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con20or · 07-11-2009, 01:59 PM

I have one of the old fashioned floating hydrometers, so Ill need quite a bit for a sample. Maybe I should just put it in the demijohn?

**Nurmey** · 07-11-2009, 02:38 PM

If you put it in your carboy it is hard to read, impossible to get out, and could break in there and ruin your whole batch. You only need a 4 ounce sample to get a hydrometer reading.

con20or · 07-11-2009, 02:39 PM

Yeh, I learned that the last time the hard way, rooting around with a tweesers to get it out,and trying to read the hydrometer by peering through the foam.

How does it float in a 4 Oz sample? Do you use a big test tube or something?

con20or · 09-20-2009, 04:57 PM

Ok, quick summary. The original post in this thread was for a turbo cider i saw on you tube. It was my first try, end result great looking fizzy cider when i opened the bottle, but almost zero taste.

I then bought some fresh pressed apple juice for my second try, fermented like crazy, I bottled it on the 11 August, I tried my first one about 3 weeks after bottling , very little had happened. Now today is the 20 September I still have no pop or fizz, and very bitter apple juice.

Is there anyway to save the rest of the batch? Is it too late to add more sugar to get a fizz and take the edge off the bitterness?

I'm just not sure where i went wrong.

**CvilleKevin** · 09-20-2009, 05:28 PM

Did you add k-meta or campden to the fresh juice? If you did, it will be bitter for several months, but will get better eventually. If you skip the k-meta, it will be drinkable nearly right away, but wont keep as long (4-8 months depending on how careful you were with prep)

What sort of yeast are you using? Many will ferment out all the sugar, leaving only the acids for residual taste. Ale yeasts are better for leaving some residual sugar, although you still may need to cold crash to stop fermentation at the level of sugar you want. Search on "cold crash" for more info

con20or · 09-20-2009, 08:44 PM

I didnt add anything other than the same stuff i added to the last batch, which was the sachets of fast action bread yeast.

**CvilleKevin** · 09-20-2009, 11:00 PM

That is likely the problem. Maybe the stuff will eventually taste better, but in the meantime, use ale yeast for your next batch. I'd recommend S04 or Nottingham

con20or · 09-21-2009, 12:30 PM

ok thanks. And the lack of fizz?

**CvilleKevin** · 09-21-2009, 01:45 PM

Not sure - did you add priming sugar to the second batch?

con20or · 09-22-2009, 06:55 PM

05/07/09 - SG 1.053 - Started the batch and it went nuts bubbling almost overnight.
14/07/09 - S.G 1.01 - Calmed down far quicker than the juice version.
01/08/09 - S.G 1.00 - Racked and moved to second container
11/08/09 added about a teaspoon sugar to each bottle (500ml),filled and left sit.

Had my first taste around 5th September, bitter, no fizz.

Where'd I mess up?