Advice Needed

[unclesteve76]

Hello,
I am looking to create a semi-sweet, sparkling cider with an ABV of around 9%. I'm using 5 gallons of mill-pressed, unpasteurized cider and will be fermenting in an oak barrel (this is my first time using oak). I am also looking for that authentic cloudy appearance so I'm thinking of skipping secondary fermentation all together. To gain these results, how long should I let it ferment before bottling/racking? At what temperature? How much sugar/yeast should I add and when? Is there any specific kind of sugar and yeast I should be using? You can probably tell I am relatively new to cider making so the more info and specific details you can give me, the better! I truly appreciate this site! Thank you to all who reply!

 

[phug]

If you do not own any kegging equipment for force carbonating, you will need to read up on the stovetop pasteurizing thread that is stickied near the top of the page.

 

[Sandow]

If you are using unpasturized juice, you need to handle it appropriately. Adding campden and what not unless you want to spin the wheel on wild yeasts and bacteria.

As far as the yeast recommendations, there are plenty if you look around a bit. targeting 9% is going to take a decent amount of sugar and a yeast that can get that high. Notingham and Safale s-04 seem like common choices that can achieve that if pitched high.

Starting gravity around 1.07 will get you there if it goes to dry. You can adjust the sweetness to whatever you want at the end.

I wouldn't worry about it coming out cloudy. It will if you don't toss in pectinase. As for a secondary, that is up to you. You can taste it at the end of the primary and decide if you like it. Getting it off the lees has its merits but may not matter much in other cases.

-Sandow