Perry

While buying apple juice at the supermarket I noticed that five varities of pears were on sale for $1.99/lbs. and I grabbed enough Bartlet, Bosc, Comice, Red, and Seckels to make about 10 lbs combined. I put the pears in paper bags to set aside and let ripen for a few days.

I have always wanted to try making a Perry since it is difficult to find quality commercial examples but I have always found the cost of the fruit to be prohibitive so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get five varieties at a reasonable price. I don't know what types of pears are best suited to making cider but I am assuming that much like apples, they aren't the ones you find in a supermarket. I also am assuming that like apples, it is best to use a variety for cider making purposes.



Perry Helper

 My little sister was visiting from Grand Junction and I decided to enlist her in my Perry project. Lacey helped wash, cut, and juice fruit. After juicing the fruit I added 2.5 Liters of R.W. Knudsen Apple Juice and a quart of Knudsen's 100% Pear Juice to bring up to 3 gallons and dropped in a couple of Campden tablets and let sit overnight before adding the yeast. I had to use Munton's dry ale yeast out of necessity. A few days ago a slant of WLP Kolsch yeast didn't ferment and I had to use the Safbrew-33 that I had scheduled for a Maple Apple Cider with Belgian yeast, so the last pack of wine yeast in the house went to the apple cider. I was hoping to get to the store before making the Perry but it didn't happen. This is the second time that a White Labs slant from my LHBS has been bunk and it is beyond frustrating especially since most of what is stocked is out of date in the first place.

I reserved the pear skin and pulp and added 3 lbs. of boiled table sugar, a bit of brown sugar and enough water to make 3 gallons. I pitched a little Turbo Yeast on the mixture and let it work for 5 days before racking it to the "magical apparatus" to make a little pear brandy. I will dilute the distillate and age on french oak. I did the same process with the fruit skins last year when I made pineapple cider and brandy.