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**oldmate** · 05-13-2011, 02:53 AM

I agree with CidahMaster, cider definitely needs around 3 months in a secondary for both adequate mellowing of flavours and the return of the apple flavour as well as clearing. This is probably what happened with the OP, the yeast sediment caused the flavour you tasted. To get around this, transfer to a secondary after fermentation and rack into a new vessel when you get around a 1/4 inch of lees (sediment).

Beer is completely different!

smyrnaquince · 05-13-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmate

I agree with CidahMaster, cider definitely needs around 3 months in a secondary for both adequate mellowing of flavours and the return of the apple flavour as well as clearing. This is probably what happened with the OP, the yeast sediment caused the flavour you tasted. To get around this, transfer to a secondary after fermentation and rack into a new vessel when you get around a 1/4 inch of lees (sediment).

For cider, what do you top up your secondary with after you've racked? I do 1-gallon batches from 1-gallon jugs/bottles of store-bought cider, so I can't easily make a 1-gallon-plus-a-little-more batch to allow for the volume I lose when racking.

Or do you just not worry about the additional headspace after racking?

**CidahMastah** · 05-13-2011, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smyrnaquince

For cider, what do you top up your secondary with after you've racked? I do 1-gallon batches from 1-gallon jugs/bottles of store-bought cider, so I can't easily make a 1-gallon-plus-a-little-more batch to allow for the volume I lose when racking.

Or do you just not worry about the additional headspace after racking?

you should always top off. With cider if you have it, with water if you don't.

**SD-SLIM** · 05-14-2011, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CidahMastah

I don't secondary beer either - unless I am dry hopping - this isn't beer he is talking about cider is much different and needs a secondary or you lose major benefits of bulk aging.

CidahMasatah you are correct...I wasnt paying attention when I replied back to my earlier post about secondaries. The majority of ciders are racked to a secondary's for a 3 month, and some are matured in vats for up to three years...exceptions to this would be Graff's slightly hopped cider (which is ready in 3 weeks). A large portion of what I said about fermentation does stand true...if it had fruit, it needs to be racked to a secondary, true in beer or cider.