First Time Brewing anything, not just cider

gerrg · 09-04-2007, 10:43 PM

Hey folks, I'm new here and I'm also new to brewing. A buddy that I worked with got me interested in homebrew and this will be my first of many attempts at making my own tasty alcoholic beverages.

I tried my friend’s cider and really liked it so I'm going to start with that (plus it looks easier than beer) I just want to run my plan by everyone and make sure I'm doing everything correctly. Here are the ingredients:

5 Gallons TreeTop Apple Juice
1 lb Light Brown Sugar
1 Can Juicy Juice Apple Juice Concentrate
1 Packet of Dry Ale Yeast

So here's the plan:
Pour three gallons of apple juice into a stock pot
Bring up to about 130 degrees
Add brown sugar and concentrate and stir until dissolved.
Pour all ingredients into primary fermentation bucket, except for yeast
Let cool till 70-80 degrees
Add yeast
Place lid and air lock on bucket
Let ferment for 7-10 days (until the bubbles stop)
Move to secondary fermentation (carboy)
***Not sure how long to leave in there***
Move to bottling bucket and then bottle

The yeast I have is Windsor brewing yeast. Is there a certain way to add the yeast or just dump it in the juice when it cools to 70-80 degrees? Also, there was something I was to make sure the juice didn't have (I haven’t gotten that yet). I know there preservatives, but I'm not sure which ones. I want to say it was sorbates and something else. Anyone have any advice or changes to my plan? Any and all help is greatly appreciated (and probably needed) Thanks, and I look forward to taking part in this site.

peace
-gw

JimC · 09-04-2007, 10:52 PM

I wouldn't heat the juice. You could set the pectin and end up with a cloudy cider. I would heat up a cup or two of water to help dissolve the brown sugar and concentrate in and then throw that into the juice. I would also boil the brown sugar for a few minutes to sanitize it.

I would re-hydrate yeast. Just dump the yeast into some warm water for a few minutes then pitch it.
I would also add some yeast energizer/nutrient to the batch as well as some pectin enzyme.

Let it sit in the primary for a few weeks. No sense in moving it sooner, since it needs a couple months before drinking. It (probably) won't be done fermenting in 10 days. Secondary it for at least a month. If its not crystal clear, its not ready for bottles.

gerrg · 09-04-2007, 11:00 PM

is there anything i need to do to it while it's fermenting? like shake the bucket or anything?

**Yooper** · 09-04-2007, 11:03 PM

No, the best thing to do is leave it alone. Keep the airlock filled to the line and cover it up with a towel when it's in the carboy (to protect it from light) and don't shake! You want the yeast and pectin and stuff to settle out so you don't want to mix that all back up in it.

**Adolphus79** · 09-05-2007, 03:02 AM

I think you only have to worry about light if hops is involved. IIRC, it's the hops oil that reacts with light. I have all my cider uncovered, and haven't noticed any problems yet.

**Yooper** · 09-05-2007, 03:05 AM

Well, it's true that hops do "skunk" with light but also white wines and ciders can have issues with light. I don't remember the chemistry right now, but I keep all my wines and beers out of the light. I think david_42 has mentioned some of the reasons why to keep them out of the light, too.

gerrg · 09-05-2007, 03:30 AM

what are the things in apple juice that I don't want to get? I looked at the store today for treetop apple juice, but didn't find any. I looked on ingredients and i think all of them had ascorbic acid... i couldn't remember if my friend told me that was the bad thing or not.

peace
-gw

gyrfalcon · 09-05-2007, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerrg

Pour all ingredients into primary fermentation bucket, except for yeast
Let cool till 70-80 degrees

It sounds like a tight plan to me but I would just add this...

Use a Carboy to Ferment (ie. Glass)
Don't pasteurize apple juice again, you can heat to mix sugar but don't go overboard.
Don't worry about screwing up and plan to do more batches.

Here was my first cider / fermenting experiment: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/first-time-brewing-cider-36792/

Goodluck!

gyrfalcon · 09-05-2007, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerrg

what are the things in apple juice that I don't want to get?

Basically all you want is APPLE JUICE... certain acids in concentrates are okay, but it's better not to have any since they're used as preservatives and kill yeast.

mgayer · 09-05-2007, 12:29 PM

When looking at juices make sure there are no sorbates or potassium additives. Ascorbic acid is okay. Read the Juicy Juice can carefully. Most frozen concentrates are a better choice and there are several brands aavailable. I have used Tree Top, Motts and have now started using the Makers Mark brand from Sam's Club.

I just dump the sugar in one of the juice bottles and shake until dissolved. This does two things for you, Mixes the sugars and airerates. Don't heat the juice! All fruits have pectin in them, heating may cause the pectins to set or harden. This can make the must hazy or cloudy and it is very difficult to clear afterwards.

Although I don't cover my carboys in the summer direct sunlight can cause bleaching. I would just try to keep the cider or any fermenting must in as dark a room as possible. In the winter when I use the garage for fermenting I do put an old tee shirt over the carboy.

Once you get everything but the yeast mixed well take a gravity reading and then when finished. I usually don't rack from primary to secondary with cider. Just airlock it and let her sit for 6 weeks or sooner if all activity has ceased. Even with the ciders I have going right now it will be 6 weeks and I have not touched them.

Best of luck and let us know how it progresses.