Hello, all.
I’ve noticed that, as informative as the information is in this forum and as helpful as the people are, there was no clearly identifiable FAQ to read. Having just made my first two batches, I thought I’d try to collate my own questions, experiences and observations along with the most frequently asked questions in the first 5 or so pages of the forums. I do not take credit for most of the information below. The answers were gleaned from many posters, too many to give individual credit to, unfortunately. I hope it is useful. Please feel free to post corrections, suggestions and additions and I’ll edit this original post as I have time.
LHBS Local Homebrew Store
SWMBO She Who Must Be Obeyed
Primary Primary fermentation, where yeast converts sugar to alcohol
Secondary Secondary, mostly for aging or clarify cider
OG Original, or starting, gravity. Basically, your first hydrometer reading.
FG Final, or finishing, gravity. The hydrometer reading after fermentation is done
Fermented Dry A cider is fermented dry when the yeast has eaten all the sugar and fermentation stops
Backsweeten After a cider has fermented dry, the process of adding flavors and sugars to taste
Campden Tablet Potassium or Sodium Metabisulfite – used to kill yeast and bacteria
Bottle Bombs Bottles that explode due to carbonation or, perhaps, attempting to pasteurize over-carbonated cider
Force Carbonate The process of using a keg and CO2 to create carbonation in your cider. Typically done AFTER killing all the yeast in your cider.
Lees Not Blue Jeans. Lees are the byproduct of fermentation, dead yeast and other particles.
Cold Crash refrigerating cider to cause yeast to settle out of the cider. yeast will go dormant during the chilling process, but will revive once it warms if there is still sugar present in the cider
Still Cider A finished cider that has no carbonation
1) Is it easy to make cider?
Yes, it really is. Like any hobby, you can make it as complicated and expensive as you like, but the basics are preservative free, pasteurized, store-bought Apple Juice, a little yeast, a glass jug, an air lock and time. I started with literally zero knowledge and had an amazing, delicious product on my second batch. Using only the internet and this site, I was able to successfully gather enough knowledge to produce cider.
2) What sort of apple juice should I get? Can I use concentrate?
If you use store bought apple juice, just get any juice you like that has NO PRESERVATIVES. That’s really important. Pasteurized is fine. Ascorbic acid is fine. Concentrate could be used, I believe, as long as the above rules are followed. I would recommend using filtered water to mix with the concentrate, so you don’t introduce any chlorine or off flavors into juice. That recommendation is not based on anything other than my intense hatred of my local tap water, though
3) What about freshly pressed cider from my local orchard?
Sure thing. If it hasn’t been pasteurized, you’ll want to do a Campden tablet treatment to kill off any wild yeast, let it sit for something like 24 to 48 hours then use your own yeast to make the cider. Wild yeast will certainly work, but the flavor it will produce is impossible to guess. I think it’s generally accepted to use yeast with known properties.
4) Is yeast in the airlock ok?
Yes, just dump out the yeast, clean, sanitize and “refill” the airlock. All will be well.
5) OH NO! My cider had no airlock for X amount of time! My airlock was dry!
No worries, as long as it hasn’t been off for extended periods of time. I’ve left my airlock, for all intents and purposes, empty for 36 hours with no ill effects.
6) Should I use yeast nutrient?
Sure. If you don’t mind the extra expense (which is only a few dollars), it will help your yeast ferment your must much more quickly. I was told using nutrients means the difference between one week of fermentation and 3 to 4 weeks. I certainly recommend it, but it isn’t strictly necessary.
7) How does the cider taste after primary fermentation?
Simply awful. That said, after I tasted my first batch I’d thought I made a pretty big mistake my wife would never let me live down. After backsweetening and carbonating, the final product was nothing short of amazing to me. You should probably taste the cider right out of primary, just to get the experience, but prepare to be vastly underwhelmed!
8) Which yeast should I use?
This is a matter of some debate, everyone having their own favorites. I haven’t gotten nearly enough experience to know what to recommend, but for my first batches, I used EC-1118. It ferments dry. Ale yeast will often give a sweeter finish, I’m told, whereas wine or champagne yeast will be very dry. For your first batch, maybe just ask your local homebrew store for a reasonably inexpensive one and try a different one for the next batch. Any yeast will work, so don’t sweat the first batch too much. Think of it as a really exciting journey with excellent fringe benefits!
9) How long can my cider sit in Primary/Secondary/Bottles?
