Adding additional cider during fermentation.

[Noob51]

This is a two part question. I started a 5 gallon batch of cider with 4 gallons of cider and one gallon of apple juice, but i mistakenly only used one half gallon of apple juice., my worry is that when it comes time to rack it over to my glass carboy that there will be too much of an air void in the carboy since i fell short by a half gallon. My question is if its okay to add a half gallon of fresh cider to the carboy when I rack it over to fill the void or will i ruin it.

My 2nd question is when will I know its time to rack t over. its been fermenting now for just over a week and 11 days and I still have regular increments of bubbles coming out of the airlock about every 6 seconds. Oh yes and being a noob i forgot to take the OG reading at the beginning.

 

[Maylar]

Yes, you can do that. It'll kick the ferment up again but that's fine. You could add it now instead if you have the room. Rack when it's about 1.010.

 

[madscientist451]

Even if you start out with 5 gallons in primary, you'll have too much headspace anyway when you rack to a 5 gallon carboy because of apple solids and yeast at the bottom.
A better plan is to start off with 5.5 gallons in a 6.5 gallon beer carboy, Or do 3.5 gallons and rack to a 3 gallon carboy.
In your current situation, I'd rack to a 3 gallon carboy and some glass jugs. Just drink the remaining 1/2 gallon of fresh juice. But if you want to dump it in, its not going to hurt anything, just give the ferment some extra time to finish.

 

[bernardsmith]

And just to add to both madscientist's and Maylar's posts - counting bubbles in your airlock may be very meditative but it is really not very informative. A lack of activity in the airlock does not mean that fermentation has ended and great activity in the bubbler does not mean that the yeast is still producing CO2 (the outgassing can be caused by nucleation of dissolved gas, and the lack of activity can be the result of poor seals). The best (for most intents and purposes) indicator is your hydrometer. If you don't have one - get one. They cost about $10 and they are the only piece of equipment you really cannot do without.

 

[Noob51]

My primary is a 5.5 gallon bucket and I have a 5 gallon glass carboy. Yes I have a hydrometer I just forgot to take my OG reading. So how long should I keep it in the primary for? This Sunday will be two weeks.

 

[Noob51]

Well I've added another gallon of cider and when I opened the primary tank I noticed the raisins were floating. Is this to be expected? also I wanted to pull a sample of the cider to measure with the hydrometer. is it okay for me to open up the spout at the bottom to retrieve the sample or will it introduce air to the mixture and possibly contaminants.

 

[Maylar]

It'll be fine.

 

[MarkKF]

My only fear with opening the spigot is how to sanitize it before using it again later.

 

[Noob51]

Not sure I would worry about the spigot because once I rack it over to the secondary fermentation tank I will be thoroughly cleaning the primary.

 

[MarkKF]

I was speaking about taking a sample. Then a week or a month later using the same spigot to transfer to the secondary vessel.

 

[Noob51]

well I took a sample and this was my reading

 

[Noob51]

First sample with hydrometer two weeks in primary tank.