nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
I have, many times now
5 Day Sweet Country Cider
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I have, many times now
I made a 2 gallon batch of this on 1/4 with an OG of 1.071 but cut myself way short on time and ended up pitching the yeast dry.
Thieved a sample tonight at the three day mark and I'm at 1.051 corrected at 70*.
I'm guessing the slow ferment is due to either dry pitching the yeast, or two much headroom as I did 2g in a 3g carboy. I'll pull a sample again in 2 days and shoot to stop it at 1.03 to hit the 5% mark.
Thieved a sample tonight at the three day mark and I'm at 1.051 corrected at 70*.
I'm guessing the slow ferment is due to either dry pitching the yeast, or two much headroom as I did 2g in a 3g carboy. I'll pull a sample again in 2 days and shoot to stop it at 1.03 to hit the 5% mark.
nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
What kind of yeast? I never make a starter for cider.
I used Nottingham as I wanted to follow the OP recipe to get a good baseline example.
I didn't think this cider was high enough OG to require a starter, but it does call for the yeast to be hydrated prior to pitching. That's the part I skipped as I was pressed for time so I simply pitched the notty dry, washed it down with a quarter gallon I held back and then gave it a gentle swirl and put it in the pantry.
I'm not really worried about it as it's fermenting and I expect to be able to get it down to 1.030 or so easily. I was just curious about the possible causes of he slower ferment
I didn't think this cider was high enough OG to require a starter, but it does call for the yeast to be hydrated prior to pitching. That's the part I skipped as I was pressed for time so I simply pitched the notty dry, washed it down with a quarter gallon I held back and then gave it a gentle swirl and put it in the pantry.
I'm not really worried about it as it's fermenting and I expect to be able to get it down to 1.030 or so easily. I was just curious about the possible causes of he slower ferment
nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
I always pitch notty dry, even in hard lemonade (usually).
Dry yeast is not intended to require a starter, and re hydration is not mandatory.
Dry yeast is not intended to require a starter, and re hydration is not mandatory.
This is really odd. Waited two days since last reading. Thieved a sample tonight and I'm still at 1.050 @ 67F. What's weird is I'm seeing 5-6 bubbles in the airlock per minute.
Should I repitch a fresh pack of notty or let it go another couple of days and see if it finishes on its own?
Should I repitch a fresh pack of notty or let it go another couple of days and see if it finishes on its own?
nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
Give it a day or two
My batch went from 1.077 down to 1.051 and then stalled out not dropping more than .005 over the next four days On 1/11 I added 2g of yeast nutrient and recapped the carboy. I checked it tonight as I wasn't home last night, it was down to 1.024 so I threw it in the beer fridge to cold crash.
This is a fair bit lower than I wanted to go, as I was shooting for about 1.035 to 1.040 to get between 5-5.5% ABV. At 1.024 I'm at 6.9% and while very tasty it's a bit dryer and tarter than I had hoped.
I'll likely start another batch this weekend and check daily to get make sure I stop prior to going below 1.040 so I can compare a sweeter version.
This is a fair bit lower than I wanted to go, as I was shooting for about 1.035 to 1.040 to get between 5-5.5% ABV. At 1.024 I'm at 6.9% and while very tasty it's a bit dryer and tarter than I had hoped.
I'll likely start another batch this weekend and check daily to get make sure I stop prior to going below 1.040 so I can compare a sweeter version.
nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
Thats really odd that Notty stalled out like that, I have made a ton of this stuff with Notty without issue.
JoshuaW
Well-Known Member
How did you get the OG up to 1.077? Mine is always like 1.055-1.06, and that is with some sugar.
Dilute it down with some juice, you should be fine. You can also bring up the sweetness with some juice concentrate. I have batch that took off like mad, and I didnt check on it for a few days longer than I normally would, and it wound up at 1.010. I like it that dry, but SWMBO doesnt. Just dilute it, and it tastes fine, plus your yield is up then!
The OP's recipe says OG should be 1.076 so I felt I was right on mark. It's still very drinkable even if it's 7% ABV. I bottled and pasteurized tonight and will start a new batch tomorrow.
Started a new 3 gallon batch tonight, OG hit 1.076 @ 69F so right on the mark for the OP recipe.
I did two things different on this batch. First I did a 3 gallon batch in my 3g better bottle so I have very little headroom, compared to the last time of 2g in the 3g BB. I also decided to rehydrate the notty before pitching. Well see if this one ferments as described by the OP or if I have stalling problems again. I did aerate it quite a bit, but I still wonder if I'm under oxygenating.
