Proper racking ?

[BadgerBrigade]

Well guys, I looked all over the site for racking help but I'm using a little smart phone so I could've missed it....
This is my first time brewing cider or anything for that matter... And I've been advised to let it sit 4 to 6 weeks in the carvoy instead of three weeks (was trying to brew it by Christmas)...
It has only sat for about 15 days but I have kind of shaking it a few times to get the yeast thoroughly mixed... My cider is very very cloudy still but I bet that is to be expected...
The carvoy is sitting on the floor and I'm assuming I need to move it to a high area before I rack...
If I move it, it will mixup sediment and then it will have to settle again? Correct?
So I'm wondering if I should move it a few weeks before and let it just settle so I don't have to move it when it comes time to rack or should I just leave it where it is and maybe a week before I'm going to rack move it up onto a table? If I move it up onto a table now the settlement will settle nicely before I rack and I'll have a clear cider? correct?
Maybe the question I should ask is how long will it take to clear up?
My next question is once it's elevated do I just siphon the liquid down into another vessel below? Is this racking?

 

[BigTerp]

What kind of cider are you making?? If you provide a recipe you'll probably get some more direct answers. I've had EdWorts Apfelwein in a 5 gallon carboy since the 1st of September. It seemed to get pretty clear after the first few weeks. I plan to bottle it sometime in january. I wouldn't recommend shaking the carboy once you pitch the yeast. The yeast work there magic perfectly fine without any shaking needed.

As far as racking goes I typically (with beer) place my primary on the counter a few hours before I plan to rack to my bottling bucket. Gives everything a chance to settle that I may have stirred up during transport. And your definition of racking is correct.

 

[Seven]

Place the carboy on the counter top (or wherever) a few hours before racking so you give things a chance to settle.

Practice racking using plain water a few times until you get proficient with the process. That way you can make mistakes while you learn and there's no harm done to your precious beer or cider.

 

[solbes]

If you don't have an auto-siphon (I don't), you need to practice before hand (like Seven says above). I squirt some Star-San into the racking tube, hold my finger over the outlet and drop below to the receiving vessel. Let it go which starts the siphon. I catch all of the Star San and a tad of beer or cider in another container first.

And I also bring my carboy or bucket to the countertop for a few hours before I'm going to rack. Plenty of time to settle that yeast back down if you're careful about moving it.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

My cider is 5 gal of apple juice, 12 oz pinapple juice, 5 cups brown sugar, champagne yeast, 5 to 6 tablespoons of cinnamon, 3 tablespoons of nutmeg and some hoping and praying...

So I see someone suggested that I don't shake the carvoy....
In the recipe online the guy put the yeast in and shook the carboy and then said he was going to shake it again a few days later? This is not good? is there harm in shaking it if you still have three weeks to go?

 

[Seven]

I wouldn't shake it. You may introduce oxygen which can oxidize it.

The yeast will circulate/agitate the cider enough during fermentation.

 

[solbes]

You want oxygen in the juice prior to fermentation. This is for the yeast reproductive phase. I chilled mine (more O2 can be absorbed from air) and shook vigrously before adding to carboy. After pitching the yeast, I shook the whole carboy for a minute or so.

After fermentation gets going you don't want to shake it. Oxidation issues may creep up on you.

 

[helibrewer]

In wine fermentation the yeast is roused daily (2-4X per day for reds). I happen to do the same thing with my beer through the conditioning phase, many (most) brewers do not. Yeast buried deep in the lees during primary fermentation are not "being all they can be"

 

[BadgerBrigade]

I am kind of nervous now guys, I shook it a few times but it has only been 10 days total so if I leave it alone now do you think I'll be okay? What kind of oxygen issues are oxygen issues?

 

[pYr8]

I'm brand new to brewing but common sense tells me not to try to force a naturally occurring process. My guess is to leave it sit for as long as possible. I don't know if it's already been oxygenated too much but I'd say that messing with it more will surely mess it up, Christmas or no Christmas. Just my uneducated humble opinion

 

[nukinfuts29]

I am kind of nervous now guys, I shook it a few times but it has only been 10 days total so if I leave it alone now do you think I'll be okay? What kind of oxygen issues are oxygen issues?

You'll be fine. I "swirl" all of my primaries unless it is beer.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

Yes I should have stated that I swirled it and did not really shake it... I put my hands on either side of the carvoy and kinda moved it clockwise then counterclockwise then clockwise and counterclockwise.... It wasn't too violent... And my thinking was just to agitate the yeast and get it really eating the sugar...
How do I know if I experience any oxygen problems with my cider?
What are oxygen problems and how do they affect your brew?

 

[solbes]

Not sure with cider, but with beer oxidation can result in staling reactions. Over time (usually 4-12 months) you can get kind of a wet cardboard or sherry taste. I had this happen to me on my 2nd beer, a Kolsch. At about 6 months it changed for the worst, but most of the batch was gone by that point.