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Homebrewinglad

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Hey all.

So after reading several blogs ect (lots of opinions) on the net, I decided to jump in the deep end, and last night I took the plunge and started my very first batch of apple cider. It's my very first time trying to do any sort of home brewing.

The recipe I used was:
1 gallon of uv pasteurized apple cider.
1.4 cups white sugar
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast.

Sanatized and then mixed it all up in my 1 gallon glass carboy and slapped my airlock on her.

Within 20 min I noticed activity within the airlock.

I looked at it this morning. And noticed a nice ring on top and it starting to creep up the neck. I have a feeling when I return home It will probably have entered into my airlock.

Two questions.
1) This recipe was just something I kinda threw together. Any experience with a similiar recipe. And how did it turn out?

2) If i get matter in my airlock, what do I do?

Cheers.
 
Homebrewinglad said:
Hey all.

So after reading several blogs ect (lots of opinions) on the net, I decided to jump in the deep end, and last night I took the plunge and started my very first batch of apple cider. It's my very first time trying to do any sort of home brewing.

The recipe I used was:
1 gallon of uv pasteurized apple cider.
1.4 cups white sugar
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast.

Sanatized and then mixed it all up in my 1 gallon glass carboy and slapped my airlock on her.

Within 20 min I noticed activity within the airlock.

I looked at it this morning. And noticed a nice ring on top and it starting to creep up the neck. I have a feeling when I return home It will probably have entered into my airlock.

Two questions.
1) This recipe was just something I kinda threw together. Any experience with a similiar recipe. And how did it turn out?

2) If i get matter in my airlock, what do I do?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

1. I like EC-1118, I imagine it will be good. Your recipe is basically the simple starter that everyone does.

2. Clean your airlock out and replace it. Its not a big deal just means you didn't leave enough head space. EC-1118 is low foam so you might be OK.
 
Rinsing out with hot water and replacing with vodka will work just fine. In future it's worth noting two things.
1 leave a little more head space.
2 do not put the airlock on straight away. Instead cover the mouth of the carboy with kitchen roll held in place with an elastic band then after a couple of days when things have calmed down a bit you can remove the kitchen roll and replace it with the airlock.

I agree with DaMonkey it is quite a common recipe for a first attempt but that's because it works. I have been doing this for a while and although I play around with all sorts of recipes I still you that one regularly. Do be prepared to back sweeten afterwards and also in my opinion this cider tastes better carbed
 
JWMG said:
Rinsing out with hot water and replacing with vodka will work just fine. In future it's worth noting two things.
1 leave a little more head space.
2 do not put the airlock on straight away. Instead cover the mouth of the carboy with kitchen roll held in place with an elastic band then after a couple of days when things have calmed down a bit you can remove the kitchen roll and replace it with the airlock.

I agree with DaMonkey it is quite a common recipe for a first attempt but that's because it works. I have been doing this for a while and although I play around with all sorts of recipes I still you that one regularly. Do be prepared to back sweeten afterwards and also in my opinion this cider tastes better carbed
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, im quickly learning as i go along.

my plan is to let sit in primary for 3-4 weeks, than rack to a secondary, and let sit for another 3-4 weeks. then bottle.
 
Homebrewinglad said:
Thanks for the response, im quickly learning as i go along.

my plan is to let sit in primary for 3-4 weeks, than rack to a secondary, and let sit for another 3-4 weeks. then bottle.
Click to expand...

Rack when the specific gravity is equal to or less than 1.000. If you don't have a Hydrometer then after the bubbling in the air lock is complete. EC-1118 is a fast fermenter and from experience small volumes ferment faster. I can expect your primary to be done in 2 weeks or less. You can leave it in your primary to 3 weeks but I probably wouldn't push it past that unless your cider is still fermenting.
 
Be very careful if the stuff is bubbling up into your airlock.
If left for too long it CAN plug the airlock and a)blow the cork and airlock out or b) shatter the carboy.
You can install a blowoff tube. All it is is a bigger version of an airlock.
you push a piece of hose into the cork in place of your airlock. put that hose into a bottle or carboy full of water or sanitizer or vodka or whatever.
The stuff that gets into the tube goes into the water(or whatever) and it still releases the pressure and doesnt allow any oxygen in.
I used the same recipe and yeast as you for the first two batches I did. They are still aging and they were started the day after Christmas.
The latest batch used Mangrove Jacks Cider Yeast and I had to install a blowoff tube...but I have to admit that it is far more drinkable at first rack than the other.
Good luck
 
Aight guys. Airlock activity is all but dead now. Theres still some minor bubbles in the carboy. But it is minute.

Im planning on racking today or tomorrow.

My plan for racking is from carboy to carboy. Leaving as much yeast behind as possible.

Heres my questions:

If i DONT back sweeten. What happens?

Whats the easiest and best way to carbonate. And opinions if i should carbonate.
 
You folks who cover the carboys with a towel what do you wash them in? My kitchen towels I always launder with tide and then dry with a dryer sheet... Is that "clean" enough? Or shout I just wash with water and air dry?
 
Homebrewinglad said:
Heres my questions:

If i DONT back sweeten. What happens?

Whats the easiest and best way to carbonate. And opinions if i should carbonate.
Click to expand...

If you don't back sweeten, it will be dry. Very dry. Not much apple character will be present.

If you back sweeten without first stopping yeast activity (either via k-sorbate or pasteurizing), the yeast will chew through whatever sugar/juice you use to sweeten. Some folks back sweeten, bottle and then pasteurize the bottles once they hit a certain carb level. This can be dangerous as they can explode when heated.

Even though I keg my cider (after k-sorbate then sweetening with frozen juice concentrate + other sugars) and can force carb it, I prefer to serve cider uncarbonated. I suggest you try that this first batch.
 
BigFloyd said:
If you don't back sweeten, it will be dry. Very dry. Not much apple character will be present.

If you back sweeten without first stopping yeast activity (either via k-sorbate or pasteurizing), the yeast will chew through whatever sugar/juice you use to sweeten. Some folks back sweeten, bottle and then pasteurize the bottles once they hit a certain carb level. This can be dangerous as they can explode when heated.

Even though I keg my cider (after k-sorbate then sweetening with frozen juice concentrate + other sugars) and can force carb it, I prefer to serve cider uncarbonated. I suggest you try that this first batch.
Click to expand...

For a 5gal batch when you keg it how many FAJC do you use?

Also is k sorbate campden? I checked my package of campden and it lists no ingredients....
 
Hey everyone. Thought I would update as to how this all went.

My cider was super clear by the first of May. So I racked into bottles. I got ten 341ml bottles.

Unfortunately I moved across the country shortly after (driving my poor little 2 door sunfire).

My brother (who was "watching over" ) my batch and brewing tools until I figure out what I am going to do with it all, got into it last night with a few friends.

They gave it a resounding thumbs up.


So.....today I bought 15kg of honey at a farmers market and 1 gallon of fresh cider. I think this weekend I will pick up some brewing gear and go for round two, and try my hand at mead while im at it.

Cheers!!!
 

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