New to cider

[twelvebeer]

I just got 2 gallons of fresh cider from my local bewstore and I also wanted to try some store bought apple juice. I added 1 cup of corn sugar, 1/4 tsp of yeast nutrient and 1/6 of a packet of ale yeast. Its been about 20 hours and there is no real sign of fermentation. All I can really see is some pressure in the airlock. Is this normal? Thanks in advance for your replies!

Edit: Oh yeah, it was 100% juice with no preservatives listed in the ingredients.

 

[Calder]

Did you shake them to get oxygen into the liquid? If not, do it now before fermentation really gets going. It's the only time you should oxidise the juice. The yeast need oxygen to reproduce.

Usually starts slow. 20 hours is way too early to worry. If you see some pressure in the airlock, that's a good sign

 

[twelvebeer]

thanks!

 

[CandleWineProject]

20 hours is not long enough to worry. Sometimes things don't get started for 48 hours. Plus, you could have not had a good seal, so the gas could have been going out somewhere else. Cider doesn't make krausen. Real cider is just fermented juice at 6%-8%, and apple wine has sugar added to push it beyond that.

 

[GinKings]

Real cider is just fermented juice at 6%-8%, and apple wine has sugar added to push it beyond that.

Adding sugar to cider is common and I don't think it necessarily makes it an apple wine. For instance, New England cider is typically made by adding adjuncts, such as sugar, to raise the ABV.

 

[CandleWineProject]

Adding sugar to cider is common and I don't think it necessarily makes it an apple wine. For instance, New England cider is typically made by adding adjuncts, such as sugar, to raise the ABV.

Such as...

 

[GinKings]

Such as...

Such as.....New England Cider. One reason to add sugar is to increase it's stability. A 10% cider will generally last longer than a 5% cider. This is from the www.BJCP.org style gudelines:

28A. New England Cider

This is a cider made with characteristic New England apples for relatively high acidity, with adjuncts to raise alcohol levels.

Aroma/Flavor: A dry flavorful cider with robust apple character, strong alcohol, and derivative flavors from sugar adjuncts.

Overall Impression: Substantial body and character.

Comments: Adjuncts may include white and brown sugars, molasses, small amounts of honey, and raisins. Adjuncts are intended to raise OG well above that which would be achieved by apples alone. This style is sometimes barrel-aged, in which case there will be oak character as with a barrel-aged wine.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.060 – 1.100
FG: 0.995 – 1.010 ABV: 7 – 13%

 

[CandleWineProject]

GinKings, you pulled that from the specialty cider, not the stanard cider. If you read the BJCP guidelines for cider, it says:

In general, adjuncts are prohibited except where specifically allowed in particular styles, and then the entrant must state them. Common processing aids, and enzymes, are generally allowed as long as they are not detectable in the finished cider. Yeast used for cider/perry may be either "natural" (the yeast which occurs on the fruit itself and/or is retained in the milling and pressing equipment) or cultured yeast. Malo-lactic fermentation is allowed, either naturally occurring or with an added ML culture. Enzymes may be used for clarification of the juice prior to fermentation. Malic acid may be added to a low-acid juice to bring acidity up to a level considered safe for avoiding bacterial contamination and off-flavors (typically pH 3.8 or below). Entrant MUST state if malic acid was added. Sulfites may be added as needed for microbiological control. If used, the maximum accepted safe level for sulfites (200 mg/l) should be strictly observed; moreover, any excess sulfite that is detectable in the finished cider (a "burning match" character) is a serious fault.

Therefore, adding sugar for something like a New England Cider is an exception, not the common accepted practice for standard ciders.

 

[Calder]

Adding sugar to cider is common.

Adding sugar for something like a New England Cider is an exception, not the common accepted practice for standard ciders.

I think adding sugar to apple juice while making cider is common practice for standard ciders for the posters here.

I could be wrong, but I suspect most people on here don't really care about the BJCP guidelines, but go by what is generally accepted.

 

[moorhead1976]

I had mine bubbling in 18 hours with the batch I started last week. Maybe it's the type of yeast you used. I used champagne yeast (EC 1118). This is my first attempt at cider. I'm getting the impression this is more of an art than a science... I'm sure you'll kick into fermentation soon.

 

[CandleWineProject]

I think adding sugar to apple juice while making cider is common practice for standard ciders for the posters here.

I could be wrong, but I suspect most people on here don't really care about the BJCP guidelines, but go by what is generally accepted.

I like your attitude. To hell with standards! I think I'll start using corn as a filler in my beer now. It is the same thing as adding sugar to cider, and this group accepts that.

 

[CandleWineProject]

Really what it comes down to is this:

You all are probably home brewers because you like beer, and you realized you can make a better beer than Budwizer, Miller, Coors, etc. You are craft beer makers! But for some reason, this group insists on adulterating and cheapening cider by adding sugar, turning a what could have been craft product into a Budweiser version of a six pack cider when we are trying to escape that.

 

[moorhead1976]

CandleWine:
Can you clarify why adding sugar makes cider like Bud? I'm not sure I get that analogy.

I guess my take is people add sugar because they want more kick... That doesn't seem very Bud like. Bud seems like a WWII drink for Rosie the Riveter to me.

 

[bornavag]

The reason I add the sugar I add is for the flavor. It actually has little to do with the alcohol content. In fact I have tried several times to reduce the alcohol content without sacrificing the flavor that is brought out by the stronger brew.

What I usually end up with is a cider that I can only enjoy one good sized glass of, prior to getting really drunk.

 

[CandleWineProject]

CandleWine:
Can you clarify why adding sugar makes cider like Bud? I'm not sure I get that analogy.

I guess my take is people add sugar because they want more kick...

Because it makes it more like a malt beverage when it has more kick, and nobody really cares for those.
http://www.slate.com/id/2231001/

 

[Bobby_M]

Candlewine, How much sugar can be added before you'd call it hootch?

 

[CandleWineProject]

Interesting, what happened to Bobby_M's post about the OP and what not? It read:

Candlewine, I think you're just looking for an argument. The OP came in talking about cider. You claim adding sugar makes it applewine. Someone referred to BJCP New England cider which obviously can contain added sugar. Now you claim it's specialty cider and not real cider. Did the OP make applewine or New England Cider?

The OP was a little stressed that it hadn't started bubbling after 20 hours, and listed what had been done. I stated it wasn't a reason to worry because, to sum things up, this is cider (a wine) and not beer and things are different, an oh, hey, BTW, you don't need to be adding sugar. And everyone is getting on my case about that last part. Well, you don't, and I consider it applewine when you do. And the BJCP, as it was pointed out to me, does allow sugar, and I read it though and saw that it is an exception to making specialty ciders, not standard ciders.

So the point to all this is, you all are going to keep adding sugar even though you don't have to, and there isn't anything I'm going to say that will break you of it.

 

[Bobby_M]

I edited my post because I changed my mind and didn't want to be so confrontational about it. It just seems like you think traditional ciders are superior to augmented versions. That's fine, but applewine and all the other specialties are cider too.