2 nd run

[ssuchem]

Well today I started my second full batch of cider. This one I'm gonna let ferment for awhile before I bottle it. I started with 4 cans concentrate. 2 were pure apple. The next 2 were a blend of apple cherry. Still 100% juice tho. I then juiced 5lbs granny smith 2 lbs djanou pears and 1 lb pacific sweet apples. Then I pasturized the fresh juice. At the bottom of my fermentor I poured the hot juice over 2 lb brown sugar. Then the concentrate. Tested the temp and pitched Nottingham yeast. Then added the water called fore by the concentrate plus half a gallon. Got my total volume to about 4 gallons. I couldn't take the og cause I dropped and broke my hydrometer while cleaning before I made the batch . But anyway gonna let this one go for a bit. Hoping for a more complex flavor and higher alcohol % will probably add more cherry apple concentrate before bottling. I also picked up some malic acid cause I heard it helps. When should I add this?

 

[ssuchem]

Well its been roughly 3 weeks. I'm pretty sure its done fermenting. I let it sit in primary to let the yeast clean up a bit. Gonna take a reading later to make sure. Should I rack into secondary? Or can I just bottle after priming for carbing. I was also thinking of adding lactose to it to bump sweetness a little. Its a big batch so I don't want to have to pasturize all of it. But if I have to I will I guess.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Well its been roughly 3 weeks. I'm pretty sure its done fermenting. I let it sit in primary to let the yeast clean up a bit. Gonna take a reading later to make sure. Should I rack into secondary? Or can I just bottle after priming for carbing. I was also thinking of adding lactose to it to bump sweetness a little. Its a big batch so I don't want to have to pasturize all of it. But if I have to I will I guess.

Well, if adding lactose I would not worry about too much secondary time. Your lactose (IIRC) will cloud it, so skip secondary and bottle!