Question about Whole Foods unfiltered AJ in glass carboy.

I bought a gallon of this and pitched champagne yeast. It fermented for 7-10 days and has now been sitting for 3-4 weeks. It started very cloudy and doesn't seem to have cleared at all. This is my first attempt at cider and I'm assuming it needs to sit for a couple more months or so. Is this correct? Should I expect this stuff to clear at all or just use gelatin? Thanks for the help.

It'll clear on its own.

Welcome!!

I bought the same cider for the nifty free carboy! Mine turned out the same, and I wonder if they heat pasturized it. I even tried cold crashing mine... with limited success. It got "clearer", but not clear by any means.

If it doesn't clear, it may still be palatable.

When it comes time to bottle, let me know what you smell... mine rendered almost "butter scotch", with a heavy beer taste. I am letting mine sit now, hoping that the cider fairy visits it and mashes it's little head between her strong white hands (or massive bosoms... I could go either way).

I took some of it to a cider group. No one was carted away on a stretcher, but I think that's only cooincidence.

What's this?! 1gallon glass bottles at Whole Foods?! Can you post pictures?? I'll buy a case tomorrow if they have them. I've been looking everwhere!

edit: all the other stores in my area sell plastic bottles only.

@fineexampl,

Sure! Whole Foods (at least all in our area) carries 1 gallon jugs. The catch is, when you buy it, it full of this apple juice. V. cloudy. Yeasted mine, and the sucker never cleared (ok, ok, it's only been bottled for 6 weeks).

You can always pour out their juice and get some other.

Side: Went to visit Charlottesville over the w/e. Stopped in at an apple orchard that we have visited before. They were busy selling their peach and apple cider by the glass, and were using their gallon jugs as supply. Result: They had dozens of empty glass jugs for $1 each. My lovely wife recommended that I buy a couple. Dang, she's awesome.

I think I'm alright on gallon jugs for now, but any tips on where to find a wife like that Joe?

Hmm... I've had some in for 4 weeks, still very cloudy as well. Anyone have luck with it at least tasting good? It's a bit pricey for AJ, so it better be good

@ept777,



She is one special woman.

All I can say is Luke 11:9-10 and Mathew 21:22 worked pretty well for me.

M 21:22 was hard at first but it grows on you.

Thanks for the replies so far. Anyone go to secondary with this or just stick with primary?

@Trip,

I my attempt consisted of
01/29 - Whole Foods Organic Juice on Nottingham yeast
03/16 - rack to secondary (lots of sediment)
03/31 - Cold Crash
04/06 - bottle
06/23 - today... still is cloudy. Some additional sediment has fallen to the bottom of the bottles.

I've used this exact juice with that same yeast. It takes several months for it to clear. I started it sometime in January and it was crystal clear in early May, I put the yeast in and put it in a corner. I didn't secondary or chill. Patience young Jedi.

Thanks all. I guess this will be moved to the back of the closet where I can try to forget about it for a few more months.

jamesnw said:

Hmm... I've had some in for 4 weeks, still very cloudy as well. Anyone have luck with it at least tasting good? It's a bit pricey for AJ, so it better be good

Click to expand...

$8 a gallon! You are speaking the truth.

I bought 2 gallons of the stuff plus some Barley Malt Syrup (looks like malt extract to me) and cheese. Cheesy beer? Bleh!

JoeSponge said:

@fineexampl,

Sure! Whole Foods (at least all in our area) carries 1 gallon jugs. The catch is, when you buy it, it full of this apple juice. V. cloudy. Yeasted mine, and the sucker never cleared (ok, ok, it's only been bottled for 6 weeks).

You can always pour out their juice and get some other.

Side: Went to visit Charlottesville over the w/e. Stopped in at an apple orchard that we have visited before. They were busy selling their peach and apple cider by the glass, and were using their gallon jugs as supply. Result: They had dozens of empty glass jugs for $1 each. My lovely wife recommended that I buy a couple. Dang, she's awesome.

Click to expand...

Yeah that annoying apple juice stuff! Guess i'll have to suffer through it. It'll be hard what with no alcohol, but i'll manage.

Thanks for this thread BTW. I'm already planning a test brew with the empties.

Just FYI I did a second cider using filtered AJ and it will probably clear in a month. Not sure how much the taste will differ but just wanted to pass it along.

We did a similar recipe with the Whole Foods AJ. It came out >fairly< clear after a month in the fridge in secondary. Couldn't wait any longer and drank it

I did a batch (5 gallons) using this cider. It will clear... just give it time. Im having a glass of it right now Without going and looking, I believe I started in Dec 10, 2008. And it cleared around March. Once it started to clear, I cold crashed it, it clear perfectly. Racked it off the Lees, into secondary. Cleared a smidge more. Till I bottled about a week ago.

My whole paycheck cider will get almost clear after secondary. Never all the way. I use pasteur champagne yeast. Try a yeast that flocculates more.