reinbrew

Recipes 

New to cider making but have made several batches of beer. Started fermentation on this 2.5 gallon bactch 16 days ago and it still has a kraeusen like head--if it were beer. I didn't take records of the OG but i added 2 pounds of brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar so I'm sure it's high. I used nottingham ale yeast but didn't realize it wasn't dry cider until after I pitched. I know that it will stop fermenting after 8% but i also want to get this in a secondary. When should i rack? I wanted to have at least 8 days in secondary and 6 days in bottles all by 3/26. Now I will be patient with this and if it is suggested I wait until all fermentation stops and my finish date of 3/26 needs to be delayed, so be it. Am I on track?

Kauai_Kahuna

Recipes 

You could try cold crashing and then racking to secondary. I would take a hydrometer reading, and a taste test. I would be concerned about bottling too soon though and getting bottle bombs.
Ciders can take up to a month to finish primary fermentation, I just racked one after 32 days to primary, and will not be bottling for another month at least, but one of the 5 gallon batches will probably end up on tap.

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In Primary: Belgium Chimay clones.
In Secondary: Braggot, pale ale, end of the world white.
Conditioning: Mead, Cider, braggot, Belgium Wheat.
On Tap: Clones, Chimay Blue, Red, Porter, malted cider.
Bottles: Far, far, too many to list.

manticle

Recipes 

In my experience slower fermentation = better cider. Be patient, let it finish and let it condition.

wscott823

Recipes 

+1

Cider needs patience in fermenting, similar to mead (not quite as long though). IIRC, cooler fermenting temperatures help keep solventy alcoholic flavors at bay.

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Primary: Nada
Lagering/Secondary: Nada
Micro Barrel Aging: H2O & Metabisulfite
Bottled: Sparkling Ambrosia, Chai Graff, Cerberus Barleywine, Jamil's Evil Twin, Chinook IPA
Planned Brews: Devil's Serum (Golden Strong Ale)

Make Your Own Belgian Candi Syrup

vespa2t

Recipes 

Cider is like BBQ. Low and slow. I ferment mine using S04 at 45-50deg. Takes 2-3 weeks to hit the FG that I like (1.020). 4-5 weeks if I want to make a dry cider.

Cider is different from beer in that the sugars available are like a buffet of crack cocaine to the yeast. slowing them down is better, otherwise they go insane and create all sorts of 'stress' flavors.

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-Paul O.
Vintage Vespa, Classic Mini Cooper, and Fermentation. Thats my life.

Beernip

Recipes 

+1 to this. Hydro and taste it first. With that much sugar you are likely that it will not finish before 30 days. Most of the ciders that I have done finish between 25-45 days for a dry cider. After fermentation has finished I rack to a secondary and let sit for 3+ months until it has mellowed. The longer it sits in the secondary the better.

I know that 2 pounds of sugar in 5 gallons is about ~7.5% so my guess is that you are looking at 10% if you let this ferment out to 1.00 or -. For my tastes

I have the general guide of
.990 - 1.005 = Dry Cider
1.010 - 1.015 = Semi-Sweet Cider
1.020 - 1.025 = Sweet Cider

Yes there are gaps but I think that is blurring between styles. I'm also interested in anyone's opinion of these ranges.

If you want to bottle and you want it ready by 3/26 I think you should hydro+taste. If it is around 1.010 - 1.030 and tastes good you should cold crash it for 3 days than rack it and crash it for another week. Kill the yeast off with potassium sorbate and bottle (back-sweeten if you want). Theoretically you could rack it every 3-4 days and that would remove all the yeast but I've never tried it. I don't think there is a way you are going to get a sparkling cider in this time frame without kegging.

CandleWineProject

Recipes 

Cider, regardless of what yeast you use, wants to be dry. It takes methods and/or chemicals to make it sweet.

Also, if you make a sweet cider without using artificial sweeteners and then want to carb without a keg, consider each and every bottle a bomb. That is, a naturally (sugar or juice) sweet cider will explode if bottle conditioned without pasteurizing.

reinbrew

Recipes 

Great info everyone! I think I need to experiment more. Going to buy another keg system today--it's a win-win for all. Cider on tap, beer in future, happy visitors.

Just as an update, I racked to a secondary Sunday and placed in my 50 degree beer fridge and will leave there until Sunday when I begin force carb.