicate fruit flavors and aromatics.
Hard Cider Tech Sheet

Recent Posts

Featured image: Tips From The Pitch - The Smart Brewer's Guide to Yeast Efficiency
Yeast Harvesting/Repitching
Tips From The Pitch
FlexSeries
Jul 11, 2025

Tips From The Pitch - The Smart Brewer's Guide to Yeast Efficiency

How can you get the most value from your yeast? Reusing yeast is a smart way to lower ingredient costs, streamline your production schedule, and enhance beer quality. But making the most of your yeast starts with asking the right questions. From pitch to performance, here are some key considerations and practical tips to help…

Read more
Featured image: Many Flavors of Fermentation Series Part 3 - Interactions & Applications
Brewing Technical
Jun 19, 2025

Many Flavors of Fermentation Series Part 3 - Interactions & Applications

In the final part of our series, We explore How Yeast & Fermentation interact with other ingredients Different ways to establish brand identity through sensory We will develop a comprehensive vocabulary and the ability to clearly communicate fermentation profiles to staff and customers alike In this three part series, feel free to download our slides…

Read more
Featured image: Many Flavors of Fermentation Series Part 2 - Metabolites
Brewing Technical
Jun 12, 2025

Many Flavors of Fermentation Series Part 2 - Metabolites

Many Flavors of Fermentation Series - Part 1 In part 2 of this technical series, we will expand on how to communicate the many flavor of fermentation by exploring ways to describe yeast-influenced flavor/aroma compounds & ways we can influence common off-flavors such as acetaldehyde, diacetyl, and sulfur. Many Flavors of Fermentation Video Playlist Many…

Read more