Never made cider before - need inspiration

[briandickens]

I have an Ordinary Bitter that is just about done fermenting and my friend wanted to use the yeast cake to make a cider. Fine by me. I'm not using it, right? So we decided to split the batch of cider. After I rack out the bitter, I am going to put in 4 gallons of cider he picked up and then later on down the road, we're going to split the batch in two (including some of the yeast from the bottom) and each take a batch.

What do I do then? He suggested adding another gallon of cider, but it that ill advised at that point? I'd like to for sheer volume reasons, but i don't want to mess anything up. Also, can I add things at that point? Spices, honey, molasses? Any thoughts or suggestions from the cider makers would be very much appreciated.

So you know, the beer was fermented on White Labs English Ale WLP002 yeast.

 

[Adolphus79]

There is no reason you couldn't do this... just pour your apple juice/cider directly onto the yeast cake. Adding cider to secondary shouldn't harm anything, except making your fermentation take longer.

Headspace would be my only concern from what you've described. 4 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy leaves a lot of headspace, and when you split it, are you each going to be using a 3 gallon carboy?

You can add anything (spices, sugar, etc.) you want during primary or secondary. I would not recommend the molasses though, as it leaves quite a bite in the finished product. If you want your cider to be tart, try some dark brown sugar (sugar with some molasses left in it). Honey would also be a great addition, but be prepared for a longer ferment, as honey takes quite a while to finish.

Whichever way you go, RDWHAHB... and let us know how it turns out!

 

[briandickens]

Well, it's 4 gallons in a 6.5gallon carboy, so even worse than you thought. Also, when we split it it will be 3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy for some time. i don't have a 3 gallon carboy. I could get one maybe. Not sure how expensive they are. Is it important or don't worry about it?

I'm not sure how I want it to turn out. I'm not really a cider drinker, but only for lack of trying. Would it be okay with nothing in it, just cider? Or should I add something?

 

[Mach]

Well, it's 4 gallons in a 6.5gallon carboy, so even worse than you thought. Also, when we split it it will be 3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy for some time. i don't have a 3 gallon carboy. I could get one maybe. Not sure how expensive they are. Is it important or don't worry about it?

I'm not sure how I want it to turn out. I'm not really a cider drinker, but only for lack of trying. Would it be okay with nothing in it, just cider? Or should I add something?

A 3 gallon carboy is going to be hard to find, if they even exist. Why not just find some more cider and fill the 6.5 up near the top? More the merrier!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

With a name like Brian Dickens, you should be making a lot more cider!

 

[briandickens]

A 3 gallon carboy is going to be hard to find, if they even exist. Why not just find some more cider and fill the 6.5 up near the top? More the merrier!

Not a bad idea. Does it ferment like beer when I'd want to put 5 or so gallons in a 6.5 gallon carboy? If so I can go buy another gallon. If it's pretty tame, I can buy two. I still need to split it with my friend later (it's his idea in the first place...) so have to worry about where it will go then.

As for carboys, northernbrewer sells 3 gallon carboys as well as 1 gallon jugs. So I know they exist... Is the headspace a big issue?

 

[Yooper]

A 3 gallon carboy is going to be hard to find, if they even exist. Why not just find some more cider and fill the 6.5 up near the top? More the merrier!

3 gallon carboys are everywhere and super easy to find for around $15. You could also use 3 one gallon carboys, too, if you have them. Carlo Rossi wine jugs work great- they are 4L and take a #6 stopper and airlock.

Headspace IS an issue with cider and wine. You want as little as possible. I have maybe an inch below the bung on mine. Not during primary, but after the fermentation slows down.