Testing

[Tantalar]

I finally got to go to the homebrew store and pick up some yeast and some gallon glass containers. I am making these four test recipes, what do you guys think? Whatever happens I am excited and will post results

Test #1
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(Motts cider only)
3 cups brown sugar
20 raisins
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient

Test #2
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(empire unorganic, organic gala, mott's cider)
1 1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup cinnamon and sugar
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient
did NOT heat the cider

Test #3
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(Motts cider only)
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 white
1 1/2 brown
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient


Test #4
1 gallon cider
1 cup white sugar
1 pound strawberries (blended)
1 pint blueberries (blended)
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient
Did NOT heat the cider

 

[Mcduff]

Test batches are definetly the way to go. All your recipes sounds yummy! I have done several test batches myself, from same sugar with different yeasts to the same yeast with different sugars. Since everyones taste buds are different its always good to try it yourself. Please post back witht the results.

 

[Tantalar]

After about 9 hours there was movement in Test #2

Test #2
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(empire unorganic, organic gala, mott's cider)
1 1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup cinnamon and sugar
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient
did NOT heat the cider
I should note that the contents sat for about 24 hours (sealed off from air) before I added yeast

Test #4 was next. Using a balloon with a needle hole poke in it after about the same time but its harder to judge the pressure inside but the balloon definitely has been increasing in size more and more and the stuff inside the bottle is growing (I am actually using a 2 liter soda bottle because I only had 3 airlocks and 3 containers to match but wanted to make one more test.

Test #4
1 gallon cider
1 cup white sugar
1 pound strawberries (blended)
1 pint blueberries (blended)
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient
Did NOT heat the cider

Finally, test #1 and #3 were the last by far to start up after about 22 hours. They are going very very slow but seem to be going at about the same rate. I heard that honey takes the longest to break down out of all sugar types that I am using so I don't know how long i'll have to wait for the ones with honey in them since I added a LOT of sugar... but I'm happy to wait!!

Test #1
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(Motts cider only)
3 cups brown sugar
20 raisins
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient

and

Test #3
1 gallon cider - 16 cups
(Motts cider only)
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 white
1 1/2 brown
1/5 packet yeast (nottingham)
dash of yeast nutrient

Being as this is my first time making anything it is all very exciting and I hope I didn't contaminate everything TOO badly. Hopefully at least I get 1 tasty drink out of this!

 

[Tantalar]

Everything is starting to slow down a lot. The blueberry/strawberry test completely stopped fermenting. I bottled it and used a half teaspoon per 12 ounce bottle for priming