1st time brew

hey all first time post here! .. i have a small half gallon apple cider brew going here with store brought apple juice (no preservatives) .. was just wondering when i should cold crash .. i have used cider yeast ..and about a cup of dextrose/glucose sugar .. also i have used the "balloon with pinhole" as a airlock trick ..also brought some cheap no rinse sterilizer to clean everything!.. do i wait for the balloon to flop over ?? it has been about a week and the balloon seems to have been slightly less inflated than the first few days.. out to get a hydrometer tomorrow at least then i can tell when its done cheers!

If it's store bought juice, it was probably crystal clear when you bought it. If you're fermenting in the container it came in, and can see inside, I would wait until it's close to as clear as when you bought it, then you know that the yeast is done doing it's job, and have dropped to the bottom.

If I were you, when it was done I'd just pour it into something else, trying to leave the yeast behind, stick the cider in the fridge to chill, then just drink it.

thanks for quick reply it was not clear when i brought it ..sort of looked like it had orange juice mixed into it but it says on the back 99.9 apple juice (with added vitamin c)