Apple Fermenting

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NickLesogor

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Hey all! New to Homebrewing and I say "go big or go home!" I brewed a 5gal DME Brown Ale and added 1/2gal Apple Cider in the last five minutes of the boil. The beer is fermenting now but this weekend I'm going to put it in the secondary. I have a 7 gal bucket w/ spigot. My question is I've seen so many posts about cooking apples to kill any bad guys inside so my questions are what type of apples do I use and how long do I bake them for? I'll be freezing them shortly after baking. Thanks! View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1440417038.402717.jpg
 
Can't answer about the apples, but baking them for 30 minutes at 350 or so should be enough. May do some more research on what type of apple flavor you want. Just a secondary question, how long has it been in primary? You don't want to move it off the yeast cake too early or it will not finish. If you've been checking the gravity, then ignore and carry on :mug:
 
When we actually do it, it'll be a week in primary. A Guy at my LHBS suggested it.
 
Are you asking about using apples or apple cider? When I made hard cider I just pour the cider into the fermenter and add yeast and spices. It was pasteruized so no further processing required. If it's apples, you would need to core and slice them first, and yes I would sanitize by either freezing or cooking. Also, if you're using commercially purchased cider or apple juice, confirm there's no preservatives. That'll suppress the action of microbes, including yeast. The juice should have no ingredients listed aside from apple juice, and perhaps ascorbic acid which is also known as vitamin C.
 
Check your gravity, don't just rely on time. It should be stable over three days. Easy way to get bottle bombs, not letting it finish
 
With baking, you will lose some sugar. Maybe steam them, and use the water/juice mixture you are left with in the cider? Unless you are planning on de-glazing the baking pan with some water and using that... IDK... I am thinking like a cook right now...

:confused:
 
My idea was to use cinnamon and brown sugar during the baking process. Beer already has one half gallon cider we added w/ 5 mins left in boil
 
What was your OG, that is a huge brown ale if it's 11% and no way that was done in 3 days, not to mention a week. I'd give it 10 days minimum, 14 if you can help it. If you give it time it will return the favor
 
The OG when we measured originally was 11.25%. I don't know the % it computes to. Here's the recipe:
4# Muntons Amber DME
3# Briess Traditional Dark DME
3# Briess Golden Light DME
150 degrees add ALL DME
TURN DOWN AT 200 degrees
30 mins 2oz Fuggle
30 1oz Cascade & 1oz Amarillo
WATCH TEMP
5 min left add 1/2 gal apple cider
Put in 7gal fermenter to 70 degrees
Add 2 oz 1oz Kent Golding hops & 1oz Northern Brewer, WLP007 Yeast
OG: 11.25
 
In order to calcualte ABV you need both OG and FG. There are calculators, but I use (OG-FG)*1.33. I created that formula by pulling several calculated OG,FG and ABV numbers in the back of the Palmer book and averaging the resultant factors. Was amazing that the variance between the results was quite small
 
I can't calculate FG until the beer is finished. I know how to find the ABV of the beer, I was asking if taking 3 hydrometer readings in three days was necessary in order to determine if we should go to secondary.
 
Gravity after brewing was at 11%. Haven't checked since. Should we?

You need to get the measurement for OG. You are using the hydrometer wrong. The scale that gives the % is not relevant for beer brewing. You want the gravity scale. Look at your hydrometer and look at the scale that you read and rotate it to the scale that gives you numbers like 1.000 1.010 1.020 etc. Now read across and it will tell you the OG. If I remember correctly the 11% is about 1.080 or a little higher. Thatbis your OG not the 11% you measured.


Here watch this to see how to properly use a hydrometer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=67311
 
Just by your ingredients, you should have hit around 1.077 for an OG, so it sounds like you were close. For determining if you have hit FG, you do not need to take 3 consecutive readings, take one today for example, wait 2-3 days and take another. If it has not moved or is within .003 of your expected FG, which again calculated to around 1.019, you should be good. Adding the extra apple cider may have added some sugars that may bring it a little lower, not sure, but you should be around there.
 
OG was 1.086. I'll be taking samples to make sure we're on schedule.

In adding the apples to the carboy, should we place them in a brewing sock or just throw them in at the bottom?
 
Gravity dropped to 1.025. This isn't good, so what now guys?

Why do you say it's not good? Not low enough? Give it some more time to see if it drops more. That was a really big beer, it may need more time. You are close to where your FG should probably be. Depending on your brew process, you could have some unfermentable sugars in there as well. If you think it might be stalled, you could try lightly rousing the yeast(give the bucket an easy swirl to kick them back up) and see what happens.

To your other question, it will be a lot more sanitary in removing the apples if you put them in a muslin bag or the like, but up to you really.
 
Someone told me if it drops significantly something could be wrong. I just don't want to take it off the yeast cake too soon.
 
Nothing is wrong with it dropping fast. You could have had enough yeast started, well oxygenated, etc. that's not a problem. Could be if it's tied to being too warm however. You definitely don't want to take it off too soon.
 
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