New cider maker on deck

[Ripley19]

I have 3 - 1 gallon batches fermenting now, the first I used a Brooklyn Brew Shop hard cider kit. I used Trader Joe’s unfiltered honeycrisp cider and light brown sugar. The 2nd batch is uv pasteurized local Apple cider, organic pear juice and light brown sugar. The 3rd batch which I started tonight is Opal Apple cider blend and I used some apple juice concentrate. Yeasts: 1st - Red Star Premier Cuvée, 2nd - Lalvin EC - 1118 and 3rd - Lalvin D47.

 

[Ripley19]

I just racked my honey crisp hard cider today, it spent 5 Days in primary and was at 1.004 SG. I topped it with some apple juice concentrate to fill up some of the headspace.

 

[bmd2k1]

Are u using gal glass carboys for primary? Secondary?

I've been contemplating using the 1gal plastic AJ containers w/airlocks for secondary & additives (cinnamon, tart cherry concentrate etc)

Curious if anyone does that? Any drawbacks?

 

[Ripley19]

Yes I’m using 1 gallon glass jugs/carboys for primary and secondary. I topped the secondary off with apple juice concentrate to reduce the headspace. I do have a 6.5 & 5 gallon glass carboys I want more practice before I do that though.

 

[Nebraskan]

Adding apple concentrate when there is still yeast will encourage more fermentation, unless you added K-Sorbate to it (200 ppm or so).

Always use some SO2. Potassium Metabisulfite aka campden tablets. Usually about 40 to 50 ppm.
Just gas the headspace (soda stream works great).

Use of brown sugar add molasses to your cider. You knew that? Most of the time, little sugar is used, and only if the apple juice is really deficient in sugar. It should be around 12 to 13 brix when starting.

Your yeast choices are good. The Premier Cuve' PDM is the best one of the 3. EC-1118 is the same as Cotes d' Blanc aka Epernay II yeast (EP2). PDM is a S. bayannus strain and a lot stronger kinetics than the EP2.

We use DV-10 yeast for our ciders. We have done quite a bit of them for us and others this year.

 

[Ripley19]

How long should or could a cider be in primary ferment before you get off taste from the lees? Will Premier Cuvée eat all the sugar available? Get down to 1.000 or lower?

 

[Nebraskan]

How long should or could a cider be in primary ferment before you get off taste from the lees? Will Premier Cuvée eat all the sugar available? Get down to 1.000 or lower?

PDM (Premier Cuvee should drop it to 0 brix within a few days of starting active fermentation, IF there was sufficient nutrients for the yeast to build on. So it should convert nearly all the sugar to EtOH and CO2. The sooner you rack off the lees, the better after it's finished.