buffalo

Recipes 

I finally started my cider today and so far it sounds good,this is what i put in it.

5 Gallons Publix cider
5lbs Sugar
White Labs Liquid English Cider Yeast
5 bags Publix Frozen Blackberries(i thawed and added the juice also)
Pectic Enzyme

I mixed the cider,sugar,pectic enzyme and blackberries last night and pitched the yeast at 2 this afternoon,there aren't any bubbles in the airlock yet but you can hear some good gurgling going on in the bucket. I took a OG reading before pitching the yeast and got 1.064,i did that 3x just to be sure and got the same reading each time so i guess it's right. I guess now it's just sit back and let it bubble away for awhile,i will update this as it progresses incase anyone is interested in the outcome(good or bad). I plan on letting this go to secondary after awhile and sitting until it's fermented out and then bottling it with carb tabs,pasteurizing then storing it to age. If anyone sees anything wrong with this by all means let me know,i'm new so i could have something wrong.

buffalo

Recipes 

Well yesterday i took a reading and got .999 so i racked it into secondary and plan on bottling it later this week after i get some carb drops,i'm still also going to pastuerize using the stove top method. The taste at the moment is very strong alcohol so i most likely will backsweeten with some apple juice,i want it strong but i will sacrifice alcohol for a decent flavor.

nukinfuts29

Recipes 

I tend to land mine around 1.000 which usually maintains the apple flavor. If you have a dishwasher I would consider that for pasteurizing over the stove.

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My Recipes: Drunken Emu Hard Cider, Drunken Emu Mississippi River Water
The Jack Keller Collection

Pickled_Pepper

Recipes 

Do you need the secondary vessel for something else or do you just have to get it into bottle because of time constraints? You might consider letting it sit in the secondary for a while. That would probably help mellow out the alcohol taste. Just my 2¢, but I'd bulk age over bottle age.

buffalo

Recipes 

To be honest i was going to age it in secondary but with all the sediment and the blackberries that were in the primary i only got about 4 gallons into my secondary which is 5 gallons,i was afraid that would be to much free space and i might get a infection or mold. If you think i'm safe with letting it sit with that much free space then i will because it could use the mellowing time. I'm new to this so any advice is appreciated.

Pickled_Pepper

Recipes 

oh yah...that might be a lot of headspace. If it wasn't done fermenting, you might be ok since the headspace would fill with CO2. Since it's down to .999 I think it's pretty much done. You could always top it off with more juice and let it sit. The extra juice will also ferment as well.

buffalo

Recipes 

I have a couple gallons of extra juice on hand so if i added that now you think i'd be good?,how much would you recommend adding meaning how far should i fill the bottle?. Thanks alot for the help.

nukinfuts29

Recipes 

yea you can top off in secondary, i have. Leave about 2.5 inches headspace

__________________
My Recipes: Drunken Emu Hard Cider, Drunken Emu Mississippi River Water
The Jack Keller Collection

Pickled_Pepper

Recipes 

You should be fine by filling to within a few inches of the top. The new juice will ferment and fill the rest with CO2.

I rarely top off, but I don't let my ciders finish fermenting in the primary. I usually take them down to 1.015 or so and let them finish in the secondary. This helps blanket the top of the must. Knock on wood, I haven't had any problems with headspace so far.

buffalo

Recipes 

I wasn't planning on letting it finish in primary either but i got tied up with xmas and forgot to get a reading and before i knew it it was finished,lol. I'm going to go add the juice now,should i expect to see bubbling activity again once i add the juice?,i'm assuming so but had to ask.