New guy with questions

Hello everyone,
I plan to make my 1st hard cider in a few weeks, and just had a few questions to make sure I will not mess anything up. I am crushing/ pressing my own apples, and plan to use campden tablets. My 1st question is do I add sugar before of after this step, or does it even matter? My second question is, Will this affect carbonation? I paln to use Coopers Drops in beer bottles, then cap.
Thanks in advance.
Silver

I'm not sure why you would add sugar to fresh pressed cider but any time between pressing and pitching would be ok. That has no effect on carbonation, the speed of carbonation depends on how much yeast is still in the cider and the temperature. If you carbonate within about 6 weeks there shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the reply. I found a recipe that adds light brown sugar (2lbs per 5 gallons) I would rather have natural, but assumed I added sugar. I don't like really sweet, but this has the least amount of sugar in any recipe I have found.
Thanks

If you use your own fruit and carbonate theres no reason to add sugar unless you want to boost the alcohol. My recipe; ferment juice then drink.

Thanks Greg! That was the recipe I've been hoping to find. I like all natural. I'm also using Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast. Is yeast nutriant necessary?
Thanks

I agree w/ everyone else. I wouldn't add any sugar to those delicious, freshly pressed apples.

You don't need to use yeast nutrient. The apples will have everything necessary for those yeasties to replicate and ferment away!

Any particular reason you are using Sweet Mead yeast? I am just curious. I've never heard of it used w/ cider (although I have just started to make some).

Thanks for the reply. I will not add any sugar. I have been hearing gret things about sweat mead yeast after researching on the internet. It was mentioned more times than any other yeast, so thats what I went with.
Thanks again