Questions!!! First time cider chaos

[Rcalderin]

Hello all. this is my first post, and first attempt to brew cider.
I am running into Alot of questions and don't know what to do, or what is going on.
I started with store bought organic apple cider(5 gallons) added champagne yeast, a half a cup of brown sugar and a half of white. I let it sit for about a month. I transferred it into the Carboy in a very violent way of syphoning, I have a pump and way splashing and, well it wasn't so smooth, and Alot of oxygen ( i believe) was introduced. As of now, my cider has been in the Carboy for about 5 weeks now.It is still very cloudy and tastes sour. My hydrometer is actually in the Carboy, and can't get it out( one of the many mistakes I have made so far) so far it's reading at 1.000.. And I really don't know what that means. I also want to carbonized it. I was told to add frozen concentrated apple juice in the Carboy 2 weeks before bottling.
My first question is..because my hydrometer is sitting in the Carboy, is it giving off a false reading?
If I did introduce Alot of oxygen.. Is that a bad thing?
Why does it taste sour?
And is this carbonizing method valid?

So many questions.. If anyone can help me with these q's.. Or point me in the right direction, it will be greatly appreciated!!!

Help!!

 

[completelyuncorked]

sounds like its turning into cider vinegar if its sour, I think your batch is ruined

 

[mcbethenstein]

Give it time. That's pretty young for a cider. My first tastes were sour and very alcoholic, but they mellow with time. Do not add the frozen concentrate until bottling day. It will just ferment out, increasing your % alcohol. To carbonate, add the frozen juice concentrate to your bottling bucket, carefully siphon the cider over it, stir gently, then proceed with bottling.

Also your cider will clear when it's ready. Set it aside in a cool closet or basement and forget about it until its crystal clear, then rack again and give it some more time to make sure anything you stirred up during the transfer has a chance to settle out. At this point you can bottle, but it won't really start tasting good until at least 6 months.

There is still a chance your cider is contaminated, but we need more info. No one can make that call from just the term sour. What does it really smell like? Pictures? Compare the taste... Etc.

 

[funkadelicturkey]

5 weeks is really young, give it a couple of months and taste again, perhaps by then it will have cleared a bit.

Your hydrometer in the carboy should be giving the same readings in your carboy as it would be in a flask.

Lots of oxygen before the start of fermentation is a very good thing.

To carbonate your cider you will want to add sugar/concentrate immediately before bottling. I use ~3-4 oz. corn sugar for 5 gallons, boiled and added to cider while racking to the bottling bucket. Your yeast need to consume the sugar while bottled and capped to produce carbon dioxide.

 

[divi2323]

What kind of champagne yeast did you use? Montrachet has this way of not settling out for anything. Your cider is going to be a little sour as young as it is. Unless you distinctly taste vinegar, your batch is fine.

Don't add Apple juice concentrate until bottling day. For a five gallon batch, one can of concentrate will give you light to moderate carbonation. Two will give a good fizzy taste.

 

[Nivek]

I thought you could check for an infection that turns the cider to vinegar by checking for changes in the acidity level over a couple days. Acid test strips should be fairly cheap at your local brew store.

I am pretty new to this still though, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[Rcalderin]

Give it time. That's pretty young for a cider. My first tastes were sour and very alcoholic, but they mellow with time. Do not add the frozen concentrate until bottling day. It will just ferment out, increasing your % alcohol. To carbonate, add the frozen juice concentrate to your bottling bucket, carefully siphon the cider over it, stir gently, then proceed with bottling.

Also your cider will clear when it's ready. Set it aside in a cool closet or basement and forget about it until its crystal clear, then rack again and give it some more time to make sure anything you stirred up during the transfer has a chance to settle out. At this point you can bottle, but it won't really start tasting good until at least 6 months.

There is still a chance your cider is contaminated, but we need more info. No one can make that call from just the term sour. What does it really smell like? Pictures? Compare the taste... Etc.

Thanks for the help. I guess it's really not "sour", but does have a whey kind of after taste. So your saying I should add sugar now, raise the abv, and then wait for it to clear before carbonizing?



Here is a pic, I hope I sent it properly ..I did say 5 weeks, but it has been more like two months .. Hope this helps

 

[Rcalderin]

What kind of champagne yeast did you use? Montrachet has this way of not settling out for anything. Your cider is going to be a little sour as young as it is. Unless you distinctly taste vinegar, your batch is fine.

Don't add Apple juice concentrate until bottling day. For a five gallon batch, one can of concentrate will give you light to moderate carbonation. Two will give a good fizzy taste.

You know, I honestly can't remember, the gent at homebrew gave it to me, and I threw away the package..I will have to go back and find out, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Montrachet , but it is def not tasting vinegary.. More wheat like than anything. Could that be from the yeast as well? Maybe from the brown sugar?

 

[Rcalderin]

5 weeks is really young, give it a couple of months and taste again, perhaps by then it will have cleared a bit.

Your hydrometer in the carboy should be giving the same readings in your carboy as it would be in a flask.

Lots of oxygen before the start of fermentation is a very good thing.

To carbonate your cider you will want to add sugar/concentrate immediately before bottling. I use ~3-4 oz. corn sugar for 5 gallons, boiled and added to cider while racking to the bottling bucket. Your yeast need to consume the sugar while bottled and capped to produce carbon dioxide.

It's good to hear that oxygen is a good thing.. All hope is not lost! .. So really, I just need to give it time now, and see if It clears huh

 

[Rcalderin]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the help and suggestions, hopefully I posted back correctly, I am new to this forum biz... But thank you again.. Here is another pic of what it looks like now..

 

[mcbethenstein]

Thanks for the help. I guess it's really not "sour", but does have a whey kind of after taste. So your saying I should add sugar now, raise the abv, and then wait for it to clear before carbonizing?

<img src="https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52847"/>

Here is a pic, I hope I sent it properly ..I did say 5 weeks, but it has been more like two months .. Hope this helps

No, you do not have to add it at all. If you want more alcohol you can add the concentrate, but I was saying its a waste of the juice concentrate, since you need to add the juice when you bottle. Add it anytime before that and it will continue to ferment, and your CO2 will be lost out your airlock, instead of in your bottles.

Just give it time. Patience is a hard thing to learn... Especially when waiting for something as rewarding as cider.

 

[Rcalderin]

No, you do not have to add it at all. If you want more alcohol you can add the concentrate, but I was saying its a waste of the juice concentrate, since you need to add the juice when you bottle. Add it anytime before that and it will continue to ferment, and your CO2 will be lost out your airlock, instead of in your bottles.

Just give it time. Patience is a hard thing to learn... Especially when waiting for something as rewarding as cider.

... Cider is truly a wonderful creation! ... I'll give it time.. In a few months, I let ya know how it goes!thanks for all the help, mcbethenstien!