Small batch of cider for fall

I think I would like to brew a smallish ( one or two gallon ) batch of cider for fall. I want to do it with organic juice, it just seems more authentic that way. I found this:

http://www.organickingdom.com/js163.html

I think my local health food store has something similar. This is cool because I get the apple juice, and a free one gallon carboy.

Now I assume I would add sulfate to kill of yeasts rather than boiling, boiling would probably cause the pectin to congeal. But is sulfate really necessary? It's not fermenting in the bottle at the store, after all.

I also assume I would simply take the carboy it comes in, drop in some sulfate (how much?), toss in WhiteLabs English Cider yeast, and put a stopper/bubbler in it.

Wait a week, transfer cider to bottling bucket with lid temporarily. Clean out mini-carboy. Put back in mini-carboy as a secondary fermenter. Let it clear for a month or so. Bottle it with some corn sugar for bubbles (maybe 1/4 cup for 1 gallon?).

Age in bottles for a few months and enjoy! Sound like a workable plan?

Sounds fine. Take about a cup out of the jug to allow room for krausen. Sulfate depends on the exact type you get, there are three main ones used. Any bag you get will last you for years.

Do not try to carbonate in the jug, they aren't designed for pressure. Add the primer (about one oz. per gallon) & bottle.

Could it get any easier?

pariah said:

Now I assume I would add sulfate to kill of yeasts rather than boiling, boiling would probably cause the pectin to congeal. But is sulfate really necessary? It's not fermenting in the bottle at the store, after all

Click to expand...

The actual brand you've highlighted on your link is made with organic apple juice concentrate and re-constituted with water. That of course means it's been heat treated anyway to kill wild yeasts so no sulphates need to be added. Remove a small amount as david_42 said for headroom and either use some of the excess juice to make a liquid yeast starter or just pitch a dry version straight in.