First time making cider

[voltron6]

The target that I work at has pasteurized sorb ate free apple code on clearance (1.88 per half gallon after my discount). I have 2.5 gallons, and I want to make more of an apfelwein with it. How should I do this. Table sugar, brown sugar, etc to bump up gravity, heat the cider to sanitize, etc.?

 

[Leezer]

For my first (and only so far) cider I made this recipe from on this forum

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14860


Per the advice of a friend who also made it, I only used half the sugar called for because I didn't want it to be too sweet. Was very happy with the results and plan to make another batch soon. A lot of good info in that thread too.

 

[voltron6]

I used the 2.5 gallons, 5 oz corn sugar, and a packet ode Côte des Blanc yeast... We'll see!

 

[Furore]

My go to recipe is 5 gallons of cheap generic apple juice from the supermarket, 2lbs of light brown sugar, a few tablespoons of yeast nutrient, and 2 packets of red star cuvee wine yeast (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011DR7II/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)

Let it sit for a few weeks then rack it off the yeast into secondary and let it sit for another month minimum. Its drinkable after 2 months, but it only gets better with age.

so i think you could get away with halving that recipe and you'd be fine.

Also this clocks in consistently at ~8.5% and its nice and dry.

Have fun!

 

[voltron6]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459149875.882047.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459149900.659354.jpg

 

[Paps]

If and when you get around to racking it to secondary,
I suggest you put it into smaller glass jugs. (2 or 3 of them)
Without going into too much detail, you don't want any headspace in secondary because of oxygen exposure. (oxydation itself and the bugs that can infect your brew love oxygen rich environments.)

At under 2 bux a gallon....you really should do full sized batches.
Give some bottles away for Christmas if that's more cider than you can drink or just let some age. They say cider gets amazing at the 2 year mark.
(I've yet to be that patient with it myself....perhaps I need to make more cider.)

 

[voltron6]

I have some 1 gallon jugs for secondary. When should I transfer?

 

[Paps]

That depends on a few factors such as if you are wanting a dry or sparkling product. without adding anymore sugar or not.ect.ect.ect.

If you do not allready have one...Buy a HYDROMETER and use it.
When it reads .999 or 1.000 it's fermented out to "dry"
If you are trying to do this without a hydrometer wait at least a month after pitching the yeast (foolproof method)

Welcome to the hobby.

 

[voltron6]

Okay. I have a hydrometer for use with my brewing stuff (OG on this is 1.056)

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I used the 2.5 gallons, 5 oz corn sugar, and a packet ode Côte des Blanc yeast... We'll see!

Are you planning more sugar additions? 5 oz for 2.5 juice doesn't seem like it will bump the ABV by much.

 

[voltron6]

It should hit about 7.5%, which is perfect. I'm going to package in wine bottles, so 7.5 won't be too high if I make the only one drinking it. And if it's not high enough, there's always next time