Recent content by stevetree

So the first time this happened was after bottling. The cider was crystal clear, but after a week or two in bottles it turned cloudy and developed a sour flavor. It was actually pretty good and we wondered how to replicate it. Fast forward a few weeks...Now its in our fermenters. Fermentation...

+1 Unferth. Might I add look for a yeast that has a high flocculation rating. For a while there, I had a yeast cake that would ferment a gallon dry in a week and go crystal clear after a week in secondary.

Check the Texas A&M site. I found a lot of good information through them when I lived in Texas.

Your process sounds fine to me. Yes, gravity readings will be thrown off if you add a little juice to top off, but I rarely add enough that I feel like it changes much. Cold crashing is really just to help the yeast fall to the bottom. It will slow things down a bit, but fermentation will...

I've only used store bought juice, but I've tasted hard cider from a nearby orchard. I must say the stuff from the orchard is much better. The flavor is infinitely more complex due to the variety of apples he uses. So why do I continue to use store bought juice? Economics. At $4 per gallon, I...

I use the plastic water bottles for cider. The little bit of residue that it leaves behind washes away easily with just soapy water and a good shake, so I don't have a problem with scratches. (Beer may be a different story, since it sounds like you actually need to scrub the residue away). The...

Somebody is bound to recommend Nottingham yeast. It seems like that is a favorite in the forum. I haven't tried it, but I have tried the two red star yeasts you mentioned with good success. The flavor of different yeasts is pretty subtle. You should be fine with any of the ones you listed. The...

Maybe a double boiler like for melting chocolate? That way the pot doesn't actually come into contact with the burner. Not sure if it will work, but let us know.

I'm guessing that due to the nature of that particular yeast, and it's intended use, it does not flocculate well. You could try cold crashing, but you may end up needing to filter it.

I've successfully used a cake six times. Honestly, it seemed to get better after the second batch. Number seven is still in secondary, so we'll see soon about that one. I'm not sure if every type of yeast will perform like that though. My main concern with the five day method is the amount of...

Now that I've brewed my own, AO just isn't great anymore. However, I tried the elderflower AO, and now I'm obsessed with finding some flowers to add to my cider. That doesn't mean I have to turn in my man card does it? Lol.

I think you're over thinking it. Just pour some juice out of the bottle into your fermenter, put the lid back on the bottle and shake the heck out it. This will introduce plenty of oxygen. Pour the shaken juice into the fermenter and you'll be fine.

Sounds much easier that skeeter pee! Let us know how it turns out!

@LandoAllen Pre-warming the bottles is a great idea, thanks for sharing! I had accidentally left some bottles in a water filled pot overnight, and found one of the bottles broken. I'm pretty sure it was a combination of glass stress from instantly heating them and a touch of quick cooling since...

I second LeBreton's comment. And don't worry, if there is any carbonation left in the cider, enough will come out while racking to create a nice little cushion on top. You can give it a gentle swirl after you get the airlock on. You'll see a few bubbles come through the airlock, which always...