New to Cider

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

annasdadhockey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
1,757
Reaction score
43
Location
Kingston, PA
I usually brew beer, but figured I'd try a cider. I bought 2 gallons of pastuerized apple cider from a local orchard, dumped in a 3 gallon carboy, aerated, and pitched a rehydrated packet of Nottingham yeast. I added 2 tsp. of Yeast nutrient (Fermax) after 3 days. It has been a week, gravity is right @ 1.000(O.G. was @ 1.054). Now what do I do? I plan on priming and bottling. It is still cloudy, and tastes a bit yeasty, but good. Any thoughts on what comes next? Options?
 
If you haven't already, transfer it to an appropriate sized carboy for secondary. It may still drop a little lower in SG, though with nottingham it may be done. You want this in a container (or 2 1 gals) that minimizes the headspace in the carboy. Let it sit there and age at least until it is crystal clear, as in clear enough to read a newspaper through. Then bottle from there, using the standard 1 oz of priming sugar per gallon to carbonate.
 
Not that I'm in any hurry to drink it, but about how long after racking would it take to clear? I know, I know, it depends on the cider, and yeast, and temperature, and about 100 other factors, but ballpark? 2-3 months? I assume that mid 60's temp would be fine to store in.
 
temp's good, I'd guess about a month to clear. The longer you let it age though, the smoother and better it should be. But having said that, there are more people on here recently that prefer young cider, to harsh and green for me.
 
Thanks, Tusch...unfortunately for me, I don't have a 2 gallon bottle to secondary in(minimizing head space). My cider is still getting about 2 bubbles/minute through the airlock. If I racked into another 3 gallon carboy, do you think that activity would be enough to produce an adequate CO2 layer? otherwise, maybe I should put it back in the original 2 "milk jugs" it came in. Whaddya think?
 
I only use plastic if it has a #1 recycling code, so check that out if you explore that option. If you go to another 3 gal, you should purge the carboy with co2, that way the cider is protected by a blanket of co2, regardless of if it produces enough on its own. You can get co2 by using a wine saver co2 cartridge, you can buy those at wine stores, a paintball tank, or even dry ice if you are careful about the temperature and you don't actually put the dry ice in, just let it sublimate into the carboy from a water bottle or something.
 
I have a keg setup in my basement that is currently empty, so I think the CO2 purge is the way to go. Thanks again fo your help, Tusch.:mug: Just pretend those mugs are filled with cider. :D
 
Not that I'm in any hurry to drink it, but about how long after racking would it take to clear? I know, I know, it depends on the cider, and yeast, and temperature, and about 100 other factors, but ballpark? 2-3 months? I assume that mid 60's temp would be fine to store in.


it's "drinkable" now...

but aging it will only improve the flavors. I usually start drinking my ciders about 3 weeks after I bottle them (they usually take 2 months to ferment out, and drop crystal clear) I then prime with apple juice concentrate - and bottle in 500ml plastic PET screwtops 2-3 weeks later carbonation is complete and I enjoy them on occasion, I usually get about 30+ 500ml bottles to the batch - and since My apfelwein is pretty high in ABV, I cut myself off after 2 bottles when I decide to crack a few, so 30+ bottles lasts a fair bit. However I always keep a few of each batch in "special reserve"
since apple cider is a long time in being ready for drinking from the start, but pretty cheap to make - I advise running at least two primaries in 1 month intervals to keep a nice pipeline going - and every time you bottle a new batch put away the preivious batch's left overs for aging. that way you aways have some young (but drinkable) stuff to hit, and a reserve of aged stuff for special occasions or when you want to impress some one.

if you like it now then go for it, but save at least six pack and hide in a cool dark place for 6-12 months and visit it again... then you'll see why everyone says "Age it"
 
Back
Top