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accidental natural fermentation
so i am making a batch of hard cider which i recently picked up from the local mill. the problem was i ordered my ingredience online and they still have not arrived. only after a few days i peaked at the cider and it is definatly fermenting naturally. i have never made natural hard cider before and was wondering if i should just continue with my original plan and use the ingredience i bought. i am also worried about the bacteria because i also, of coarse, never got a chance to kill it off. my indregience is here and just do not know what to do.
I can't claim to know what your end result would be, but I can offer this:
Do you know the traditional way for apple farmers to make a one-day cider?
They (used to) take one of the buckets of the freshly pressed apple cider, and simply let it sit out overnight (perhaps one whole day) open to the air. Come back in 24 hours, bottle and cool. Instead of straight apple juice, they now have a bit of naturally fermented cider, which is very slightly carbonated (not under pressure, you probably can't even see the bubbles, but you can feel them in your mouth.)
I would point out that the pressing station was basically right next to the grove, far from "civilization" which might introduce more pollution than simply fresh air, and the yeast in that batch would likely come from the skin of the apples themselves. If you just picked up your cider from the mill, I would bet the yeast that started were on the apple skins when they were pressed.
Sage Dyssan
Raised on a farm, central CA.
When I went to the local orchard/cider mill a couple years ago to get some late season (aka Cheap) bulk cider, the owner asked why I bothered with my normal process. He sez, just put a baloon over the top & stick it in the fridge for a while.
So, I don't know, you might give the natural a try, and when your supplies come in do another batch & compare.
Be sure to let us know how it comes out.
Damn, just noticed that this was from a year ago. 
Oh well, but it would be nice to know.
I think our friend 1n1m3g had a batch of cider he did that he just let naturally ferment out.
We tried it at the first MA brew session. It was great cider, almost not worth trying to ferment it with a store bought yeast.
Maybe he'll see this and chime in.
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