Functionally, there’s really not much limit. Cursory research in these forums tells me that weeks are not unreasonable, even up to a year or so before the quality degrades. I haven’t experienced this firsthand, mind you. I left mine in primary for a week and secondary for something like 2 to 3. It only gets better with age in my limited experience.
10) How much sugar should I use in primary?
Initially, I followed a recipe that called for a cup of sugar for a gallon batch. After having produced all of two batches, I currently theorize that the initial sugar is only going to boost your alcohol content and not really add to the taste. I fermented mine dry and backsweetened. A lot of recipes call for nothing more than the juice and no additional sugars. I’m going on the theory that sugar at the beginning doesn’t really affect the taste after fermentation, so unless you want a strong brew, adding additional sugar at the outset is functionally useless. If you don’t ferment it dry, then obviously, adding sugar will help the final product.
11) Ok, my cider is out of primary/secondary and ready to bottle. What now?
You can either kill the yeast with Campden tablets or similar products to bottle a still (non-carbonated) cider or, if you like carbonation, add some sugar to the cider before bottling. If you do this, you’re in a race against time. Too much carbonation can create bottle bombs. If you have the necessary equipment, you can also force carbonate after killing the yeast. If you naturally carbonate, you’ll likely want to pasteurize your bottles to kill the yeast and stop further carbonation. There is a FANTASTIC sticky at the top of this forum with a REALLY simple method for stove top pasteurizing cider. Read it. Please. I tried to summarize all the steps here.
Note: If you want a dry, carbonated cider it is possible to add just enough sugar to produce carbonation. The above applies mostly to sweet, carbonated cider using fermentable sugar.
12) So, how do I know when it’s done carbonating naturally?
The trick is to fill a plastic soda bottle with cider. When the soda bottle gets as firm as a store bought soda, it’s time to test your batch of cider. I always open a glass bottle to check for carb levels in the bottles. My first batch never really carbonated in the bottle even though the soda bottle got rock hard. My second batch was spot on, with both the soda bottle and glass bottle being equally carbonated. If your glass bottle isn’t carbed enough even though the soda bottle was, your only option is to open a glass bottle at intervals to test. . If you naturally carbonate, you’ll likely want to pasteurize your bottles to kill the yeast and stop further carbonation once you’ve reached a desired level of carbonation in your bottles.. There is a FANTASTIC sticky at the top of this forum with a REALLY simple method for stove top pasteurizing cider. Read it. Please.
13) Do I have to pasteurize my carbonated cider?
Technically, no. You can keep them cold, around 40 degrees or so, to keep the yeast dormant and no longer producing CO2. However, if they get warm again, the yeast could wake up and eventually make bottle bombs. Caution is necessary here.
14) When (and why) should I rack to secondary?
Racking to secondary should be done after the initial fermentation is done. Mostly, racking to secondary is done to clarify your cider or to let it age and mellow. You should make sure not to have “too much” headspace in your secondary vessel if you’re going to leave it in secondary more than a few weeks. Allowing too much air contact can have negative effects on the taste of the cider.
15)What, exactly, is backsweetening?
Backsweetening is the process of adding sugars and flavors to your cider. You can add almost any type of sugar - corn, cane, brown, honey, etc. You can also add frozen apple juice concentrate to add more apple flavor to your cider. Using natural sugars are a great idea if you plan to bottle carb. If you plan to bottle a still cider, force carbonate, or if you prefer to use an artificial sweetener, you could use non-fermentable sugar like xylitol (which is toxic to dogs), truvia, etc. You can also add other flavors if you wish, perhaps using 100%, pasteurized, preservative free juice - i.e. pomegranate, cherry, etc.
Based on my limited experience, I wanted to share some observations as well.
Going with 1 gallon batches is cheap and easy, but isn’t forgiving of mistakes. Mistakes like losing a pint of cider going from primary to secondary due to a siphon tube mishap. You also can’t really take a lot of hydrometer readings during the process, or taste it along the way or you could lose a lot of volume. 5 gallon batches allow for more scientific testing but are a little more expensive when starting out.
An auto siphon makes it very easy to transfer cider from primary to secondary, but isn’t strictly necessary.
Don’t fear the foam from sanitizing. It won’t affect the cider at all. Rinsing the foam out might introduce impurities you don’t want. At least, that’s what my brewing friends tell me!
