A couple of newbie questions

[jubuttib]

Hello, been doing beer for a good while but first time trying cider.

Nothing fancy, we just happened to get so many apples from a relative's tree that no-one knew what to do with it, so I thought I'd give it a bash.

Situation: I got the cider, put it into a container, pitched yeast (basic safcider) on 14th September, put on the cap and lock, and that's it. Bubbled away nicely for about two weeks, as expected, has since basically stopped.

From here on I'm on uncharted territory. With beer I never bother with secondary, but I'm not sure how things work with cider.

So I'd like a couple of pointers:

Is secondary absolutely mandatory? If it is, when should I rack?

If not, is bulk aging in primary a possibility? Would avoid potential contamination at the very least.

How long should I let it sit before bottling? (Be it still in the primary or the secondary)

What's the timeline after bottling?

I'm not doing anything fancy, just plain flat cider, might sweeten once I know what I'm dealing with.

 

[JimRausch]

Secondary is not necessary. Strictly optional. If you do it , rack about 2 weeks after reaching FG (you are taking SGs, right?). I generally bulk age for 3-4 weeks, in the original bucket fermenter. Then cold crash, maybe hit it with gelatin if it doesn't look clear enough, then bottle. If you bottle it still, you can drink it immediately. Result will be dry and flat. If you bottle carbonate, then prime, and give it two weeks , just like you would a beer. Result will be dry and bubbly. If you want it slightly sweet and bubbly, then I pasteurize after 3-5 days. I bottle one in a plastic soda bottle and when that is turgid, I use the cooler pasteurization method. If you want it flat and sweet, then pasteurize immediately after bottling, or hit it with both metabisulphite and sorbate to prevent further fermentation. Oh, instead of sugar, prime with a can of frozen apple juice concentrate. This will give a little extra apple flavor, in addition to the sugar.

 

[jubuttib]

Big thanks!

I am taking SGs yes, though right now I seem to have misplaced by meter...

And if I sweeten, I'll be using artificial sweeteners rather than sugar, so I assume pasteurization etc. won't be necessary?

 

[scott.campion]

If it’s cloudy or sour in particular I’d say to definitely age it, either in primary or rack it off the lees. I’m sure Jim’s method above would work very well. Personally, I just rack it off the lees and let it sit in the carboy for a few months, and I’ve found that it got crystal clear. I usually do this while there is still a small amount of activity, so haven’t worried much about headspace/contamination. But others will tell you two either rack it into a container with zero headspace, or purge it with CO2. It’s oxygen you need to worry about.

One note is that cider ages differently than beer. I’ve had batches that weren’t very good a few weeks after bottling, that I then completely forgot about, only to open them a year later and find them to be delicious. I think most people will tell you that between bulk and bottle aging you need to be giving it at least a few months, and I would encourage you to leave some longer and observe how it changes.

 

[jubuttib]

A big thanks to you as well!

I think what I'll do for now is just leave it in the primary for a couple of months, take a sample at some point and see how it goes, then bottle it for longer. At some point I need to free up the container for beer, after all. =)

 

[JimRausch]

And if I sweeten, I'll be using artificial sweeteners rather than sugar, so I assume pasteurization etc. won't be necessary?

Correct.

 

[jubuttib]

Massive thanks to the both of you.

I found my measuring equipment, and pulled a sample, certainly I've hit FG now, which is 1.000 in this case, hehe. Started at 1.044 so should be in the vicinity of 5.8%. Will let the sample cool in the fridge a bit to let some of the yeast settle, and have a taste.

 

[toadie]

I'm not sure everyone agrees with me but I think there are advantages to racking off the gross lees especially if there are a few inches of "stuff". I also think putting it into a container with minimal headspace even for short term aging is helpful, not to mention easier to rack the next time. Cheers.