E. coli. in raw cider......?

Question

im making hard cider with raw cider.
how hot should i get it in the "brewpot" without scorching it yet hot enough to killing any potentially harmful bacteria?

i guess my 2nd part question is:
will the alcohol, as it is created, kill harmful bacteria?

i disagree with trid.
potassium metabisulfate will kill the yeast that produces alcohol. after consulting a brewmaster at falling rock tap house, alcohol WILL kill any other harmful bacteria.

Answer 1

try to stay at or about 120 degrees using a thermometer so you dont ruin your "potion".
they is always a chance that some harmful stuff will be in there: the alcohol and yeast should pick up the rest. anything above 15% ABV should kill the bacteria off to negligable amounts.

Answer 2

Stick with the raw cider as it is. You can pasteurize it by heating it to no higher than 180 F (120 won't do anything, that's just a sunny day in the desert) and keep it there for about an hour.

In lieu of pasteurizing, potassium metabisulfate will kill any potential bad bugs that can affect the fermentation. Unless you've been handling raw poultry or animal waste (feces) without washing up thoroughly prior to making your cider, there's minimal chance of any sort of e. coli infection.

From straight fermentation (without special techniques or adding neutral spirit afterward) there's not going to be sufficient alcohol to act as a preservative or antiseptic. That's why wine and beer do go bad after a period of time exposed to air...and sometimes when sanitation isn't as thorough as it should be during the process.

If the cider doesn't already have e. coli in it to start with, it's not going to be introduced in your cider unless you're just not clean. Brewing, whether it's wine, cider, beer, mead, etc., requires absolute cleanliness in the first place, so you're going to be just fine without having to take any extraordinary precautions.

Answer 3

The only way to kill it for certain is by pasteurization. The home made kinds always carry a tiny little chance. Although I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. I guess the hotter the less chance of any contaminants surviving, but nothing is fool proof except pasteurization.