I brewd my first batch of beer and then got so excited I decided to make some cider.
My goal is a High Grav Dry still cider where I will drink some around christmas/NYE and then put the rest away to age.
Basic recipe:
4 gallons unpasteurized preservative free cider
2 lbs brown sugar (only semi dissolved before adding)
packet of champagne yeast I started in warm water
Using 5 gallon plastic carboy, cleaned thoroughly
Temp has been approximately 70F the whole time
Note: I didnt take an OG reading. I didnt use campden tablets or add yeast nutrients and I am not sure how long the cider was in the fridge at the store, but I suspect it was not too long.
After about 24 hours there was a thin film of tiny bubbles which over the course of two days became a nasty looking brown krausen-esque head
this dissappeared one evening and since then the top has been cycling through having little or no head to the original thin white small bubble one. All the while the gas has been coming out like crazy, I get a bubble about every second from my airlock and its been going steady like that for about 4 days. I am pretty happy but I had a few questions due to my ignorance.
Anyone know what is going on with the yeast cycling? I am not worried but just curious.
I am also interested in jacking some of it. I have read on some methods but I am curious what the best timing is? after primary? after secondary? after it has aged a year?
I was planning on leaving it in the primary until bubble stops or becomes very slow, then move to secondary for a couple weeks, or until it gets cold.
I live in Northern Virginia and was hoping to coldcrash it at night when it starts getting colder, but that may be a while so I may siphon back into some gallon jugs and freeze O/N in freezer, then thaw in fridge and move to bottle.
I am looking for someone with experience to comment on any shortcomings or offer reccomendations since I am really just brewing by the seat of my pants, any advice is appreciated
My goal is a High Grav Dry still cider where I will drink some around christmas/NYE and then put the rest away to age.
Basic recipe:
4 gallons unpasteurized preservative free cider
2 lbs brown sugar (only semi dissolved before adding)
packet of champagne yeast I started in warm water
Using 5 gallon plastic carboy, cleaned thoroughly
Temp has been approximately 70F the whole time
Note: I didnt take an OG reading. I didnt use campden tablets or add yeast nutrients and I am not sure how long the cider was in the fridge at the store, but I suspect it was not too long.
After about 24 hours there was a thin film of tiny bubbles which over the course of two days became a nasty looking brown krausen-esque head
this dissappeared one evening and since then the top has been cycling through having little or no head to the original thin white small bubble one. All the while the gas has been coming out like crazy, I get a bubble about every second from my airlock and its been going steady like that for about 4 days. I am pretty happy but I had a few questions due to my ignorance.
Anyone know what is going on with the yeast cycling? I am not worried but just curious.
I am also interested in jacking some of it. I have read on some methods but I am curious what the best timing is? after primary? after secondary? after it has aged a year?
I was planning on leaving it in the primary until bubble stops or becomes very slow, then move to secondary for a couple weeks, or until it gets cold.
I live in Northern Virginia and was hoping to coldcrash it at night when it starts getting colder, but that may be a while so I may siphon back into some gallon jugs and freeze O/N in freezer, then thaw in fridge and move to bottle.
I am looking for someone with experience to comment on any shortcomings or offer reccomendations since I am really just brewing by the seat of my pants, any advice is appreciated