If you have off flavors, you can make adjustments. If the cider is too dry, add more sweetener. If you have too much yeasty flavor, you can cold crash. If there isn't enough apple flavor, use some apple concentrate.
edit: added definitions, description of backsweetening, special thanks to pricelessbrewing for suggestions.
edit: added a note about dry, carbonated ciders in step 11, thanks, worlddivides
I’ve noticed that, as informative as the information is in this forum and as helpful as the people are, there was no clearly identifiable FAQ to read. Having just made my first two batches, I thought I’d try to collate my own questions, experiences and observations along with the most frequently asked questions in the first 5 or so pages of the forums. I do not take credit for most of the information below. The answers were gleaned from many posters, too many to give individual credit to, unfortunately. I hope it is useful. Please feel free to post corrections, suggestions and additions and I’ll edit this original post as I have time.
LHBS Local Homebrew Store
SWMBO She Who Must Be Obeyed
Primary Primary fermentation, where yeast converts sugar to alcohol
Secondary Secondary, mostly for aging or clarify cider
OG Original, or starting, gravity. Basically, your first hydrometer reading.
FG Final, or finishing, gravity. The hydrometer reading after fermentation is done
Fermented Dry A cider is fermented dry when the yeast has eaten all the sugar and fermentation stops
Backsweeten After a cider has fermented dry, the process of adding flavors and sugars to taste
Campden Tablet Potassium or Sodium Metabisulfite – used to kill yeast and bacteria
Bottle Bombs Bottles that explode due to carbonation or, perhaps, attempting to pasteurize over-carbonated cider
Force Carbonate The process of using a keg and CO2 to create carbonation in your cider. Typically done AFTER killing all the yeast in your cider.
Lees Not Blue Jeans. Lees are the byproduct of fermentation, dead yeast and other particles.
Cold Crash refrigerating cider to cause yeast to settle out of the cider. yeast will go dormant during the chilling process, but will revive once it warms if there is still sugar present in the cider
Still Cider A finished cider that has no carbonation
1) Is it easy to make cider?
Yes, it really is. Like any hobby, you can make it as complicated and expensive as you like, but the basics are preservative free, pasteurized, store-bought Apple Juice, a little yeast, a glass jug, an air lock and time. I started with literally zero knowledge and had an amazing, delicious product on my second batch. Using only the internet and this site, I was able to successfully gather enough knowledge to produce cider.
2) What sort of apple juice should I get? Can I use concentrate?
If you use store bought apple juice, just get any juice you like that has NO PRESERVATIVES. That’s really important. Pasteurized is fine. Ascorbic acid is fine. Concentrate could be used, I believe, as long as the above rules are followed. I would recommend using filtered water to mix with the concentrate, so you don’t introduce any chlorine or off flavors into juice. That recommendation is not based on anything other than my intense hatred of my local tap water, though
3) What about freshly pressed cider from my local orchard?
Sure thing. If it hasn’t been pasteurized, you’ll want to do a Campden tablet treatment to kill off any wild yeast, let it sit for something like 24 to 48 hours then use your own yeast to make the cider. Wild yeast will certainly work, but the flavor it will produce is impossible to guess. I think it’s generally accepted to use yeast with known properties.
4) Is yeast in the airlock ok?
Yes, just dump out the yeast, clean, sanitize and “refill” the airlock. All will be well.
5) OH NO! My cider had no airlock for X amount of time! My airlock was dry!
No worries, as long as it hasn’t been off for extended periods of time. I’ve left my airlock, for all intents and purposes, empty for 36 hours with no ill effects.
6) Should I use yeast nutrient?
Sure. If you don’t mind the extra expense (which is only a few dollars), it will help your yeast ferment your must much more quickly. I was told using nutrients means the difference between one week of fermentation and 3 to 4 weeks. I certainly recommend it, but it isn’t strictly necessary.
7) How does the cider taste after primary fermentation?
Simply awful. That said, after I tasted my first batch I’d thought I made a pretty big mistake my wife would never let me live down. After backsweetening and carbonating, the final product was nothing short of amazing to me. You should probably taste the cider right out of primary, just to get the experience, but prepare to be vastly underwhelmed!
8) Which yeast should I use?
This is a matter of some debate, everyone having their own favorites. I haven’t gotten nearly enough experience to know what to recommend, but for my first batches, I used EC-1118. It ferments dry. Ale yeast will often give a sweeter finish, I’m told, whereas wine or champagne yeast will be very dry. For your first batch, maybe just ask your local homebrew store for a reasonably inexpensive one and try a different one for the next batch. Any yeast will work, so don’t sweat the first batch too much. Think of it as a really exciting journey with excellent fringe benefits!
9) How long can my cider sit in Primary/Secondary/Bottles?
Functionally, there’s really not much limit. Cursory research in these forums tells me that weeks are not unreasonable, even up to a year or so before the quality degrades. I haven’t experienced this firsthand, mind you. I left mine in primary for a week and secondary for something like 2 to 3. It only gets better with age in my limited experience.
