How do I know when my cider is done? And what to do?

[BadgerBrigade]

After only about four days my airlock has slowed down to about three seconds in between bubbles.... I'm making cider (5 gallons, and I put 5 cups of brown sugar in)... A few folks on here already know I freaked out when I had a violent fermentation and had a lot of stuff coming out of my airlock (night 3).. I am very new & this is my first batch so I didn't know that was something that could happen. And thought maybe I did something wrong..
Should let this ferment for 2 to 3 weeks? correct?
But it seems to be bubbling so slow... can someone tell me the bubbling pattern and what this will look like in a week (bubble wize)... and then what it will look like in two weeks... And then do I absolutely need I hydrometer to check if it's done? If so, what do I do, take the bung out and test it? I thought it wasn't good to open it? can I get it infected if I open it up and it's not done
So if it is not done do I just put the bung back in and let it sit for another week?

 

[rossi46]

A hydrometer is the only way to make sure it is done. Use a sanitized wine theif to get a sample, put sample in hydro jar and then your hydro. That being said, I usually let mine set for six weeks.

 

[DMartin]

The longer you let thins thing set the better off you'll be.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

A hydrometer is the only way to make sure it is done. Use a sanitized wine theif to get a sample, put sample in hydro jar and then your hydro. That being said, I usually let mine set for six weeks.

I'm assuming I can find tutorials on how to read one on YouTube?

 

[BadgerBrigade]

The longer you let thins thing set the better off you'll be.

Is there any such thing as too long?
If I don't have a hydrometer and I let it sit for one full month r we sure it's done...? Could it take longer? Someone around here said cider is pretty quick? is that correct?

 

[rossi46]

It will be done after a month. The longer you wait the better it will be. I ferment for six weeks, bottle, and wait at least 3 months. I recently had some that was 10 months in bottle. Good stuff.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

It will be done after a month. The longer you wait the better it will be. I ferment for six weeks, bottle, and wait at least 3 months. I recently had some that was 10 months in bottle. Good stuff.

Okay if you do six weeks I will do six weeks...
Will it slow down and stop bubbling completely when it's done?
The bubbles slow down and then stop over a duration of a few weeks? Or does it bubble for a while and then one day you wake up and look and it has just totally stopped? How does that work?

 

[brants77]

I've made lots of wines & ciders, just let it sit man. Really no such thing as to long for these (unlike beer). With wines & ciders I just bottle whenever I get around to it, last years sat in the carboy from September till March before I finally felt like bottling it. This years sat about 8 weeks. Yes the bubbles will slow. . . .then stop completely, don't worry man just let the yeasties do their thing.