I've brewed beer for a while, but this is my first batch of cider. How long should cider be aged, and at what temperature?
The story so far: 3.5 gallons of Whole Foods orchard style (very cloudy) cider, pour into a Catalyst conical fermenter, add a bit of pectic enzyme, then wait a day before oxygen wand and pitch one package of Brewers Best Cider House Select yeast. OG 1.054, no sugar added. Fermentation starts very slowly at ~68F - move to Fermentation Chamber at about 62F and ride the SG down to 1.008, then cold crash at 34F for roughly three weeks. Cider is quite a bit lighter in color than it was originally, but no one would describe it as clear.
I transferred just under three gallons to a three gallon keg on Sunday afternoon and purged the oxygen.
So, now what do I do? How long should I age the cider? At what temperature? I probably won't brew anything for at least the next two months, so the FC is available if temperature control is needed. I am willing to be patient with this if patience will improve the final product.
The story so far: 3.5 gallons of Whole Foods orchard style (very cloudy) cider, pour into a Catalyst conical fermenter, add a bit of pectic enzyme, then wait a day before oxygen wand and pitch one package of Brewers Best Cider House Select yeast. OG 1.054, no sugar added. Fermentation starts very slowly at ~68F - move to Fermentation Chamber at about 62F and ride the SG down to 1.008, then cold crash at 34F for roughly three weeks. Cider is quite a bit lighter in color than it was originally, but no one would describe it as clear.
I transferred just under three gallons to a three gallon keg on Sunday afternoon and purged the oxygen.
So, now what do I do? How long should I age the cider? At what temperature? I probably won't brew anything for at least the next two months, so the FC is available if temperature control is needed. I am willing to be patient with this if patience will improve the final product.