Wunderduck
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- Joined
- Mar 16, 2012
- Messages
- 22
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I started my first hard cider this past wednesday, 3/14, recipe and observations as follow:
-Day 1: Into a 5 gallon carboy I added 4 gallons of preservative free, store brand apple juice. I dissolved 2lbs brown sugar and 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfate into 1/2 gallon of the same juice and added it to the carboy. I let this sit overnight.
-Day 2: Pitched 1 packet EC-1118 champagne yeast. OG=1.066
-Day 3(24 hours after pitch): airlock bubbling @ 4 bubbles/minute
-Day 4: (morning) added 4 tsp yeast nutrient (evening) bubbling @ 20/minute
-Day 5: bubbling @ 1/second
-Day 6: bubbling ~80/minute
-Day 7(today): (morning) observed slowing of airlock, a little slower than 1/second (afternoon) marked decrease in bubbling, 7/min. SG=1.000
Taste test: No discernible apple flavor, or sweetness, not surprising at 1.000 I guess. Tastes a little like cheap, dry champagne. It doesn't taste "bad", I can drink it without gagging, but it's definitely not good at this point.
My goal was a semi-dry cider, so I've over shot and don't want to ferment anymore. Should I add potassium sorbate, or something similar when I rack to secondary? Cold crashing is out of the question without emptying my entire fridge.
Is there anything I need to/ can do at this point?
Thanks in advance for any help.
-JC
-Day 1: Into a 5 gallon carboy I added 4 gallons of preservative free, store brand apple juice. I dissolved 2lbs brown sugar and 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfate into 1/2 gallon of the same juice and added it to the carboy. I let this sit overnight.
-Day 2: Pitched 1 packet EC-1118 champagne yeast. OG=1.066
-Day 3(24 hours after pitch): airlock bubbling @ 4 bubbles/minute
-Day 4: (morning) added 4 tsp yeast nutrient (evening) bubbling @ 20/minute
-Day 5: bubbling @ 1/second
-Day 6: bubbling ~80/minute
-Day 7(today): (morning) observed slowing of airlock, a little slower than 1/second (afternoon) marked decrease in bubbling, 7/min. SG=1.000
Taste test: No discernible apple flavor, or sweetness, not surprising at 1.000 I guess. Tastes a little like cheap, dry champagne. It doesn't taste "bad", I can drink it without gagging, but it's definitely not good at this point.
My goal was a semi-dry cider, so I've over shot and don't want to ferment anymore. Should I add potassium sorbate, or something similar when I rack to secondary? Cold crashing is out of the question without emptying my entire fridge.
Is there anything I need to/ can do at this point?
Thanks in advance for any help.
-JC