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ryan112ryan · 10-18-2006, 09:05 PM

So this is my first batch, I have done the following

Quote:

took fresh pressed, not preserved cider put it in a carboy after adding 3/4 a cup of sugar per gallon.

I added campden tablets per instructions

2 days later pitch my campanege yeast and some energizer

waited 2 weeks, stoped bubbling, thigs settled and cleared

today i siphoned a little off the top to try it and it is a darkish yellow with no bubbles and very clear. it smells like a white wine with a little funk kinda (its hard to explain, but its not a sulfur-like smell) i tasted it and it taste like a white wine that is tart. I don't really get much apple taste and its not sweet enough.

Ive heard to add some apple juice concentrate, but i was wondering if i could get some feedback on my cider now, suggestion on how to go from here and is the apple juice concentrate a good idea or not.

LewisM · 10-18-2006, 09:10 PM

youve just got a very dry cider is all, nothing to worry about

i had the same with mine, i added some lactose (sugar that doesnt ferment) and it sorted it out, im guessing apple concentrate would add apple flavour as well as sweetening it.

Just for the record, as far as i know its the yeast that makes it that dry, i think its a ale yeast you need for a sweeter cider, but dont quote me on that

ryan112ryan · 10-19-2006, 12:30 PM

next time im going to try a different yeast, I want a sweeter more apple taste

so im a little confused

at this point, some clarification would help

Im supposed to siphon off the cider and toss the sediment/perticipate on the bottom
add the concentrate to taste
back into the carboy for a few months so it can clear better and age (but there isn't any fermentation at this point, if i remeber right???)
then siphon, rack and bottle

i was wondering if the apple juice concentrate's sugars would start to ferment?
if so, how would i avoid this?
is my yeast dead at this point since it has been a few days since it converted all the sugars?

the site i got the idea from said this:

Quote:

If it is too tart or sour add frozen apple juice concentrate, which contains no preservatives, to taste.

***Yooper*** · 10-19-2006, 12:52 PM

If you add apple concentrate or sugar without stabilizing, you'll just restart fermentation. That will boost the alcohol, leaving you with a dry cider. Champagne yeast goes to 18% alcohol, so you'll have to stop fermentation first.

If you want a sparkling bottled cider, you'll have to sweeten with lactose or splenda, and then bottle with some priming sugar. If you want a still cider, you can use one campden tablet per gallon and some potassium sorbate (1/2 tsp per gallon.) Rack your cider into the dissolve campden and sorbate, and allow to sit for a few days to insure fermentation has stopped. Then you can sweeten to taste, let sit a few days again to insure fermentation has stopped, and then bottle.

The point is that you don't want to just add sugar or apple concentrate, because that will start up the fermentation again. You'd end up with dry, high alcohol apple wine. It's easy to stabilize the cider, then sweeten as much as you'd like with the concentrate.

Lorena

**EdWort** · 10-19-2006, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenae

You'd end up with dry, high alcohol apple wine.

Yeah Baby! That's what I'm talking about. 8.5% abv.

ryan112ryan · 10-19-2006, 03:23 PM

Thanks all this is my first batch brewing anything ever, I hate being the Noob

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenae

If you want a still cider, you can use one campden tablet per gallon and some potassium sorbate (1/2 tsp per gallon.) Rack your cider into the dissolve campden and sorbate, and allow to sit for a few days to insure fermentation has stopped. Then you can sweeten to taste, let sit a few days again to insure fermentation has stopped, and then bottle.

Lorena

Thanks Lorena

I have already used campden tablets at the very start, i know it kinda "fizzes out" but is there any bad side effects (taste, smell etc.) of using them again (other than the fact that some people have allergies to them)

what does sorbate do? anything in particular i should know about it (wait periods, etc.)

how long do you all let your cider sit after i get it back into the carbory (to clear and age, no more fermentation) or should i just bottle it and let it do it in the bottle?

david_42 · 10-19-2006, 05:17 PM

Campden by itself slows yeast growth. Campden plus sorbate kills the yeast.