Early bottling?

Hey all, my first post here, as well as my first brewing...

Started my first batch from back yard apples a bit over two weeks ago, got about three gallons from our old press.

Began with pectic enzyme, campden, and yeast nutrient (thiamin, vit b).

After about two days, racked into carboy and added a vial of English Cider Yeast (WLP775). Initial gravity of 1.045.

Fast forward two weeks until today, visible fermentation has pretty well stopped (very heavy chubbling in the beginning, tapering off pretty linearly until almost no activity). The cider is really pretty clear and smells good though the airlock...

Anyway, on to the question:

Can I just do the "secondary" in bottles? Will I make bombs? I'm a little leery of reracking into a secondary, as I'm concerned about contamination and don't want to add more SO2. I've yet to break the seal and take a new SG reading and taste... I think I'll be happy with a pretty dry cider, so I shouldn't need any back sweetening...

Thoughts?

The only way to know if fermentation is done is to check your gravity. If it holds steady over a few days, it's done and you can bottle if you want. However, it is advisable to let it age for a while before bottling. A lot of biochemical activity is happening even after fermentation has stopped, which you'll lose if you move to bottles too soon.

Should I rerack into a secondary, or just age it as is? Will the sedament add an "off" flavor, or is it okay? Am worried about contamination...

Personally, I would rack it off the yeast and then let it age. If you were going to let it sit for only a couple of additional weeks, you could probably leave it in the primary. However, most ciders are aged for at least a couple of months and then you definitely want to get it off the yeast.

Will do - So a lot of the biological goings on are impeded by being in a sealed container? My ignorance tells me there'd be no difference beyond any pressure developed by left over yeastlets. In your opinion, is secondary contamination much of a concern, then?

I say rack it into secondary and let it clear more, you don't want to get a bunch of nasty looking stuff on the bottom of your bottles, which can also be bad for the flavor of your cider.

It depends a lot if you want to carb your cider. I bottle straight from primary after 1 month. Because I carb I figure I will get some deposit anyway, and if you leave it too long you might lose all your yeast and have trouble carbing. If you want it still you might need a secondary. It would take a while to get off flavours from the lees.

Well, I just racked it over, took a reading and a taste...

It's dry, but gooood. Surprisingly so, for a first stab at it. Specific gravity reads at .997, just about off the scale. Being as I like it as it is and that by the reading it seems pretty well done, I think I am going to bottle age. I'm heading in for bottles now (going to get some of those stoppered "Grolsh" style ones).

I guess if there's a bunch of "No! Don't do it!" replies by the time I return, I'll rethink, otherwise in the bottle it goes!

Thanks for all the input!

Well, it might be done at .997. Or, it might not be done until .990. If you bottle now, you might find glass shards all over in a few weeks.

I'd wait a week. Probably more like a month. And then check the SG again. If it's at .990, it's definitely safe to bottle. If it's higher than that, I'd wait a week and check it again. Once it's completely stable, meaning the SG is no longer moving, and completely clear (you should be able to read a newspaper through it), THEN it's safe to bottle.

Well, whoops! In bottles now. Had a pint or so (500ml bottles... couldn't have one only part full), and it's definitely potent! I guess I'll see if I get explosions. I have another 200 pounds or so to press tomorrow, so I'll just keep these in some sort of weird bunker or something (to prevent property damage), and do the next batch proper. I apparently just succumbed to the 'ol Beginner's Hastiness.

I guess I may as well keep everyone sporadically updated, as I've bothered to register here and whatnot - So expect it! or don't, I'm sure many have seen people like me come and go like a mild case of the lesions.

Good stuff,
-mlaargh

Hey mlaargh. I want to have no addition sparking cider too.
How was your cider? Did carbonisation was good enought? Did you had any bombs?

A really dry cider is REALLY dry. Beyond dry - sour. But that yeast does make great cider.

Set those aside until February.

Did you add sugar for bottling, or just bottle it still. Did you take a gravity reading when you bottled?