jed2009
Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2014
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 4
Hey everyone! This is my first post here and I have been lurking for a while. I have never done any home brewing but I am going to start up. It looks like a simple introduction would be something like a Hard Cider. So, over the past couple days, I've purchased what I believe to be everything I should need to make my first go-round of Cider, and hopefully go from there. I would like to aim for the 10% range ABV.
Here's my equipment list so far:
5 Gal Food Safe Bucket - $4
5 Gal Bucket Gamma Lid - $6
2x Airlocks w/ Bungs - $6
6x Grommets ⅜ hole - $7
3x Red Star Champagne Yeast - $2.25
1 Auto Siphon 3/8 - $10
5x 1 Ft 5/16 Hose - $3 (.59/ft)
1 Hydrometer - $6
4 oz Yeast Nutrient - $3
For sanitation, I've read somewhere that this will work:
1 Oz Bleach, 5 Gal Water, 1 Oz White Vinegar = Sanitation; 30 sec contact
This is apparently a no-rinse sanitizer, but I don't know about it. Let me know if it should work, or else I can get something real.
Here's my ingredients list for my first batch:
3.5 Gal (Pasteurized?) Natural Cider/Juice
1# Brown Sugar
1# White Cane Sugar
1 8 Oz Can 100% Apple Concentrate
1 5g Packet Red Star Champagne Yeast
.5 TBS Yeast Nutrient
Here's how I am supposing the order will go!
1. Sanitize everything.
2. Dump (slowly) 3.5 Gal Juice/Cider into my 5 Gal bucket.
3. Dump both sugars and concentrate into the mix slowly.
4. Insert the .5 TBS Nutrient.
5. Insert hydrometer into the bucket and take reading.
6. Dump the 5g Champagne Yeast packet into the brew.
7. (Should I stir everything here? Or stir before I insert yeast?)
8. Apply Gamma Seal lid w/ Grommet.
9. Insert airlock and fill 1/3 with water/liqour.
10. Apply airlock cap.
11. Let it sit in a ~65* temperature room for 2-3 weeks.
--- This is where it gets shaky for me...
12. After 2-3 weeks, take jug and move it to tabletop.
13. Get an empty *SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICE I don't have*, sanitize, and use Auto-Siphon to transfer concoction.
14. Place lid on secondary storage device, and let sit.
15. Empty first bucket, clean, let sit for next use.
So, I think I've basically got it down. However, I have heard that letting your brew sit with a lot of extra space (say if my other storage device is a 5 gal bucket as well), it will ruin it. My initial plan was to get a 1 gallon growler and fill it as needed with the siphon from the secondary bucket, which would require 3 to 4 lid-openings, as well as adding more extra "space" each time I empty a gallon. I don't really know what to do here, so any advice would be lovely.
Other than that, feel free to point out anything I've missed or you think a beginner would need to hear. I am not in any rush. I'm doing it to hopefully get into a new hobby. I want to do everything right, have fun, and hopefully turn out some cheap booze with a decent flavor and strong kick.
Cheers!
Here's my equipment list so far:
5 Gal Food Safe Bucket - $4
5 Gal Bucket Gamma Lid - $6
2x Airlocks w/ Bungs - $6
6x Grommets ⅜ hole - $7
3x Red Star Champagne Yeast - $2.25
1 Auto Siphon 3/8 - $10
5x 1 Ft 5/16 Hose - $3 (.59/ft)
1 Hydrometer - $6
4 oz Yeast Nutrient - $3
For sanitation, I've read somewhere that this will work:
1 Oz Bleach, 5 Gal Water, 1 Oz White Vinegar = Sanitation; 30 sec contact
This is apparently a no-rinse sanitizer, but I don't know about it. Let me know if it should work, or else I can get something real.
Here's my ingredients list for my first batch:
3.5 Gal (Pasteurized?) Natural Cider/Juice
1# Brown Sugar
1# White Cane Sugar
1 8 Oz Can 100% Apple Concentrate
1 5g Packet Red Star Champagne Yeast
.5 TBS Yeast Nutrient
Here's how I am supposing the order will go!
1. Sanitize everything.
2. Dump (slowly) 3.5 Gal Juice/Cider into my 5 Gal bucket.
3. Dump both sugars and concentrate into the mix slowly.
4. Insert the .5 TBS Nutrient.
5. Insert hydrometer into the bucket and take reading.
6. Dump the 5g Champagne Yeast packet into the brew.
7. (Should I stir everything here? Or stir before I insert yeast?)
8. Apply Gamma Seal lid w/ Grommet.
9. Insert airlock and fill 1/3 with water/liqour.
10. Apply airlock cap.
11. Let it sit in a ~65* temperature room for 2-3 weeks.
--- This is where it gets shaky for me...
12. After 2-3 weeks, take jug and move it to tabletop.
13. Get an empty *SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICE I don't have*, sanitize, and use Auto-Siphon to transfer concoction.
14. Place lid on secondary storage device, and let sit.
15. Empty first bucket, clean, let sit for next use.
So, I think I've basically got it down. However, I have heard that letting your brew sit with a lot of extra space (say if my other storage device is a 5 gal bucket as well), it will ruin it. My initial plan was to get a 1 gallon growler and fill it as needed with the siphon from the secondary bucket, which would require 3 to 4 lid-openings, as well as adding more extra "space" each time I empty a gallon. I don't really know what to do here, so any advice would be lovely.
Other than that, feel free to point out anything I've missed or you think a beginner would need to hear. I am not in any rush. I'm doing it to hopefully get into a new hobby. I want to do everything right, have fun, and hopefully turn out some cheap booze with a decent flavor and strong kick.
Cheers!