What to do

[Monster_Addict]

So as similar to many posts on here I am new to cider and brewing. Started my first batch on Monday the 29th. Here is my what I did:

5 gallons sams club apple juice
2 pounds cane sugar
Lavin 71b-1122
Threw in a tsp of yeast nutrient on day #2 since it didnt appear any action was going on

OG: 1.052

Current: 1.003

I tasted it and it was pretty tasty already aside from being sweeter

So now I am at 6.42%. Can i expect this to go all the way to the yeast limit (14%)? Should I stop it at some point or just plan on backsweetening? I read this yeast can go pretty dry but I like it that way. Any thoughts on fruit additions or anything else? Thanks

 

[buMbLeB]

I'm pretty new too, but you can't get to 14% because you didn't have enough sugar to start with - my hydrometer says 1052 only gets you to a max of 7%, maybe a hair more if you got under 1000. I suppose you could add more sugar to spike alcohol content, or you could just let it finish what it has and then stabilize and backsweeten (but I've never done that last bit).

 

[Monster_Addict]

Thanks for pointing that out. To get higher do you just add more sugar? I thought at a certain OG yeast wont be able to use it?

 

[buMbLeB]

You're welcome, and I think that's correct - but in this case it wouldn't be your "original" gravity, you'd be stepping it up a bit at a time. Again I haven't done this myself, but I know that "staggered feedings" (or whatever they're called) is a method people use to achieve higher alcohol content without stalling the yeast. My understanding is that the yeast become unable to continue at a certain OG due to "osmotic pressure" on their cell walls, but that if you give them some sugar and let them eat most of it, then give them some more etc, you avoid hitting this wall.

If you search these forums or the web for "skeeter pee" (fermented lemon juice) recipes, they often resort to this tactic, it might give you some idea.

 

[Maylar]

So as similar to many posts on here I am new to cider and brewing. Started my first batch on Monday the 29th. Here is my what I did:

5 gallons sams club apple juice
2 pounds cane sugar
Lavin 71b-1122
Threw in a tsp of yeast nutrient on day #2 since it didnt appear any action was going on

OG: 1.052

Current: 1.003

I tasted it and it was pretty tasty already aside from being sweeter

So now I am at 6.42%. Can i expect this to go all the way to the yeast limit (14%)? Should I stop it at some point or just plan on backsweetening? I read this yeast can go pretty dry but I like it that way. Any thoughts on fruit additions or anything else? Thanks

71B will take your 1.052 cider to 1.000 or slightly below. You'll end up with 7% which is (IMO) perfect.

You're at a point where you need to decide where you want to go with it. I would be racking it to a smaller carboy to get it off the lees and let it clear up. You have options to add fruit or spices or flavorings or whatever at this point. You could rack into multiple 1 gallon jugs (expect to lose a gallon) and do different things with each.

 

[HopWolf]

Going for my first cider to celebrate my daughters graduation

5 Gallons of Cider
2 pounds cane sugar
Yeasties
Any boil?
A dry 7% sounds perfect

How long in the carboy and I'm assuming after bottling with a 5 oz primer I would have to pasteurize to give it a final stop

 

[Maylar]

No boil.
How long is impossible to predict, depending on yeast, temperature and nutrients.
5 oz in 5 gallons is a safe primer, no pasteurizing will be needed.

 

[HopWolf]

I'll add some nutrients, starter used or can I pitch the pack of Lavin dry? I've never used dry
Any cider work or apple juice work?
Thanks for helping

 

[Maylar]

You can pitch dry, or rehydrate per package instructions. Starter is not necessary. The juice must be free of preservatives - look carefully at the ingredients. If it says, "xxxx added to preserve freshness" it won't ferment. The xxxx is typically sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate. Vitamin C is an OK additive.

Understand that the taste and quality of cider is a direct function of the apples that go into it. You can make cider from grocery store apple juice - and lots of folks do that. But you're lucky enough to be in apple country, so I'd be checking out your local orchards for the best juice you can get.

 

[HopWolf]

OK Cider pros here's what I've projected for my first Cider
I have five gallons of organic apple juice, no preservatives just ascorbic acid
I have 1.5 lbs of organic turbinado raw cane sugar
One pound of organic honey
One pack of dry Nottingham
Yeast nutrients

I will heat up one gallon of juice to mix in the honey
one gallon to mix in the sugar
Pitch the dry Nottingham to 70 degree batch and wait

I have 5oz of priming sugars for bottling

What might I come up with? I can't judge the OG but will certainly take a reading

I don't want anything too sweet but want a bit of kick
Will one pack of Nottingham bring it down to a dry/semi dry cider with a approx 6.5-7% ABV

Any and all suggestions are appreciated