Want to stop cider and clear by saturday

dichotomous · 12-12-2011, 03:05 PM

I have a cider 10 days into fermentation, started with 3.5gal cider, 6lbs dark brown sugar, spices, 30gr coopers ale yeast. its still burbling away in there, stayed at 62-64f the whole time. I have a party saturday I would like to drink this at.

from what I read on here, I can stop fermentation and flocculate with potassium sorbate, irish moss, and cold temperatures. I can stick this carboy outside where its gonna be 22degf at night, and below 40f during the day, how long would that take to work? I was hoping to get it down to low temp tonight, rack to smaller bottles and keep in the fridge, would adding the ksorbate and moss before chilling work best to drop everything out? I dont mind a slightly "dirty" cider, its just family, just getting as much yeasty taste out as I can would be ideal.

ajbram · 12-12-2011, 03:40 PM

That would be an awfully fast clearing. One question - How does your cider taste right now? Is it worth trying to clear it for the weekend and drinking it before its prime? Personally I'd wait it out and drink it when it's good.

jddhammer · 12-13-2011, 11:46 AM

I've cleared older cider in 2 days with SuperKleer and no stabilization.

dichotomous · 12-13-2011, 12:24 PM

well I realized my mistake with irish moss, i'd need gelatin for post fermentation. either way I have it in the garage a few degrees above freezing. I shall rack out of the carboy thursday, and place those jugs (gallon jugs) back out in the cold. definately not cold enough to freeze, especially with it as potent as it is.

I wonder if allowing it to freeze would remove the yeast and sludge? I could replace all lost water with cider that contains ksorbate, which would kill the yeast. but would that satisfy the legal issues of forgetting cider in the garage in the winter?

GinKings · 12-13-2011, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dichotomous

definately not cold enough to freeze, especially with it as potent as it is.

How do you know how potent it is? Did you take a gravity reading? You said it was still fermenting yesterday. Without gravity readings, you have no idea whether it's 2% ABV or 10% ABV.

vze2hnvz · 12-13-2011, 12:39 PM

If it's going to go down the hatch on Sat., why use sorbate at all? Can't you just repeatedly cold crash and rack off of any residual yeast a couple degrees above freezing. Any remaining yeast should be minimal, and kept cold enough until consumed, should inhibit any remaining yeast from reproducing.

CvilleKevin · 12-13-2011, 01:17 PM

Quote:

If it's going to go down the hatch on Sat., why use sorbate at all? Can't you just repeatedly cold crash and rack off of any residual yeast a couple degrees above freezing. Any remaining yeast should be minimal, and kept cold enough until consumed, should inhibit any remaining yeast from reproducing.

Exactly

dichotomous · 12-13-2011, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GinKings

How do you know how potent it is? Did you take a gravity reading? You said it was still fermenting yesterday. Without gravity readings, you have no idea whether it's 2% ABV or 10% ABV.

it was significantly slowing down fermentation, originally designed to go to 14%, so it's likely over 8% at this point. havent taken a gravity reading because of two reasons, A: its not that important right now, and B: I have nothing to take a gravity reading with from a carboy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vze2hnvz

If it's going to go down the hatch on Sat., why use sorbate at all? Can't you just repeatedly cold crash and rack off of any residual yeast a couple degrees above freezing. Any remaining yeast should be minimal, and kept cold enough until consumed, should inhibit any remaining yeast from reproducing.

I think thats where I am heading. it should be below 40f out all week, and far colder at night, so my garage floor should stay pretty cold. the table saw was coldest last night, so I put it there. I figure I could rack off it thursday into the bottling bucket, then again on saturday morning into the jugs, and hope its clear for sat night. well, clear enough to not be very "yeasty". I dont mind a dirty or sludgey cider, but yeasty I would like to avoid

GinKings · 12-13-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dichotomous

it was significantly slowing down fermentation, originally designed to go to 14%, so it's likely over 8% at this point. havent taken a gravity reading because of two reasons, A: its not that important right now, and B: I have nothing to take a gravity reading with from a carboy.

I'm not familiar with Coopers ale yeast, but I'd be surprised if it would ferment anywhere near 14%. I'd guess it's limit would be closer to 10%. You may find your cider to be quite sweet.

dichotomous · 12-14-2011, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GinKings

I'm not familiar with Coopers ale yeast, but I'd be surprised if it would ferment anywhere near 14%. I'd guess it's limit would be closer to 10%. You may find your cider to be quite sweet.

works well for me.

the cider is clearing pretty well, I gave it a quick twist this morning, and more junk floated down from the top and from the the carboy grid lines. the junk on the bottom is getting thicker. looking at the weather tommorrow, I may decide to rack it tonight, will help cause I could clean the garage tonight too without disturbing the clearing process after racking.