First Ever Cider, First Brew in a long time

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This will be my first ever cider. I have brewed a few batches of beer (back when I was younger) and found this site and got excited about trying something again. I read through CvilleKevin's long thread a few times to try to get a handle on some of the specifics, lots of great info there.

To start with, I am buying this cider from Whole Foods:

http://www.freshapplecider.com/

The label says 'Unpasturized Apple Cider, UV filtered'.

I plan to add 6 gallons of cider to a glass carboy and pitch S-04 yeast. I will let that go in the primary till the SG hits 1.012 (I'm guessing 4 weeks or so), then rack to a second carboy and cold crash (leave in the fridge for 3 days). After cold crashing I will rack to a clean carboy to let clear for a few weeks. I will then bottle.

Questions:

1. The juice is unpasturized, but also 'UV filtered', are these contradictory? Do I treat it as pasturized or unpasturized? At any rate, I'm not planning on adding any sulphites or k-meta or anything.
2. Should I add a little honey as well, maybe 3 pounds or so?

Start Simple I figure. Thanks a Lot!
 
Don't add honey. Ciders are what ever sugars are in the apples and nothing more. If you add honey, you will have a cyser.

I'm undecided on the UV filtered and what it might or might not do, but I will say that I think you should add some pectic enzyme. When the yeast is done eating, the enzyme will help all other solids fall to the bottom with the yeast, and it should clear nicely.

Since you aren't adding in sulphites, try to minimize how much you handle the juice. You should take a gravity reading so that you know how much alcohol (I'm guessing around 7%) it might get to, and when it is actually done verses a stalled ferment.
 
Thanks for the response. Ok, will skip the honey and look into the pectic enzyme.

I will do all i can to minimize handling and keep everything clean.
 
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