Plenty of ambition, not much knowledge...

[UNDERGROUNDMINER]

Accidentally posted this in beginners beer brewing forum last night. got a little help, but maybe I'll get even more in here...

So I made some cider off the cuff. I got 45lbs. of orchard fresh pears from a friend in California, and here's where I took them; Juiced them down, then strained off. Put the juice in two seperate Carboys to the tune of 2.5 gal. each. Added crushed Campden tabs. The next day added 1.5 cups white, and 1.5 cups brown organic sugars to one, and left the other with the natural sugars alone. Added my yeast nutrient (Fermax), and my yeast (Lalvin
ec-1118 champagne) and sealed them off. Within 6 hours they were bubbling good, or at least what I think is good. By day two, There was a layer on top and good bubbling in the natural batch, CRAZY activity in the sugared batch. Now it has been 11 days. The sugared batch is still bubbling, it has slowed though. The natural batch however, is doing almost nothing. All the "stuff" on top has settled to the bottom and the liquid is a clear gold tinted color. It might bubble every 2 or 3 min. The other one has the layer on top which is chunky, and then a layer on bottom which is more fiberous or stranded looking, like Old Mans Beard moss.
So here I am, and now I am thinking what is the next step? I started out on a crash course, very impulsively, but now I feel like I have built a relationship with it, and I don't want to risk spoiling what might be a success.

So... any advice as to what I need to do now. What does it sound like I screwed up if anything? I am in the dark as to where I should take it next.

Anyone who can help will be greatly appreciated. And please forgive my total lack of, (not disregard for), knowledge of terminology, approach, skill and general understanding of brewing. Have faith for I am a fast learner who thinks he has acquired "the bug" of brewing.
Thanks for reading!

 

[nukinfuts29]

Sounds like the natural one might be done, if it is that far apart and clearing. As for the sugar batch if it was me I would rack it to secondary and leave it alone for a while.

 

[brewingmeister]

A hydrometer would give you an answer. Judging fermentation on airlock activity is not an accurate method.

It's only been 11 days. I would let them both sit for a while longer and take some hydrometer readings. The straight juice one might be about finished since you say it's clearing but it still seems early.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Hydrometers are great, I use mine on probably half the batches I do. But learning to rely on it can be bad habit, as they are a crutch for a lot of people.

 

[UNDERGROUNDMINER]

Ok so what is racking it and what do you mean by secondary? What does this involve?
Thanks again!

 

[Bugeaud]

Racking is siphoning the alcohol from one container into another, while avoiding sucking up the yeast cake at the bottom, as to help your alcohol along in clearing and thus retain a less yeasty and smoother taste. The secondary, is the short name for the secondary fermentation vessel, which is simply an empty fermentation vessel, used during racking while the alcohol is still fermenting. (The only difference between regular racking and secondary racking is that secondary racking includes the use of an airlock, as to not create a bottle bomb). If you have already stopped fermentation by means of cold crashing or potassium sorbate, the secondary vessel is usually not necessary. It is sometimes possible to stop fermentation by racking alone, by racking out the yeast many times, but often times it is not possible to totally stop fermentation by racking. Racking is however the most preferred method of stopping fermentation, as there is no chance of leaving off flavours or ruining delicate flavours, unlike cold crashing and potassium sorbate.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Here is the wiki on racking, very helpful:

Racking - Home Brewing Wiki

 

[Devo9]

Racking is siphoning the alcohol from one container into another, while avoiding sucking up the yeast cake at the bottom, as to help your alcohol along in clearing and thus retain a less yeasty and smoother taste. The secondary, is the short name for the secondary fermentation vessel, which is simply an empty fermentation vessel, used during racking while the alcohol is still fermenting. (The only difference between regular racking and secondary racking is that secondary racking includes the use of an airlock, as to not create a bottle bomb). If you have already stopped fermentation by means of cold crashing or potassium sorbate, the secondary vessel is usually not necessary. It is sometimes possible to stop fermentation by racking alone, by racking out the yeast many times, but often times it is not possible to totally stop fermentation by racking. Racking is however the most preferred method of stopping fermentation, as there is no chance of leaving off flavours or ruining delicate flavours, unlike cold crashing and potassium sorbate.

I could be wrong, but I thought racking and cold crashing did NOT stop fermentaion, because you always have yeast in suspention when racking and cold crashing only temperarily stops the yeast by putting them in a bit of a hibernation. As soon as it warms up I understood that they start right back fermenting all over again. But I am no expert, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Racking does not stop fermentation or "rack out the yeast".

 

[seabass07]

If the sugared one is not done and still bubbling, then why would you rack it? I disagree about a hydrometer being a crutch. It's a good tool to have. It will tell you when the yeast are done eating the sugars...that's good information to have.

 

[nukinfuts29]

If the sugared one is not done and still bubbling, then why would you rack it? I disagree about a hydrometer being a crutch. It's a good tool to have. It will tell you when the yeast are done eating the sugars...that's good information to have.

Personal preference. I like my cider sweet. It may still need some time, I don't know I'm not the brewer.

 

[brewingmeister]

Hydrometers are great, I use mine on probably half the batches I do. But learning to rely on it can be bad habit, as they are a crutch for a lot of people.

They're a bad habit, and a crutch? Not very good advice, especially for someone inexperienced and just finding their way. I don't always use a hydrometer but it is the way to measure gravity while brewing. Watching an airlock means pretty much nothing.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I use a hydrometer sometimes. What I mean is that new brewers really need to learn to leave things alone. Hydrometers have a way of contributing to the obsession to "mess with it" and a lot of people become completely reliant on using one. A hydrometer in a beginner's hands is an excuse to open up a fermenter and start screwing around with it, and then they end up here asking for a million answers about why they have an infection.

They have a place, especially if the brewer needs to monitor alcohol percentage, but a lot of us learned to brew without one and I feel that is beneficial and the way to go.

Everyone has their own opinion.