I did two things different on this batch. First I did a 3 gallon batch in my 3g better bottle so I have very little headroom, compared to the last time of 2g in the 3g BB. I also decided to rehydrate the notty before pitching. Well see if this one ferments as described by the OP or if I have stalling problems again. I did aerate it quite a bit, but I still wonder if I'm under oxygenating.
Misfit
Well-Known Member
DingoDog said:
Im just thinking out loud here but what if you were to move the cider from the fermenter to the stove in either a brew pot or a pressure cooker heat to pasteurization tempatures. Then rack to keg. Would that work?
Anyway to do this in a carboy with air lock. Maybe 4 gallon in a 5 gallon carboy?
I've done both batches in a 3 gallon BB carboy. The first time I was worried about headroom so I did a 2 gallon batch and had almost no krausen. Second batch I did 3 gallons in a 3 gallon BB (right up to just below the neck) with zero problems.
Cool thanks for the input
lilschmutz
Member
This. My OG was 1.063. Scaled down the recipe exactly to 1 gallon (1 gal cider, 1/2 cup brown sugar, half a cinnamon stick). It's been fermenting for 3 days so far and it's down to 1.049. Moved it upstairs today where its a bit warmer. I'm hoping to get it up to ~5% ABV, right now it's at 1.9%.
brewing this on saturday!
lilschmutz
Member
Update here: I'm sitting in my kitchen after just bottling my first try at this recipe. Scaled it down to 1 gallon. Final gravity is 1.032, which puts it at ~4.5% ABV if I did my math right. Little less than I wanted, But since this is my first ever try at cider I got impatient. Plus I need it done by Friday to show off to my friends 
It took 6 days in the 1 gallon carboy to get down to this reading. Might have been cause I went easy on the yeast. I started a 3 gallon batch of this 2 days ago and the yeast is going to town. Way more bubbles and way more airlock action than I ever saw with the 1 gallon batch.
I probably checked it way too many times so I only got 6 bottles out of it, plus 1 20oz plastic soda bottle as my tester. Waiting for it to carb up in the bottles and then I'll pasteurize!
It took 6 days in the 1 gallon carboy to get down to this reading. Might have been cause I went easy on the yeast. I started a 3 gallon batch of this 2 days ago and the yeast is going to town. Way more bubbles and way more airlock action than I ever saw with the 1 gallon batch.
I probably checked it way too many times so I only got 6 bottles out of it, plus 1 20oz plastic soda bottle as my tester. Waiting for it to carb up in the bottles and then I'll pasteurize!
OP
OP
dayflyer55
Well-Known Member
You could do this, but this would kill the yeast and therefore you couldn't bottle carb it. You could force carb if you wanted to.
I have seen a lot of people indicating they plan on cold crashing their batches after fermentation, then transferring to bottles and later pasteurizing.
Correct me if I am wrong but the point of cold crashing is to get rid of sediments (especially the yeast in this case). Won't that effect the speed of carbonation in the bottles? or will there still be enough yeast to bottle carb?
Matt723 said:
My first batch I cold crashed in primary for 36 hours then bottled and waited 8 hours before pasteurizing. They came out nicely Carbonated.
The next batch I racked to secondary prior to cold crashing and will leave it in the fridge for at least 48 hours. This time when I bottle I'll do one in a plastic bottle to know when to pasteurize.
So you didn't use any priming sugars or anything? Cold crashed for 36, then bottle and let sit at room temp for 8 hours before checking then pasteurizing?
First shot at this is in the primary.... OG of like 1.063 ish.
I didn't use any priming sugar, I simply cold crashed, then bottled then 8 hours later I pasteurized.
I just finished bottling the second batch today that one I did differently in that I racked it to a secondary at 1.038 on 1/22 and put it in cold crash @ 40F on 1/24. I took it out this morning and bottled and my sample read 1.0355 corrected. Should be right at 5.4% ABV. I bottled a small 8oz plastic bottle for carb testing and will likely let this one go at least 8-20 hours before pasteurizing depending on how that bottle re-acts.
nukinfuts29
Well-Known Member
Bottled my second batch of this stuff a few weeks back, came out great! This is my second fav cider.
What's the proper fg for a sweet cider?
I started a 1.063 ish. I'm thinking around 1.030 but that's like 4% abv. If I go lower fg will it be too dry? Where should I stop
I started a 1.063 ish. I'm thinking around 1.030 but that's like 4% abv. If I go lower fg will it be too dry? Where should I stop
I ended up racking to secondary on Friday night at 1.028 then cold crashed the overnight at 34F in my shed. Sat morning I bottled (no priming sugar) and let them sit on my kitchen counter to warm up for about 2-3 hours (house is at 72F). I gave them a good shake 2-3 times while they where warming up then put them back in the fridge to get them cold in time for the NHL Allstar skills competition on Saturday (maybe 6-7 hours). The end result was very good, maybe not quite as carbonated as I had hoped for but the taste was great! FG was 1.024.
