First timer, so go easy on me.

[JPS357]

Hi Gang,

First timer here. Tons of good info on this forum. Maybe too much. Hoping to get a little advice. I started with two one-gallon glass organic apple juice. Threw in a crushed campden tablet to each and waited 48 hours. I had a specific gravity of 1.050. I reserved and froze 1 cup of apple juice from each gallon. I added 1/4 cup of sugar to one and no sugar to the other (just to see what happens). added a packet of 1118 yeast and it’s just abour done frementing (air locks/bubblers/etc).

I plan to add the reserved juice and bottle in a few days. I won’t bother clarifying it. I guessed at an abv of 6.5 in one and 7.5 in the other? I do prefer dryto sweet, but I wouldn’t mind having some sweet in the next batch.

Any thoughts, advice, expectations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CKuhns]

Looks god to me. Check the SG prior to bottling. If not at 1.000 adjust your bottling / priming sugars accordingly. Typically i add .003 to .004 gravity points to prime to about 2.3 to 3 volumes of CO2 from 1.000. If too cloudy when bottling will cause a lot of sediment after some time conditioning. Nothing to be concerned about just be aware when pouring it up.

 

[JPS357]

Hi Gang,
So, I bottled my first batch, and was planning to cold shock it in the fridge. Turns out it doesn't all fit. The fridge is small, I didn't make that much.

I added back about 3/4c of apple juice to each gallon to try to fizz it up before bottling and used swing-top bottles. Can I let those bottles sit outside the fridge or do they need to be refrigerated from here on out?

Thank you

 

[madscientist451]

Next time, if you want carbonated cider, try the sugar cube method. One Domino dot for each bottle.
Did you taste it before bottling?
I usually age my cider for at least 4 months but I know some people start drinking it right away.

 

[teddyearp]

Hi Gang,
So, I bottled my first batch, and was planning to cold shock it in the fridge. Turns out it doesn't all fit. The fridge is small, I didn't make that much.

I added back about 3/4c of apple juice to each gallon to try to fizz it up before bottling and used swing-top bottles. Can I let those bottles sit outside the fridge or do they need to be refrigerated from here on out?

Thank you

Adding back the 3/4 cup of juice and putting it into swing tops is just what most do to get some fizz. A lot of folks here also use one used plastic soda bottle and leave them all a room temp for about a week or so until the plastic bottle is real firm to judge 'fizz'. A couple of us have gone further and mounted a pressure gauge in the lid of the plastic bottle to get precise. I do and let it get to about 35 psi and then I'll put them all in the fridge.

If you just put them into the fridge, it will take forever if at all to build carbonation.

Good luck