Cider Cold Crash and aging.

[Eaglepilot]

I know this has probably been answered but I can't quite find the exact answer by searching.

I have three gallons that has fermented out to 1.006 with Nottingham. It has been steady for a few days at the mid 50's range. I will be leaving my house from the 21st to the 6th and I'm trying to determine what I should do with the cider. I have a few options I guess but keep in mind that there will be no one at my home for that time to check on it.

The taste is a bit tart and will need some adjustments, but I'm not worried about that as I can fix that later.

Should I 1) leave it in the fermenter at that temperature, 56 or 57 I think is what my system is set at, for the duration that I am gone.

2) Cold crash it before I leave and transfer it to another carboy or the kege to age. I live in FL so I don't have cellar temperatures or space without the use of my chest freezer. It has only been in primary for about a week so I hesitate to do that so early.

3) Cold crash it for the entire duration I am gone but allow it to remain in the primary vessel. On that note, does cold crashing for extended periods of time in the primary have any positive or negative side effects? I know from doing my beers that you typically only cold crash for a few days.

I have no problem doing anything. It's my first cider and unfortunately the time has lined up just when I'm leaving for an extended time. Knowing that ciders need some aging, I was just curious what you all thought would be the best course of action.

 

[Maylar]

I would rack it to secondary with minimal head space. Then you can leave it to age for as long as you want. If you don't have a secondary fermentor then just leave it as is.

 

[Eaglepilot]

I would rack it to secondary with minimal head space. Then you can leave it to age for as long as you want. If you don't have a secondary fermentor then just leave it as is.

That's what I figured I would do. I am by no means in a rush to finish it. Unfortunately it's in my smallest carboy excluding some 1 gallon jugs so I'll probably just leave it as is. Best as I can tell, like beer, an additional 2 weeks on the yeast shouldn't hurt it.

 

[Bellybuster]

its only been in primary a week? Leave it there.

 

[Eaglepilot]

its only been in primary a week? Leave it there.

How long do you normally leave it there? I know that they need some aging.

 

[MindenMan]

Hard cider can always use aging. One week isn't long enough in primary; is it already crystal clear?

 

[Eaglepilot]

Hard cider can always use aging. One week isn't long enough in primary; is it already crystal clear?

I just pulled it out and it's definitely not. Opaque but not clear. I'll just let it sit in the primary for the rest of the month. I have Sparkolloid and gelatin but I figure I'll wait until the secondary to use either one. I have lowered the temperature to 54 and plan to keep it there until at least January 7th when I return home.

I appreciate the help.

 

[SanPancho]

I just pulled it out and it's definitely not. Opaque but not clear. I'll just let it sit in the primary for the rest of the month. I have Sparkolloid and gelatin but I figure I'll wait until the secondary to use either one. I have lowered the temperature to 54 and plan to keep it there until at least January 7th when I return home.

I appreciate the help.

totally fine. i forgot about a cider in back of cooler once and after sitting on lager yeast for 2.5 months it was fine. granted- lager yeast cleans up after itself well at low temps, but still, over 2 months on yeast and it was fine.

 

[podz]

I just pulled it out and it's definitely not. Opaque but not clear. I'll just let it sit in the primary for the rest of the month. I have Sparkolloid and gelatin but I figure I'll wait until the secondary to use either one. I have lowered the temperature to 54 and plan to keep it there until at least January 7th when I return home.

I appreciate the help.

I ferment clear juice and it always ends up crystal clear on it's own a week after fermentation stops, but you can achieve the same with 2 days of cold crashing if you're in a hurry.

Never used spark or gel in my ciders and I can read a newspaper through them.

 

[Eaglepilot]

I have it all clear now but the problem is finishing and conditioning. It is fairly tart but my understanding is that time will help to mellow that and during the apple flavor back.

I'd like to try this over backsweetening and adding juice right away but I have problems that may be limiting.

I want to free up the fermenter to get a steam and lager going soon. I planned to keg it but only have one keg. Additionally, I need the small freezer that I have for both a fermentation chamber and keezer which means I don't have a cool place to store the cider keg or fermenter. Living in FL, my house is currently fluctuating between 70-80 depending on the weather and AC use.

Can I keg it, throw some gas on it, and let it sit at these temperatures or will it be best to sweeten in and consume it now?

It is still in the FV so there is still gunk on the bottom, and I have used sorbate.