I Fermented Hard Cider with Saison Yeast… Here’s What Happened

Brewing cider with Saison yeast isn’t exactly standard practice — but after a viewer suggestion and some earlier cider experiments, it was too interesting not to try. In this video, I ferment apple cider using a Saison ale yeast, pushed warm and under pressure, to see how it behaves outside its usual comfort zone. Using fresh-pressed apple juice, a small gravity boost from apple concentrate, and a stepped temperature fermentation schedule, this batch was designed to explore how Saison yeast performs in cider: fermentation speed, attenuation, carbonation, clarity, and overall character. No shortcuts, no sugar additions — just apples, yeast, and process. This is one half of a split-batch cider experiment. The other half was fermented with a dedicated cider (wine) yeast for comparison. No spoilers here — watch the process, follow the numbers, and decide for yourself whether Saison yeast deserves a place in your cider toolbox. 🍺 Sponsor Big thanks to Angel Yeast for sponsoring this video and supporting my brewing experiments. Check out their full range of brewing yeasts here: https://bit.ly/Brewing-AngelYeast 🔗 Related Video The other half of this split batch, fermented with cider (wine) yeast BV818:    • I’ve Never Used Cider Yeast… Until Now (BV...   Chapters 00:00 – Why Brew Cider with Saison Yeast? 00:38 – Previous Cider Experiments & Yeast Choices 01:30 – Why Saison Yeast (and Why It’s “Wrong”) 01:51 – Yeast Specs & Fermentation Temperature Strategy 02:04 – Apple Juice, Volume, and Gravity Setup 02:27 – Boosting Gravity with Apple Concentrate 02:51 – Yeast Nutrient & Pitching the Saison Yeast 03:06 – Pressure Fermentation Setup 03:18 – Fermentation Schedule & Temperature Ramps 03:45 – Final Gravity & ABV 04:12 – Appearance, Clarity, and Head Retention 05:11 – Aroma Evaluation 05:27 – First Taste 05:50 – Flavor & Mouthfeel Discussion 06:29 – Verdict on Saison Yeast in Cider 06:58 – Second Opinion Tasting (MultiMash) 07:32 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next Social & Contact Instagram:   / drhansbrewery   Facebook:   / drhansbrewery   Web: https://drhansbrewery.com Email: [email protected] Support & Merchandise Learn homebrewing: https://solo.to/drhansbrewery Gear on Amazon: http://bit.ly/drhanssf Free brewing ebook: http://bit.ly/DrHans Buy me a beer: https://bit.ly/ByMEaBEER Patreon (Brew Crew): https://bit.ly/2V5Zsgz Channel membership: https://bit.ly/3fVQav7 PayPal donations: https://bit.ly/DonateDrHans Merch shop: https://bit.ly/DrHans-Merch