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Good day, community! I've got a dilemma. 3 month ago I made 3 different ciders (splitting one 3 ways) using the same blend of Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious apples. It was a freshly pressed sweet apple cider right in front of me. For each of the batch I didn't use any yeast allowing the ciders to ferment naturally (from what ever was on those apples). Fermentation went slightly different giving each batch (3 gallons each) a unique character. The ciders a little bit hazy, with "rustic" clearness, like a farm or barn style cider should be.

My question is, which category of the BJCP does it fall into? Judging by apple varieties, it is C1A (New World Cider), but I haven't find any word on wild fermentation in the whole guide http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Cider.pdf

Any suggestions? Any help would be appreciated

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This answer is probably too late for your entry, but here it goes.

BJCP guidlines don't specify a fermination type. Ale, Lager, "wine yeasts", wild etc. for ciders. So you should pick a category that best fits your ingredients but most importantly fits the aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel of the style as that is what you would be judged against. Though if your wild made a sour, I'm not sure it would be appropriate in anything but an experimental category.

For example.. I set out to brew an IPL, it didn't turn out as planned... It won two gold metals as a Helles Bock.

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  • Interestingly enough, BJCP guide talks about fermentation types.... "Yeast used for cider/perry may be either natural (the yeast which occurs on the fruit itself and/or is retained in the milling and pressing equipment) or cultured yeast". But it is not tied to a specific style... Strange. It means that you may have a natural fermented ice-cider or apple-wine. Anyway, what I have (according to BJCP) is either C1A or C1B. Mostly culinary apples (with Granny Smith).
    – Trigger
    Feb 29, 2016 at 20:06
  • On the tasting profile it is closer to New World Cider, but can be brought to English Cider with addition of Malic Acid and Tannins (tried it last night with blending and acid+tannins additions). It is little bit hazy, below clear level, but not cloudy. Naturally it didn't wanna clear. On appearance it is closer to English Cider. I guess, if I can clear it in next 5 days, I can be entered into C1A.
    – Trigger
    Feb 29, 2016 at 20:10
  • @RedTrigger I guess what I ment is they don't lock you into a specific fermentation style. If you have it kegged and cold, look into using gelitan it can get amazing clairification in just a couple days. Feb 29, 2016 at 23:39
  • I'm a huge fan of Super Kleer. In fact I found the right blend (50% of cider fermented with wine yeast + 50% blend of naturally fermented cider), mixed it last night in a carboy and hit it with Super Kleer (Chitosan + Kieselsol). In the morning it was at at Clear level (which is minimal acceptable). Will be kegging tomorrow with additions of malic acid and tannin blanc soft. Right now it is falling into C1A category. Hopefully it will standout from back-sweetened common ciders.
    – Trigger
    Mar 1, 2016 at 22:34

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