Easy hard ciders, 2 different yeasts, advice requested.

[LittleWings]

I have started two easy hard ciders using organic pressed apple juice from Sprouts.

Ingredients in each:
Approximately one gallon sprouts apple juice
one cup fresh apple juice
1 cup of sugar
and a pinch of nutrients

The only difference is one has: SAFE ALE US-05, one has LALVIN EC-1118.

The SA-US-05 one is great, the EC 1118 is sour and has a slight chemical taste...

I have racked both into secondary and I am wondering when the EC 1118 is going to be drinkable or if I should campden tab it and back sweeten.
Any other advice is very much appreciated.

Currently I have:
13 gallons of mead in secondary
2 gallons of prickly pear melomel in secondary
1 gallon cyser in secondary
2 gallons Cider in secondary

 

[WVMJ]

EC is a hungry beast, your SG was how high? You probably havent come close to its alcohol tolerance yet. Might want to let it clear fully and rack, you would probably want to use sorbate as well as camden to prevent it from refermenting. WVMJ

 

[chevalcider]

I used EC 1118 on fresh pressed juice last fall. It was sour with a chemical taste at first. Instant heart burn. I bottled 2 bottles still. Tested one a few months in. Threw it out. Saw the second bottle on the shelf when I was getting this year's ferment going. Pulled out the cork and sampled. Wow! If you want to enjoy the cider from the 1118 wait a year. You will not regret waiting. Leave it in secondary for as long as you can justify and then bottle. I bottled some sparkling and backsweetened (see stovetop pasteurization thread) and enjoyed it at the time but it just keeps getting better with age!

 

[LittleWings]

Unfortunately I didn't take the starting gravity... I usually take the SG and fastidiously keep track of everything with my mead. With the cider I thought it would be easier- I will definitely keep those records for next time. Thank you for your advice WVMJ!

 

[LittleWings]

That makes me feel a lot better. I might try to add more sugars and do a longer ferment, I am pretty patient... I can leave it in secondary. Thank you Chavalcider!