Hi everyone, I have been lurking around for a few weeks gathering information about the type of cider I'd like to make, and the method to make it, and I'd like to get some community input about a few things.
My plan is to make a kegged, carbed, sweet hard apple cider that will be around 5% ABV using five gallons of store bought apple juice (no preservatives) fermented with nottingham yeast in a 6.5 gallon glass carboy at around 65f. I plan on this being a 'fresh cider,' not aged, to be drunk within 2 weeks, from ferment to keg.
I have the following 'advanced' equipment at my disposal:
kegs and c02 draft system
filtration system with a 'coarse' filter.
I have read that I can arrest fermentation at about 1.010 by racking and filtering. (which I think is about where I would want it for 4-5% as I plan on the O.G. being in the 50's.) Would racking off the lees and then running through my filter get rid of enough of the yeast from a vigorous ferment that it wouldn't get drastically more dry in the time period I describe?(about 2 weeks and then in the keg for however long it takes to drink 5 gallons) Should I use a campden tablet a couple days before I rack/filter to 2nd?
After racking/filtering above, I plan to let it rest in secondary for week, adjusted with non fermentable sugar such as xylitol to taste, and a small amount of organic sugar free apple extract to boost the flavor a bit. Afer a week, I will rack to the keg, chill, force carb, and serve.
What do you all think? Let me have it!
My plan is to make a kegged, carbed, sweet hard apple cider that will be around 5% ABV using five gallons of store bought apple juice (no preservatives) fermented with nottingham yeast in a 6.5 gallon glass carboy at around 65f. I plan on this being a 'fresh cider,' not aged, to be drunk within 2 weeks, from ferment to keg.
I have the following 'advanced' equipment at my disposal:
kegs and c02 draft system
filtration system with a 'coarse' filter.
I have read that I can arrest fermentation at about 1.010 by racking and filtering. (which I think is about where I would want it for 4-5% as I plan on the O.G. being in the 50's.) Would racking off the lees and then running through my filter get rid of enough of the yeast from a vigorous ferment that it wouldn't get drastically more dry in the time period I describe?(about 2 weeks and then in the keg for however long it takes to drink 5 gallons) Should I use a campden tablet a couple days before I rack/filter to 2nd?
After racking/filtering above, I plan to let it rest in secondary for week, adjusted with non fermentable sugar such as xylitol to taste, and a small amount of organic sugar free apple extract to boost the flavor a bit. Afer a week, I will rack to the keg, chill, force carb, and serve.
What do you all think? Let me have it!