Cider - cold maceration?

[motherofgallons]

I'm making a nice 18 liter batch of cider from a mix of storebought local apple ciders. I also added 1200 grams of crabapples and 200 grams of rowanberries for tartness and complexity.

I added Campden and it's outside on the balcony to await pectic enzyme and yeast. But I got to thinking about cold maceration. The average temperature outside right now is 5 C for at least the next week (and it is not getting any warmer after that I am sure). Is it worth holding off on yeast pitch to try out cold maceration of the crabapples and rowanberries? If so, for how long? Anything I should know? I don't want them to rot! Is it even a thing for fruit other than grapes?

I plan to underpitch The Yeast Bay Sigmund Voss Kveik and ferment hot at about 38 C. I have done this before sans fruit to great success. Although I am considering taking about 5 liters and using some kind of wine yeast (plus maybe chaptalizing to ~12%) just to experiment.

 

[salcoco]

I would be concerned that you may precipitate acid in the cold temperature. which in long run is counter productive. if the apples and berries are crushed they will release what ever juice they contain and the cold weather will not aid. pectic enzyme would do the trick.

 

[Rice_Guy]

5C (35F) is refrigerator temperature, a few things will grow so I wouldn’t cold soak longer than two weeks. pH on the low side and sulphite may add a week without mold colonies. With crabs I can see better extraction with time (most seem to be very low starting moisture/ I have crabs in the freezer, soaking in cider for a few months of extraction.) I have not tried mountain ash so no opinion on extraction rate.
The general assumption with enzymes was for every 10C the reaction rate doubled, you have slowed the pectic breakdown. 38C is warm enough that enzymes are starting to denature, for long term effect add more pectase after the temp is reduced.
38 (100F) is hot. I run apple at room temperature or even as low as 10C. The theory is better fruit flavor at lower temperature. Running extraction at 38 will make it go faster, therefore if you ferment on the fruit you should have good extraction, and as salcoco pointed out crushing (or me with a food processor) will give good flavors extraction.

This sounds like a blend I will try at some time. (should hunt the neighborhood for rowan berries) will be curious of the results.

I'm making a nice 18 liter batch of cider from a mix of storebought local apple ciders. I also added 1200 grams of crabapples and 200 grams of rowanberries for tartness and complexity.

I added Campden and it's outside on the balcony to await pectic enzyme and yeast. But I got to thinking about cold maceration. The average temperature outside right now is 5 C for at least the next week (and it is not getting any warmer after that I am sure). Is it worth holding off on yeast pitch to try out cold maceration of the crabapples and rowanberries? If so, for how long? Anything I should know? I don't want them to rot! Is it even a thing for fruit other than grapes?.