Wild Yeast Cider Racking Questions

[Ben E Lou]

I am new to homebrewing and have 3 half-gallon batches going.

I have one half-gallon of cyser that I started yesterday. It already has about 3/8 inch of lees on the bottom rim (there's a bit of a slope, so I'm not sure it's that thick all the way across). I have an airlock on it and it doesn't seem to be fermenting yet, at least not much. Should I rack it before it starts to visibly ferment? I'm concerned racking it when it is just beginning, but I'm also concerned about leaving it on the lees too long.

I have another half-gallon of cider which was juiced about 2 weeks ago and is very clear (has been fairly so since juicing), strongly contrasting with my other two. It has lees that are quite visible but not very thick (1/16 or 1/8 inch maybe). It is bubbling up steadily and slowly. When should I rack it?

{I also have a 22 oz jar of smreka going since Monday and I saw bubbles for the first time today }

How important is clarity of liquid?

Thanks!

 

[MarkKF]

Sometimes the bottom collects the solids in the fresh pressed juice long before yeast and Krausen drop.