Recent content by debko

:confused: Wasn't paying attention. I started a batch of cider using one gallon of 100 percent blackberry juice, 1/4 cup of corn syrup, Lalvin 118 yeast and 1/2 TBLS spoon of pectic enzyme instead of 1/2 tsp. Is this going to ruin the batch or make it taste off flavor. Not sure if it is still...

I was also told you could use real sugar if you were going to sweeten and bottle in swing top bottles (such as Grolsch). Add sugar for taste snf carbonation and when the bottle is at the optimum carbonation and sweetness pasteurize it with postassium sorbate to each bottle so the carbonation...

I was also told you could use real sugar if you were going to sweeten and bottle in swing top bottles (such as Grolsch). Add sugar for taste carbonation and when the bottle is at the optimum carbonation and sweetness pasteurize it with postassium sorbate to each bottle so the carbonation stops...

I have a batch going now for a week. Thanksgiving I think would be close but you could have one by Christmas. Of course I have been told the longer you mellow it the better, but in a pinch I am hoping like you to have a batch ready for Christmas. Told you can back sweeten before bottling with...

Thanks. I didn't realize you had to pasturize it after it is bottled. Is this always necessary? I started out with 5 gallons of cold pasturized fresh apple cider with nothing added.

New to brewing too so some quick questions. You say are are back sweetening with cran and apple concentrate. I was told that the sweetness would be all eaten if you are using real sugar and such as frozen concentrate, is this not true? Will some of the sweetness remain? I was told you had to use...

Also new to brewing. Getting ready for five gallons to go into second fermentation (have to buy a carboy because I have heard you shouldn't secondary in a bucket because of the too much head space or I might just secondary into gallon jugs with airlocks and car bungs on them). I plan on letting...

Appreciate the feedback, think I'll do that, a little less alcohol never hurt anyone lol. I'll experiment with more sugar in my next batch.

I started with 5 gallons of Apple cider and 1/4 cup of brown sugar using Lavlin yeast and a starting SG of 1.050. It has been six days and I have not done anything else yet, bubbling about every 10 min still. Upon reading further I realized that the ABV will not be as high as I thought. It is...

Okay thanks that is helpful but how do I test the SG without opening the lid? Do I remove the airlock and siphon out some through that hole? I have an empty blue 5 gallon water jug that I could sanitize with a car bung and air lock for secondary fermentation is that better than moving to another...

LOL okay thanks, so how long should I wait until I put into secondary fermentation? Until the bubbles stop completely? I don't want to expose to air until I am supposed to. This is my first attempt at homebrewing and I read all I could find before I attempted but am still confused what to do now...

LOL okay thanks, so how long should I wait until I put into secondary fermentation? Until the bubbles stop completely? I don't want to expose to air until I am supposed to. This is my first attempt at homebrewing and I read all I could find before I attempted but am still confused what to do now...

I emptied five one gallon jugs of fresh pressed apple cider that was cold pasteurized (was told by farm that it was suitable for hard cider nothing extra added) into a 6 gallon plastic brew bucket last Tues 10/28. I added a whole packet of Lalvin yeast and nothing else. The starting gravity on...