Hello everyone. I have searched and been unable to find answers to my specific newb mistake...
Last year I pressed and made 12 gallons of cider that was destined to become hard cider. Cortland apples only.. I couldn't get a good mix at that time.
I used heat to process( 165°f then cooled...) Half of the batch had honey added. I used yeast..I believe Redstar Champagne..I fermented in 6 gallon carboys. I have lost all my notes and I can't remember the exact yeast I chose..but pretty confident it was the redstar, possibly one of the lalvins.
Long story short.. I miss understood my next steps for storage. I thought I was suppose to store them in the carboy with airlock in place until I was ready to bottle. The batch was really cloudy so I wanted to wait and see if it cleared... then I got covid and was hospitalized and the whole thing was pushed aside until now. A year after pressing.
Here I am now with all this hard cider and I'm lost. I reached out to the brewer supply store and the guy said I need to add some more yeast to the carboy.. swirl and then bottle. Wait two weeks and then can drink with a shelf life of 3-4 months. Then he said he doesn't do cider so thats just what he thinks.
I was going to bottle in 1/2 or 1 gallon glass jugs with metal tops and give to my family. I do have a hydrometer if its needed at this point.
Do any of you have some guidance for me to save this batch if possible!? Thank you
Last year I pressed and made 12 gallons of cider that was destined to become hard cider. Cortland apples only.. I couldn't get a good mix at that time.
I used heat to process( 165°f then cooled...) Half of the batch had honey added. I used yeast..I believe Redstar Champagne..I fermented in 6 gallon carboys. I have lost all my notes and I can't remember the exact yeast I chose..but pretty confident it was the redstar, possibly one of the lalvins.
Long story short.. I miss understood my next steps for storage. I thought I was suppose to store them in the carboy with airlock in place until I was ready to bottle. The batch was really cloudy so I wanted to wait and see if it cleared... then I got covid and was hospitalized and the whole thing was pushed aside until now. A year after pressing.
Here I am now with all this hard cider and I'm lost. I reached out to the brewer supply store and the guy said I need to add some more yeast to the carboy.. swirl and then bottle. Wait two weeks and then can drink with a shelf life of 3-4 months. Then he said he doesn't do cider so thats just what he thinks.
I was going to bottle in 1/2 or 1 gallon glass jugs with metal tops and give to my family. I do have a hydrometer if its needed at this point.
Do any of you have some guidance for me to save this batch if possible!? Thank you