1st rack/ what the hell am i doin?

[stormyday]

my first batch of cider slowed down after 15 days so i took a gravity reading last nite cause i just got my hydrometer. it was 1.00, i think i read someplace that that waas a good time to rack so i syphoned into a different one gallon glass jug leaving behind the junk in the bottom. then put it in the fridge. then we tasted the sample, tasted strong of booze and yeast. what the hell do i do with it now? will it mellow out over time? should i leave it in the fridge or put it in the basement? any ideas?

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I'd probably suggest adding a splash of apple juice, put the airlock back on and leave it in the basement. The addition of the AJ will hopefully kick the fermentation back in enough to get you a layer of CO2. Without knowing your exact recipe, it's hard to address the yeast and booze flavors, but some age might help. If it's been splashed any at all, oxidation might keep you from aging it for too long, but the additional time could help.

 

[bad67z]

I would keep it at room temp for at least another month or two minimum. The yeast may still be cleaning up some of the off flavors your tasting. I don't drink cider until it is at least 6 months old. Good cider takes time.

 

[MarkKF]

I would keep it at room temp for at least another month or two minimum. The yeast may still be cleaning up some of the off flavors your tasting. I don't drink cider until it is at least 6 months old. Good cider takes time.

Just cuz it slowed down and hit 1.00 doesn't mean it won't ferment enough to add a layer of CO2.

 

[stormyday]

man that didnt take long, thanks guys, its been in the fridge all night, i'll put it back down stairs with an air lock and leave it be for a while

 

[stormyday]

it was a gallon of organic juice, i added a whole bunch of white sugar, i dont remember how much but it was a lot more that it needed and a pack of red star shampagn yeast. i've started a couple other batches since and have recorded what i put in and the gravity and potential alcahol. kinda hopeing to salvage this 1rst batch tho

 

[bad67z]

I would keep it at room temp for at least another month or two minimum. The yeast may still be cleaning up some of the off flavors your tasting. I don't drink cider until it is at least 6 months old. Good cider takes time.

Just cuz it slowed down and hit 1.00 doesn't mean it won't ferment enough to add a layer of CO2.

Umm did I miss something?

 

[Cyclman]

It takes extended aging to smooth out.

 

[Schott703]

Dry cider in my experiance has a real rough edge until about month 6.

 

[MarkKF]

Umm did I miss something?

Sorry. Quoted the wrong post.

I'd probably suggest adding a splash of apple juice, put the airlock back on and leave it in the basement. The addition of the AJ will hopefully kick the fermentation back in enough to get you a layer of CO2.

help.

 

[jflongo]

Dry cider in my experiance has a real rough edge until about month 6.

Just a curious question about this. I am getting ready to do my 2nd batch, and plan on dry hopping a little. So ferment 7 - 10 days in a bucket, transfer to glass carboy on some dry hops for at least a week. Would you recommend racking it again into another carboy and letting that sit for awhile? Not sure I want the hops to sit in there that long.

 

[jackfrost]

it was a gallon of organic juice, i added a whole bunch of white sugar, i dont remember how much but it was a lot more that it needed and a pack of red star shampagn yeast. i've started a couple other batches since and have recorded what i put in and the gravity and potential alcahol. kinda hopeing to salvage this 1rst batch tho

Well the boozing taste is from your addition of table sugar...( whole bunch of white sugar, i dont remember how much) this is going to take a lot of time ....to mellow 3-8 months....if not a year....although it mite make a mixer....in the future I would suggest using any any thing other then table sugar as its known to produce off flavors... and take good notes as these will help you in the future....good luck

 

[jackfrost]

Just a curious question about this. I am getting ready to do my 2nd batch, and plan on dry hopping a little. So ferment 7 - 10 days in a bucket, transfer to glass carboy on some dry hops for at least a week. Would you recommend racking it again into another carboy and letting that sit for awhile? Not sure I want the hops to sit in there that long.

Yes. I would let it set on the hops a week to 2 weeks then rack

 

[stormyday]

i topped it off with juice, put the airlock on and stuck it away, we'll see what its like in may or june again

 

[stormyday]

after siphoning it into a clean carboy the other night leaving the slurry behind i took your advise and topped off with juice and put airlock back on. three days later it looks to me like it's working again, lots of bubbles. what you guys think?

 

[jackfrost]

That's the idea....you can do this a few times its called step feeding its good if your trying to get hi abv

 

[stormyday]

Will this help the strong yeast taste as well?

 

[jackfrost]

Did you ad any nutrient? And no only time will help the yeast right now you have them in suspension once you cold crash for a week let it settle and age youbwill be fine

 

[Inner10]

Will this help the strong yeast taste as well?

As the yeast settles out that flavor will subside a bit. Don't get too worked up about it until it's all said and done....then you can decide if it's going down the sink or not.

 

[stormyday]

one way or another it will go down my thoat before it goes down the drain. i never have used nutrient but i ordered some the other day cause i wanna try to make some skeeter pee. i think i read some place that raisins act as yeast nutient, should i toss some rainens in there?

 

[jackfrost]

Yes mash them up throw them in

 

[stormyday]

wow, i smashed a few raisins really good and tossed em in, it's like starting over from the bigining. within 20 minutes it was like it was boiling

 

[jackfrost]

Ya you want happy yeast or you will get bad smells

 

[stormyday]

how long should i leave the raisins in there, when it quits workin again should i sipphon into different carboy and airlock again?

 

[jackfrost]

Rack it check gravity and taste it.....I like my cider about 6-7 abv and carbonated.... but yours mite be higher did you get an sg?

 

[stormyday]

No, this is my first batch, didn't have a hydrometer , everything I have done since I have gotten a sg and wrote it on the bottle

 

[Inner10]

wow, i smashed a few raisins really good and tossed em in, it's like starting over from the bigining. within 20 minutes it was like it was boiling

That's mostly co2 coming out of solution since the rasins created nucleation sites. Same thing would happen if you dumped in a cup of sand.