Need Help

[oregoncidermaker]

its been two weeks since i started my cider.

5 gallons apple cider
3lbs HOney
3lbs Brown sugar
2 packets champagne yeast

Didn't have a hydrometer when i started but i have one now. Just took a reading cuz my airlock slowed way down and foam on top went away. sg is 1.001 is this stuff ready to rack over, or bottle ?

I'm completely new to brewing

 

[Yooper]

If it was only started two weeks ago, I'd probably wait at least another two weeks before doing anything at all. It might be close to done, but it probably still has a ways to go. It could ferment all the way down to .990 or so, depending on what the OG was. I'd leave it alone and check it in two weeks or so.

 

[Tusch]

Well it is definitely not ready to bottle. It is getting close to being complete in fermentation, and possibly already is. But you never want to bottle it until it is crystal clear, as in you can read a newspaper through the carboy (If you are using a carboy).

The choice to rack over or let it age and clear in the container it is in now is up to you. If you haven't racked it yet, I would personally choose to do so. Add 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon to it when racking to ward off the risk of oxidation.

By racking you are getting it off the gross lees, which is all the sediment and dead yeast cells at the bottom. Be careful when you rack and try to get as little, if any, of the sediment as possible. Cider really tastes different when it is young, harsher. So I would suggest you leave it alone to clear at bear minimum, and after that however long your patience will allow, because the longer you wait, I guarantee the better your brew will be. Good luck and welcome to HBT. Oh and give me a min and I can estimate your OG for you so you can get an idea of the abv.

*Edit: If you added a full 5 gallons to the 6lbs of sugar, you should have an OG of about 1.088, which gives your 11.4% alcohol already and as yooper explained you could potentially gain another 1-1.5% alcohol by volume depending on how dry it goes. This is going to take some aging for sure, because that is more apple wine territory than cider at this point.

 

[oregoncidermaker]

Well it is definitely not ready to bottle. It is getting close to being complete in fermentation, and possibly already is. But you never want to bottle it until it is crystal clear, as in you can read a newspaper through the carboy (If you are using a carboy).

The choice to rack over or let it age and clear in the container it is in now is up to you. If you haven't racked it yet, I would personally choose to do so. Add 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon to it when racking to ward off the risk of oxidation.

By racking you are getting it off the gross lees, which is all the sediment and dead yeast cells at the bottom. Be careful when you rack and try to get as little, if any, of the sediment as possible. Cider really tastes different when it is young, harsher. So I would suggest you leave it alone to clear at bear minimum, and after that however long your patience will allow, because the longer you wait, I guarantee the better your brew will be. Good luck and welcome to HBT. Oh and give me a min and I can estimate your OG for you so you can get an idea of the abv.

Thanks for the help. I really like this website. And so far I'm happy with my cider : ) I dont have any campden tablets. Where do you get them ?
Clayton

 

[Tusch]

You can get them at any homebrew store, some wine stores, some large or specialty grocery stores and from any number of online homebrew suppliers. Oh and check my edit in my last post about your abv so far.