Definition of Aging....

Do most of you refer to the aging time from the moment you bottle/keg it or start the aging clock when you pitch the yeast?

In other words...if one were to have a cider that had spent 2 months in a carboy and then you bottled it, do you consider it to have 2 months of age on it or did your clock start when you capped the bottle?

 

I say it's ageing once it is in the bottle or keg. Prior to that, it's still fermenting or clearing.

 

The term might differ from person to person. I consider it aging when I rack to a secondary vessel for "bulk aging". This way I won't be temped to touch it...if it goes in bottles...I drink them all.

 

Along those lines - how long is too long to age cider?

 

When u start to see mold

 

When my gravity tells me the fermentation is done (in primary) and I let it sit on the yeast for another week before I bottle, I count my cleaning up phase in primary as the start of conditioning. Once it's carbing in bottles I still let it condition for a minimum of 3 weeks before putting them in the fridge for drinking. This time frame for a better beer is why I am OC on my pipeline. I don't want to run out of good beer.