First batch of cider - question

[eb314]

I just put together my first batch of cider - I used apple cider (no preservatives), brown sugar and Red Star champagne yeast. I've got it in a small .5 gallon glass jug.

The initial gravity was 1.060, which should put me right around 8% abv? I'm worried about it being too dry, so I thought about stopping fermentation at around 1.014, which would be about 6% abv if I'm correct.

How can I stop fermentation with this yeast? Will cold crashing work? Or should I just let it finish fermenting and back sweeten. I'd like some of your input

 

[frydogbrews]

safest way is to let it finish and backsweeten if you want to bottle. you might be suprised in the residual sweetness that brown sugar can offer. i like them bone dry and quit using brown sugar altogether because even dried down to .995, you can still taste some residual sweetness because of the brown sugar. if you do backsweeten, i would suggest honey. ]
sulfites have a hard time fully stopping champagne yeast, might be fine for 6 months, then *boom*!

 

[eb314]

I will probably just let it go then. Thanks for the info.

 

[frydogbrews]

and next time make a waaaaaay bigger batch!!!! cider is delicious and crazy easy.

 

[Pappers_]

Hi Eb, read through www.makinghardcider.com for a great introduction to cider making and how to make semidry sparkling cider.