Sterilisation

[Vjuga]

Hello!

Im new and I want to make a first batch of applecider.
I was wondering if you can sterilize your bottles and gear with ethanol. Of course let it evaporate before putting in the cider. It kills all bacteria, right?

And a second question. Ive read that you have to get he cider out of the glass jug and put it in a second one, without the ''lees'' for a second fermentation process.
Do you really need 2 glass jugs for this? Or can I get the cider in a clean bowl for a couple of minutes, clean the jug from the lees en then put the cider back in the jug?
I do not want to buy a lot of stuff yet because its the first try.

Thanks in advance for your reply!

Kind regards,

Eva

 

[Rish]

Welcome to HBT!

Ethanol should work although I've never done it. You could also pasteurize by covering the opening of bottles and jug with aluminum foil, placing in a cold oven, bringing the temperature up to 180*F, hold there for 10 minutes then leave in the oven until it cools down. This is what I do.

You don't need to move to a secondary. Just leave it in the original jug until it gets clear then bottle. Good luck!

 

[IslandLizard]

That! ^
When you bottle, you'd siphon the clear cider off the top (in the jug), leaving the lees behind on the bottom.

So, don't stick the siphon all the way on the bottom. Instead, suspend it about half way down, then lower slowly as the cider level drops.
Toward the end, you can tilt the jug toward one side to keep the siphoning well as deep as possible.
Mounting one of those inverter tippies on the bottom end of the siphon also helps to prevent sucking up trub.

Best to rehearse the siphoning process beforehand, with some water in a jug, large bottle, or other container until you get the method down to a T.