Thank You (and a question)

[ImpatientBrewer]

For starters, thanks to everybody on this site for helping me brew my first batch of cider. I'm currently drinking some of it out of a mason jar and it is both tasty and alcoholic.

I have two questions, both centering around exposure to air/oxygen. 1) I have siphoned (I believe the term is 'racked'?) the majority of my cider into carboys that I have covered with plastic wrap/a sandwich baggie (to release gasses? I don't have any corks). Will a lack of a seal be detrimental to the brew and/or my fridge?

Also, is the remaining cider that is left in the primary ok at room temp, or should I worry about it being exposed to the oxygen let in while I siphoned the rest off (I'm using a Better Bottle and a rubber stopper/bung)?

Again, thanks! I am already planning changes for my next batch.

 

[Yooper]

You always want to "top up", to avoid headspace in your carboy. Oxygen will ruin the cider in two ways- one, by oxidizing the cider and ruining the taste, and by allowing oxygen loving bacteria and mold to take hold.

You really need a bung and an airlock, and to top up the cider. Or put it in smaller containers.

 

[ImpatientBrewer]

Would half-gallon carboys with a cork or rubber stopper work?

 

[Yooper]

Would half-gallon carboys with a cork or rubber stopper work?

Sure, if you have a half gallon in them. Growlers are 1/2 gallon, and a #6 stopper fits them. I have quite a few one gallon jugs and growlers, and the stopper sizes to fit them, and extra airlocks, so I can have all sorts of vessels that are the correct size.

It's sort of a mess at the moment, but I have right next to me: 1 (6) gallon carboy, 1 (3) gallon carboy, 1 (3) gallon better bottle, 2 grolsch bottles (with top up wine for one of the 3 gallon batches, a 1 gallon jug, and 2 (1) gallon jugs, plus two 7 gallon buckets- all airlocked!

When I rack, I just move to the correctly sized vessel, and then use a wine bottle, growler, jug, or whatever, for the extra for topping up later.