Looking for a good tutorial on 1 GAL batches

I am prepping to make a 1 Gallon batch of Hard Cider. I have (2) 1 GAL carboys, some tubing, airlock, yeast, and sanitizer. Most tutorials talk about making 5 gallons of sanitizer. I'm also curious if I should sanitize my bottling bottles the same time I sanitize my carboys. I plan on storing the sanitizer solution in my 2nd carboy, then empty it out when I am ready to transfer the cider. Lastly, is a hydrometer required?

I use one step and just make one gallon and rinse everything with it then dump it. One gallon when I start and one more gallon on bottling day.

MarkKF said:

I use one step and just make one gallon and rinse everything with it then dump it. One gallon when I start and one more gallon on bottling day.

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I have StarSan. So, is this a good scenario? Make 1 gallon in the 1st carboy I am using, then use that solution to clean my hose, stopper, and airlock. Then store the remaining solution in the 2nd carboy. Then when I am ready to transfer to the 2nd carboy, clean the hose, plug, and airlock with the stored solution, dumping it to use the 2nd carboy. Finally, on bottling day, make more solution to clean the bottles.

http://makinghardcider.com/

pappers shared this link with me when i first started it was a good primer.

andymonkey said:

I have StarSan. So, is this a good scenario? Make 1 gallon in the 1st carboy I am using, then use that solution to clean my hose, stopper, and airlock. Then store the remaining solution in the 2nd carboy. Then when I am ready to transfer to the 2nd carboy, clean the hose, plug, and airlock with the stored solution, dumping it to use the 2nd carboy. Finally, on bottling day, make more solution to clean the bottles.

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i do it for short term like that with starsan, for longer storage your supposed to check the ph to make sure its still viable but i cant remember what the ph should be.

dr_al said:

http://makinghardcider.com/

pappers shared this link with me when i first started it was a good primer.

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Yea, thats the first tutorial I read when I started reading up on Hard Cider. Im looking for a more detailed, step by step tutorial. Ive been watching some videos the past hour or so. I like to know step by step what I am doing. Most tutorials jump past the sanitizing stage like the reader already knows how to do it. I want to make sure I get everything right. Being my first time, im sure it wont be perfect, but I also want to try and not make any stupid mistakes.

Rdwhahb

I did the exact same thing you're doing a few months ago. Star San is awesome; just drop a little bit in the carboy fill it up with water, and dump the mixture into a tub/pot/bucket. Throw your airlock, funnel, and anything else that will come into contact with the cider into the tub/pot/bucket of Star San/water. If you throw the bung in there, make sure to let it dry off before you stick it in the bottle or it'll keep popping out. During fermentation I take readings with a hydrometer so I can stop it at a desirable final gravity (you can always just let it go until there is nothing left to ferment, this is called fermenting to dry) and during that process I will create more Star San mixture and sanitize the hydrometer, funnel, and graduated cylinder (what I have to take measurements with the hydrometer). Sanitation is honestly an easy aspect of homebrewing and needn't be stressed over, it's just something that needs to be consistent. Also, the foam that Star San creates doesn't need to be washed off. You can poor your juice or wort right onto the foam and it will not affect flavor or fermentation.
Do you or do you not need a hydrometer? I think if it's just for a fun experiment, maybe not. But if this is something you'll want to be able to modify or recreate, you're gonna need it. I've only done a few batches, but they've came out great with an SG of 10.060-65.