Secondary has dark layer

[Amanda Sigler]

Hi all,
Just transferred our wild cider from a 6 gallon into a second 5 gallon carboy after it finished bubbling. No added sugar or yeast just two different apples from our own trees. It started out in the average range for an apple juice sugar wise and after about 4 weeks of activity finished at 1.000, very dry but smells great. Very light and clear with not a super strong apple flavor.
After being in secondary for a day I noticed the top 2 inches of cider is very dark. No layer of any solids just the top couple inches of cider have darkened to a caramel color. Is it just from being oxidized during being moved to the secondary, maybe from the starsan foam that was left at the top because I couldn’t get it all out? Normal or should I be worried?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Very light and clear

How clear is clear?

Normally when the top is dark it's because the cider is clearing. Clear cider appears darker.

 

[Amanda Sigler]

I’ve attached a photo which might help, this carboy is a blueish glass. Before we put it in the secondary the cider was a light golden color close to the color of a store cider or Chardonnay when we did a sample glass.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yeah the top is where it's clear. The rest is pretty hazy.

 

[S-Met]

How clear is clear?

Normally when the top is dark it's because the cider is clearing. Clear cider appears darker.

Your picture sums up what is in this quote.

There is a LOT of headspace though. Did you add Camden or similar?

 

[Amanda Sigler]

Your picture sums up what is in this quote.

There is a LOT of headspace though. Did you add Camden or similar?

We have added nothing. It’s 100% apples. No yeast, no sugar, no camden. Sanitized everything with Starsan. I have a separate gallon I added some raw honey from our friends bees to back sweeten just as an experiment. We are still trying to decide how to back sweeten but the goal was to have a 100% untouched wild cider so we are leaning towards a heat pasteurize and honey method.

 

[RPh_Guy]

We are still trying to decide how to back sweeten but the goal was to have a 100% untouched wild cider so we are leaning towards a heat pasteurize and honey method.

The heat pasteurization method is the only option that can meet your goal.

 

[Amanda Sigler]

How long should it take to clear? From the original post date the dark line hasn’t really moved. Smells really good but the top has a white speckled film on top. At this point I have given up on the no additives and think we might add Camden to be safe.
The second smaller test bottle that was back sweetend with honey is still fermenting and smells very strong but taste really good up front with a yeasty after taste.

 

[S-Met]

Sounds like you're starting to develop a pellicle. Its a protective layer. Perhaps move it to a refrigerator sometimes cold crashing can help clear.

 

[RPh_Guy]

How long should it take to clear? From the original post date the dark line hasn’t really moved. Smells really good but the top has a white speckled film on top. At this point I have given up on the no additives and think we might add Camden to be safe.

You can't have it both ways. Typically cider is naturally hazy, although it may or may not clear with time and cold temperature.
You can certainly clear it with fining agents if you desire it crystal clear rapidly.

Same goes for the wild microbes. The film (pellicle) is formed naturally by the wild microbes on the apples. It's not a bad thing.
Adding sulfite is perfectly fine too if you'd rather suppress the natural wild microbes.

Another thing to consider is that it may be still cloudy because the wild microbes are still working. The bacteria metabolize malic acid.

It's easy to make amazing 100% natural "dry" cider, but you need to be patient and keep it closed until bottling, months later.
Cider naturally has plenty of sorbitol, which doesn't ferment and keeps the cider tasting sweet. At 6-7% ABV, the dryness certainly isn't austere.

Cheers