The next day (Sunday) there was considerably more carbonation, almost perfect in my opinion. I never actually ended up pasteurizing any of the bottles (most got drank this weekend). Also, I'm not really sure if the shaking I did really did anything or not... my assumption would be that it would help get the yeast back in suspension but I don't know if the bottles ever actually warmed up enough for the yeast to get active again.
When I opened the bottles (grolsh flip-tops) there is a very nice 'pop' just like when you open a new grolch beer. I'm new at this (bottle carbing) but a lot of the pressure seemed to be in the airspace in the top of the bottle, my assumption was that the pressure would eventually force itself into the liquid and thus carbonate the cider. If someone could comment and let me know if this is a correct assumption or not I would love to know. Another reason I'm thinking that theory is correct is because after leaving the bottles to sit a day longer in the fridge there was more carbonation in the cider.
Anyhow, I love this recipe and I put down a second batch Saturday that I can hopefully have ready in time for the Superbowl! All my buddies loved it and a lot of them were asking me for the recipe as if I am some magical cider maker now... hahaha. Thanks for all your help guys!
My OG was 1.056 if I recall correctly so that would have been an ABV of 4.3%.
it was sweet enough at the 1.024?
what was the OG? or ABV?
what was the OG? or ABV?
My OG was 1.056 if I recall correctly so that would have been an ABV of 4.3%.
I can't say I'm a big cider drinker but I thought it was a little sweet for my liking. You couldn't taste the alcohol at all. I'm going to take my next batch to 1.010 if possible and hope for a little dryer taste.
Interesting. Good to know! I think I will bring mine to 1.030 and then bottle it to see how it plays out
lilschmutz
Member
Second batch is just about down. OG was 1.068, I'm at 1.036 now after 6 days. ~4.2% ABV. Snagged a sample and hot damn is it tasty. Much better than my first attempt. The cinnamon is really coming through in this batch. Much "warmer" taste, less harsh. Definitely sweet, can't taste the alcohol at all. Not sure if I'll bottle it now or tomorrow..
6 days.... damn i hope mine ferments faster than that. i am brewed this saturday and im leaving on saturday so i only have 6 days in order to get this thing bottle and pastuerized.
I'm in the same boat (brewed Sat and need ready for Superbowl), I would like to get a lower FG but I'm pulling the plug on Thursday night regardless of where it's at.
This is my approx schedule.
Sat AM - Brewed.
Thu PM - Cold Crash in my shed. (just above freezing)
Fri PM - Bottle, leave sitting at room temp approx 70-72F.
Sat PM - Pasteurize then refrigerate.
Sun PM - Drink!
I'm hoping 24h at room temp will be enough time to carbonate.
i like the plan.. suggest you be careful with a full 24 hour carb tho.
from what i read it could be as little as 3 hours. dont want you to have gushers
i agree though thurs afternoon im rocking and rolling no matter what
from what i read it could be as little as 3 hours. dont want you to have gushers
i agree though thurs afternoon im rocking and rolling no matter what
lilschmutz
Member
I ended up bottling last night at 9:30 or so. They're carbing up now. It's been 16 hours in the bottle and they're not carbed up enough for my taste. I wont be able to get to them until about 10pm tonight but I'm thinking that should be ok. Popped one to test and only heard a light fizz.
Curious what your OG/FG was when you bottled? Also, are you storing the bottles at room temp? No priming sugar right?
Thanks!
Is there any danger in letting them be hot for a longer period of time. I am not sure I will be able to stove top so I want to dishwasher them. But I think I will just leave it in for the whole cycle. Any harm?
lilschmutz
Member
OG was 1.068 and I bottled at about 1.036.
I live in an old drafty house. The heat is set at 68 during the day, but in the corner of the kitchen where they are it's probably 60 or so.
No priming sugar. Got home tonight and checked the carbonation. It's fairly fizzy after 24 hours. When I poured it out it fizzed a bit but left virtually no head. I'm going to pasteurize in the morning. So for this batch I'll have waited 36 hours after bottling to pasteurize.
The only thing I would have done differently is a cold crash. Lots on sediment in these guys since the yeast really isn't working for too long and doesn't have time to settle.
Ok so it's at 1.041 and I'm leaving Saturday early. So tonight I am racking to secondary. Hoping to stri up some of the yeast and get them moving. Then tomorrow around noon I'm gonna bottle no matter what the fg is. Then hope they carb before I go to bed that night.
If not before I leave in the morning I will pasteurize them via the dishwasher.
Thoughts?
If not before I leave in the morning I will pasteurize them via the dishwasher.
Thoughts?
