New to Cider, Just a Few Questions

[jguy898]

Hey guys, I've been over on the Mead forum for a little while and I'm interested in making a cider, but I'm still just a little unsure about a few things.

My plan is to use 5 gallons of Martinelli's apple juice, Hightest's SNA and Safale S04. I will then rack And cold crash it once it reaches about 1.01.

Does that sound about right to all those with some greater experience?

Thanks!,
Jonas

 

[oldmate]

I find that my cider doesn't need nutrient additions or aeration, I usually pitch the yeast and let it ride. I've only ever had to add nutrient once to a blackcurrant cider because it was getting a funky sulphur smell. Then again, I have heard some smelly things about S-04.

It sounds about right to me, are you planning on making this sparkling or still?

 

[jguy898]

I never really thought about it, but I would probably like it to be sparkling, and still sweet (like 1.005 - 1.01). How would you go about doing this?

 

[edmanster]

are you bottling or kegging?

 

[jguy898]

Bottling.
I have Beer style bottles with metal caps, Wine bottles with corks, and champagne bottles.

 

[oldmate]

Have a look at the pasteurisation sticky at the top of the forum, it will explain how to make a sweet, sparkling bottle carbed cider. It's a fairly simple process if followed correctly!

 

[jguy898]

Alright thanks guys! I'm going to start a batch as soon as my Basswood mead is out of primary.

Jonas

 

[Pappers_]

Also check out www.makinghardcider.com, its a great resource for the beginning cider maker.

 

[edmanster]

well i know there are a lot of people on here that could help better than me but this is how i do it.. 1 cup table sugar per gallon of unpastureized apple cider(pectin still in there). i make a simple syrup with it. 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar boiled. fill my carboy with the cider and sugar and add 5 crushed cambden tablets and let it sit for 24 hrs. i use 2 packets hydrated lavlin EC-1118 champagne yeas to ferment it out dry. mine goes down to .998 on gravity but that was before the refractometer.. it will clear with alot of time and coldcrashing but i use pectic enzyme.. i then backsweeten to taste with some splenda(alcohol sugar). i do this with 3oz cups and a gram scale. then add 1 to 1.25 cup dextrose to bottle with.. champagne bottles are the best because they can handle the pressure..