Orerockon
Active Member
So I'm on probably my 7th batch of cider (after I started writing it down, probably really the 10th). I've cobbled together and fine tuned recipes over the years to my tastes (moderately high alcohol, perhaps technically Apfelwein), absolutely bone dry finish. This is what I did/plan to do this year, questions are at the end.
375 lbs. apples from our little orchard (Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Crispin, Jonagold, Fuji, Yellow Delicious, Gala, Ashmead, light on the dessert apples, I just use them to fill out the batch if I don't have enough tarts) = 24 gallons, started in 4 buckets, will transfer to carboys.
6 Campden tablets for 24 hrs, with 4.5 tsp. pectic enzyme.
Starter: WLP775, 2 c. water, 1 tbl. sugar, Goferm) for 24 hours while the Campdens do their work.
With starter @ 24 hrs.:
5 tsp. acid blend
1.5 tsp. wine tannin
3 tsp. Fermax
3 lbs. 6 oz. corn sugar to kick the OG up to about 1.06, shooting for 8-9% ABV. My OG has always been right around 1.04, and it's always finished around .992-.994
(It's at day 8 right now)
Rack off into carboys when fizzing stops (also the airlocks are bubbling very slowly), add malolactic culture WLP675. I've racked off at various points over the years and I've settled on this, I know there are a zillion opinions out there lol. This usually is around day 15.
Bottle about a month in, after it looks like nothing is happening.
So my questions are: The fermentation tends to peak around day 5-7, this time the airlock on one got clogged and it shot the lid a couple feet into the air. Is this a bad thing? I don't think it affected the final product in the end when it does happen. I used to use MO2 but they go hard and finish fast, the 775 seems a little slower & less energetic.
Racking off to the final, I've done it at various stages, is there a standard time or stage to do it? I've done 2 rackings, first off the lees back into the buckets then into the carboys after MLB looks like it's done, or 1 racking straight into the carboys. Is there any advantage to racking it off twice? I rack my melomels twice, only because that's how I learned to do it.
What do you think about when to add the MLB? I've done it at various stages in the past, after 80% sugar depletion, after fermentation is completely finished, whenever I rack it off the buckets. Last year I added it when I racked off and I liked the results. Is there a rule of thumb for this?
BTW being a reformed brewer I think dry hopped cider is out of this world but I'm too chicken to do more than 1 carboy
375 lbs. apples from our little orchard (Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Crispin, Jonagold, Fuji, Yellow Delicious, Gala, Ashmead, light on the dessert apples, I just use them to fill out the batch if I don't have enough tarts) = 24 gallons, started in 4 buckets, will transfer to carboys.
6 Campden tablets for 24 hrs, with 4.5 tsp. pectic enzyme.
Starter: WLP775, 2 c. water, 1 tbl. sugar, Goferm) for 24 hours while the Campdens do their work.
With starter @ 24 hrs.:
5 tsp. acid blend
1.5 tsp. wine tannin
3 tsp. Fermax
3 lbs. 6 oz. corn sugar to kick the OG up to about 1.06, shooting for 8-9% ABV. My OG has always been right around 1.04, and it's always finished around .992-.994
(It's at day 8 right now)
Rack off into carboys when fizzing stops (also the airlocks are bubbling very slowly), add malolactic culture WLP675. I've racked off at various points over the years and I've settled on this, I know there are a zillion opinions out there lol. This usually is around day 15.
Bottle about a month in, after it looks like nothing is happening.
So my questions are: The fermentation tends to peak around day 5-7, this time the airlock on one got clogged and it shot the lid a couple feet into the air. Is this a bad thing? I don't think it affected the final product in the end when it does happen. I used to use MO2 but they go hard and finish fast, the 775 seems a little slower & less energetic.
Racking off to the final, I've done it at various stages, is there a standard time or stage to do it? I've done 2 rackings, first off the lees back into the buckets then into the carboys after MLB looks like it's done, or 1 racking straight into the carboys. Is there any advantage to racking it off twice? I rack my melomels twice, only because that's how I learned to do it.
What do you think about when to add the MLB? I've done it at various stages in the past, after 80% sugar depletion, after fermentation is completely finished, whenever I rack it off the buckets. Last year I added it when I racked off and I liked the results. Is there a rule of thumb for this?
BTW being a reformed brewer I think dry hopped cider is out of this world but I'm too chicken to do more than 1 carboy
