New to cider, any tips?

[SoEasy11]

Here is what I got:

3 gallons of Trader Joe's McIntosh Apple Juice (filtered + no added Vit. C)
1 1/2 lbs of organic brown sugar
1 packet Safale-04
3 tsp. of yeast nutrients

Any simple suggestions?

 

[Descender]

stagger the nutrients over a week.

 

[caseymac91]

Apple juice alone will make a cider of 5-6% abv. Starting with that much brown sugar will make apple wine, unless fermentation is stopped early.

 

[LandoAllen]

Try adding some pectin enzyme added into primary before adding yeast if you want it a little more clear.

And as mentioned before, adding the brown sugar will increase your specific gravity and will make it taste more wine-like and will cause you to want to age it longer to bring the apple taste back around. So if you want a lower ABV and be able to drink it a little sooner I suggest skipping the brown sugar and maybe using that to back-sweeten with.

Good choice of yeast.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

the yeast doesn't like it hot ... 68*f is ideal.