Hello all, first time cider brewer here. I just wanted to run my plan by some experienced cider brewers. I plan on kegging to a 15.5 gallon Sankey Keg in the end so its compatable with my system. I will be fermenting about 17 gallons of my local orchards cider. They actually set aside a day to press a different mix for hard cider brewers. Not sure of the dominant local wild yeast at the mill, so was going to campden at 1 tab per gal. and add 1/4 tsp. per 5 gallons of Wyeast nutrient blend to the juice the day before pitching Nottinghams. I wanted to shoot for an original sg of 1.055 or so to get around a 7% hard cider. So, depending on the juice, I may or may not have to adjust the sugar accordingly.
After pitching, run these carboys out at around 60-64 degrees (basement temp.) until primary slows considerably or a sg of around 1.000 is obtained. About how long for primary with this yeast/temp/OG? Anyone have similiar starting setup?
After primary, can I rack to the keg, add potassium sorbate (1/2 tsp per gallon) and campden (1 tab per gallon) and wait 5 or so days for it to dissipate, then back-sweeten with frozen cider concentrate to 1.015 for semi-dry, and leave the keg for three to four months at 60-64 degrees, then chill and force carb? Or should I rack to carboys every couple months discarding any lees and bulk age in the carboys, only backsweetening before I keg and carb.?
Also, should I attempt malolactic ferm.? Is it worth it? Should this occur naturally in cider, or do I have to add the culture? I know i would have to omit the campden and potassium sorbate until later, before any possible backsweetening.
Thanks in advance, just dont want to go in blind or make adjustments/decisions on the fly.
After pitching, run these carboys out at around 60-64 degrees (basement temp.) until primary slows considerably or a sg of around 1.000 is obtained. About how long for primary with this yeast/temp/OG? Anyone have similiar starting setup?
After primary, can I rack to the keg, add potassium sorbate (1/2 tsp per gallon) and campden (1 tab per gallon) and wait 5 or so days for it to dissipate, then back-sweeten with frozen cider concentrate to 1.015 for semi-dry, and leave the keg for three to four months at 60-64 degrees, then chill and force carb? Or should I rack to carboys every couple months discarding any lees and bulk age in the carboys, only backsweetening before I keg and carb.?
Also, should I attempt malolactic ferm.? Is it worth it? Should this occur naturally in cider, or do I have to add the culture? I know i would have to omit the campden and potassium sorbate until later, before any possible backsweetening.
Thanks in advance, just dont want to go in blind or make adjustments/decisions on the fly.