Started some cider tonight!

[Reddy]

Well I started my first batch of cider, and my second batch of homebrew tonight. I used some Nottingham ale yeast and over pint of clover honey (about 2lbs) in about 2 and 1/2 gallons of Mott's "Natural" apple juice. I'll top it off in a few days.

I have to say, this was way easier than the beer batch I made last month. Everything just seemed to fall together and I hope it'll taste great! I'm planning to do a 6 gallon batch in the next few weeks too.

I just want to share with you guys. You've all given a newbie some great advice and I'm having a lot of fun. Bottoms up everyone!

 

[Ooompa Loompa]

Wow, 2 lbs of honey in 2 1/2 gallons of cider?? That's gonna be some really dry, strong cider. My guess is you'll have something in the 9% + range for alcohol.

 

[Reddy]

Yeah, I may have over done it.... but it was a little over a pint of honey. A pint is a pound and a half. And I dissolved the honey in half a gallon of boiling water so I'm just under 3 gallons really, with a little juice left to put in.

I kinda made a bone head mistake when I was filling the airlock and spilled some pretty hot sanitizer into my fermenter. I'm hoping that doesn't screw anything up... time will tell.

 

[Tusch]

With 1.5 lbs of honey, 2.5 gallons of juice, and .5 gallon of water I calculated roughly 8.2% Not too high for a mead but it will definitely take more aging than a cider would.

 

[Reddy]

Yeah, this is technically a cyser I guess.

It seems to be fermenting happily, with a nice layer of crust on top. But I have 2 questions:

1.) There won't be a problem with adding a little more cider/honey solution in a few days right?
2.) Do I need to go to a secondary or can I just leave it setting on the sediment until it clears?

 

[zoebisch01]

1) That should be ok, although I am not sure your reasoning (I'd just prepare for a new batch)? Did you use the full pack of Nottingham? If so, then for future reference you'd be fine using half the amount as the pack is designed to be used for 5 gallons.

2) I would suggest racking once it you get a fairly large build up of sediment, although I have gone quite a long time with cider (over 2 months) without trouble before racking.

 

[Tusch]

I highly recommend secondary. Once fermentation is nearly complete, checked with hydrometer, rack it over to a secondary container. And no there is no problem with adding more cider or honey solution later on. In fact if you keep adding honey, you can bring a yeast way past the yeast's normal alcohol tolerance.

 

[Reddy]

although I am not sure your reasoning (I'd just prepare for a new batch)?

My reasoning was that since I left some head-space to ward off the danger of the frothing clogging my airlock, I could then fill up that head-space again to get a slightly bigger yield.

I highly recommend secondary.

Well I only have the one 3 gallon container, so I'll have to siphon it into my (sanitized) stock pot, clean the primary carboy I'm using and siphon back I guess.

Thanks for the help guys.