10) How much sugar should I use in primary?
Initially, I followed a recipe that called for a cup of sugar for a gallon batch. After having produced all of two batches, I currently theorize that the initial sugar is only going to boost your alcohol content and not really add to the taste. I fermented mine dry and backsweetened. A lot of recipes call for nothing more than the juice and no additional sugars. I’m going on the theory that sugar at the beginning doesn’t really affect the taste after fermentation, so unless you want a strong brew, adding additional sugar at the outset is functionally useless. If you don’t ferment it dry, then obviously, adding sugar will help the final product.
11) Ok, my cider is out of primary/secondary and ready to bottle. What now?
You can either kill the yeast with Campden tablets or similar products to bottle a still (non-carbonated) cider or, if you like carbonation, add some sugar to the cider before bottling. If you do this, you’re in a race against time. Too much carbonation can create bottle bombs. If you have the necessary equipment, you can also force carbonate after killing the yeast. If you naturally carbonate, you’ll likely want to pasteurize your bottles to kill the yeast and stop further carbonation. There is a FANTASTIC sticky at the top of this forum with a REALLY simple method for stove top pasteurizing cider. Read it. Please. I tried to summarize all the steps here.
Note: If you want a dry, carbonated cider it is possible to add just enough sugar to produce carbonation. The above applies mostly to sweet, carbonated cider using fermentable sugar.
12) So, how do I know when it’s done carbonating naturally?
The trick is to fill a plastic soda bottle with cider. When the soda bottle gets as firm as a store bought soda, it’s time to test your batch of cider. I always open a glass bottle to check for carb levels in the bottles. My first batch never really carbonated in the bottle even though the soda bottle got rock hard. My second batch was spot on, with both the soda bottle and glass bottle being equally carbonated. If your glass bottle isn’t carbed enough even though the soda bottle was, your only option is to open a glass bottle at intervals to test. . If you naturally carbonate, you’ll likely want to pasteurize your bottles to kill the yeast and stop further carbonation once you’ve reached a desired level of carbonation in your bottles.. There is a FANTASTIC sticky at the top of this forum with a REALLY simple method for stove top pasteurizing cider. Read it. Please.
13) Do I have to pasteurize my carbonated cider?
Technically, no. You can keep them cold, around 40 degrees or so, to keep the yeast dormant and no longer producing CO2. However, if they get warm again, the yeast could wake up and eventually make bottle bombs. Caution is necessary here.
14) When (and why) should I rack to secondary?
Racking to secondary should be done after the initial fermentation is done. Mostly, racking to secondary is done to clarify your cider or to let it age and mellow. You should make sure not to have “too much” headspace in your secondary vessel if you’re going to leave it in secondary more than a few weeks. Allowing too much air contact can have negative effects on the taste of the cider.
15)What, exactly, is backsweetening?
Backsweetening is the process of adding sugars and flavors to your cider. You can add almost any type of sugar - corn, cane, brown, honey, etc. You can also add frozen apple juice concentrate to add more apple flavor to your cider. Using natural sugars are a great idea if you plan to bottle carb. If you plan to bottle a still cider, force carbonate, or if you prefer to use an artificial sweetener, you could use non-fermentable sugar like xylitol (which is toxic to dogs), truvia, etc. You can also add other flavors if you wish, perhaps using 100%, pasteurized, preservative free juice - i.e. pomegranate, cherry, etc.
Based on my limited experience, I wanted to share some observations as well.
Going with 1 gallon batches is cheap and easy, but isn’t forgiving of mistakes. Mistakes like losing a pint of cider going from primary to secondary due to a siphon tube mishap. You also can’t really take a lot of hydrometer readings during the process, or taste it along the way or you could lose a lot of volume. 5 gallon batches allow for more scientific testing but are a little more expensive when starting out.
An auto siphon makes it very easy to transfer cider from primary to secondary, but isn’t strictly necessary.
Don’t fear the foam from sanitizing. It won’t affect the cider at all. Rinsing the foam out might introduce impurities you don’t want. At least, that’s what my brewing friends tell me!
If you have off flavors, you can make adjustments. If the cider is too dry, add more sweetener. If you have too much yeasty flavor, you can cold crash. If there isn't enough apple flavor, use some apple concentrate.
edit: added definitions, description of backsweetening, special thanks to pricelessbrewing for suggestions.
edit: added a note about dry, carbonated ciders in step 11, thanks, worlddivides
