First cider underway

[Kiwi-brew]

Have finally got my first brew underway. 11 litres of store bought organic apple and pear juice (90/10%) and two cups of homemade rhubarb juice fermented with Mangrove Jack M02 cider yeast, SG 1.078. Have slowly been gathering the pieces and have found the time to get it all going during xmas holidays. Not expecting big things for my first attempt but hopefully it's drinkable.

Here's a picture, had 12 hours at room temp (20deg C) to get the fermentation going, and has spent the last 12 hours at 12deg. Still slowly bubbling away.

View attachment 1483736844368.jpg

 

[buMbLeB]

I dunno, sounds good so far, I have pretty high hopes!

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Well thanks for the vote of confidence!

 

[Maylar]

Be aware that when the fermentation stops you will have to deal with the headspace (oxygen) in that carboy, or suffer possible infections. Take a cue from this guy

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=598285

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Thanks Maylar. I have a scondary that holds 8 litres and plan on moving it to that for a few months once primary is complete.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

I was a bit worried that my fermentation had stopped. After 36 hours the foam had gone and there was only the odd large bubble floating on the surface. Glad I gave it a bit longer though as I checked this morning and its bubbling away quite quickly around 13deg C. Dropped it back to 12 deg (like that will make a big difference), the lowest temperature suggested on the yeast packet. Guessing this will take a few weeks to ferment dry at the lower temperature right?

View attachment 1483998401442.jpg

 

[buMbLeB]

Dropped it back to 12 deg (like that will make a big difference), the lowest temperature suggested on the yeast packet. Guessing this will take a few weeks to ferment dry at the lower temperature right?

I think that sounds right, depending on how dry you want it. At somewhat warmer temps I can get to 1.000 in maybe 10 days or so, but right now it's winter in bizzaro New Zealand (Canada) so my current batch has been over a week and is somewhere around 1.030 (from 1.080). I normally pull it just above 1 for a dry cider, but when making apple wine I let it go as far as possible, which is always 0.994-2, and that can take 2 months or so.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

The best advice I can give you is once its done and bottled let it condition a long time. Like..months at least the longer it sits the better it gets. So if you don't like it after 2 or 3 weeks just know this.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

I'm a let it go dry all the way. Hoping the 10% pear juice I used will help it retain a little sweetness. Aiming for about 9-10% abv.

Plan on aging for at least 3 months in secondary, then bottle conditioning in champagne bottles.

Do you guys add anything when racking and bottling to prevent oxidation? I'm trying to keep additives to a minimum but don't want it spoiling.

 

[buMbLeB]

I don't add anything, mostly because my Dad may be allergic to sulf*s. All good so far, but nothing's lasted even a year*.

*EDIT - for clarity, it doesn't last because we drink it too fast, not because it ever went bad.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Thanks buMbLeB. I'll probably only end up with about 12 bottles. Once I give a few away to close friends or family i doubt the rest will last 6 months. I will omit the sulfites this batch. May consider if I have a larger batch or intend on aging longer in the futre.

 

[bernardsmith]

Not sure I understand your timing. The active fermentation will be just about over when the gravity drops to about 1.005 and that might take 10 days to two weeks or so, but suggest that you intend to keep the cider in this primary with an enormous amount of headroom for several months. Once the yeast stops producing CO2 that headroom will become mixed with O2 and the O2 will react with the alcohol and if there are acetobacter around you will end up with vinegar. Bottom line - ignore bubbles, focus on the specific gravity and create a time table based on the activity of the yeast and not your calendar.

As to your point about the pear juice providing some sweetness, I doubt it. I suspect that the yeast will chew right through the sugars in the juice. There are only two possibilities for the pear juice to provide residual sweetness - a) the total sugar content of your fermentation exceeds the yeast's tolerance for alcohol and so the yeast die of alcohol poisoning before all the sugar is fermented and b) you remove the yeast or inhibit its continued fermentation either through filtration or by adding K-meta and K-sorbate and then add sweetener.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Thanks for the advice bernardsmith.

I was using the bubbles as a visual reference that the fermentation was still active. It will be going into a secondary once fermentation nears the end, a carboy with little/no headroom. Thought I already mentioned that. Also, pears contain sorbitol which yeast won't ferment to alcohol, but I dont really expect the levels to be high enough to have any real noticeable impact on the sweetness. But only time will tell.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Checked on the cider today and the foam had disappeared. Pulled a sample and it came in at 1.008. Going to cool it for 24 hours to hopefully try and clear it a bit before racking into secondary.

Tastes quite sour and dry at the moment. Oak hasn't overpowered it. Almost like a bad chardonnay.

 

[Kiwi-brew]

Cider went flat in a matter if minutes. It's been bottled and conditioning for 3 weeks and was nice and fizzy when I popped the top. It was slowly foaming for about 5 minutes, had to hold my thumb over the top to avoid it spilling all over my bench. However it was still fizzy when I poured it and had the cirst few tastes, moments later though it was flat. Maybe it wasn't chilled enough before opening?

 

[Drewed]

Almost sounds like it is slight over carbonated. Chilling can help this some.