1st time brewing cider. Started too soon, help!

[Markdon]

Removed the small batch from the container and put into two smaller ones about 6L in each with airlock. Off into the shed to mature.

Hope this was the right thing to do! Hydrometer sitting bang on 1.000.

Bigger batch still at 1.006/4 hard to tell. Will wait til its at 1.000 then decant into clean container and put in shed.

 

[AlliDelta]

Just prime it with sugar something like a teaspoon per 500 no then leave it somewhere warm and dark for 3 weeks not like an airing cupboard. Just a kitchen cupboard will do. Then fridge one for a day then give it a try. After this it may be drinkable but would probably benefit from a month in the shed to settle out a bit. Good luck!

 

[Markdon]

Hi, thanks for the info, so leave it in the larger containers and add sugar? Should i be adding a campden tablet?

I dont think i have a cupboard big enough to fit it all in, will have 34L when im finished. Will the shed be too cold?

Thanks again.

 

[Markdon]

Before it went in to the barrels:

After a week:

Decanted and off to live in the shed:

Thats the small batch, still got the 23L batch bubbling away, sitting at 1.004 today.

 

[Mad Mick]

I make cider mosyt years but as there has been a glut of apples this year I have made more and experimented.

One batch I have added nothing other than the juice allowing the natural yeasts to do their business just dropped in a fermenting bin (sterilised) and airlocked and left.

The other I have added campden tablets to kill the natural yeasts then added cider yeast and brewers sugar (made into a solution with warm juice prior).

The former, once fermentation has ceased will be sieved and rebarreled and left until around August next year! The Latter I expect to be sampling around the New Year, Christmas at a pinch.
Apple Juice is hardy and used to be merely pressed and left in barrels with no bung and no airlock, however this is the first time I have attempted 'Rustic' hard cider!

 

[bobsbeer]

Welcome. Hope it works out okay.

 

[Markdon]

Thanks for the info there, so you go both extremes, do you find any noticeable difference?

Im concerned about the colour its gone, but have looked at pics and it doesnt seem too dissimilar to other peoples. Just have to wait it out i guess and hope it sorts itself out.

Will give a lager a shot and an ale once my tubs are empty. Its quite addictive, even when i dont know how it will turn out!

 

[Crastney]

I normally leave it in the FV for about a month, then rack off the lees, and top up with water if necessary, and leave again for at least a month, maybe 2, then you'll notice that it's gone clear, with sediment, if so rack again off the sediment, batch prime if you want fizz, then bottle. it's drinkable now, but best left somewhere warm (2-3 weeks), to carbonate, then somewhere cold (2-3 weeks) for the CO2 to absorb into the liquid. gets better each month, but will eventually start losing something, probably after a couple of years (if any lasts that long). Or you can mature in bulk in the FV for several months longer, expecting malolactic fermentation, and then bottle, and leave again, but that's a long term, nearly a year type cider.

what you've done should be perfectly ok.

I hope you like the taste - well done on your first batch.

 

[Markdon]

Awesome, thanks for the confidence boost!

Sorry, not caught up with terminology yet, rack off the lees, is that just siphoning into a clean tub?

So I've fermented out for a week, it's down to 1.000, I've racked it into two smaller containers as heard too much headspace is bad? Then put them in the shed.

Should I get them out and put them back into the 20c room for a month or so? Then rack again and then put into the shed?

I certainly couldn't drink it now, smells like scrumpy, but tastes quite bitter. Hoping it ages well.

Thanks again for the pointers, much appreciated.

 

[Crastney]

yes - racking is transferring from one container to another using syphon tubing (to reduce oxygen contact), taking as much liquid as possible, leaving as much sediment as possible. requires a steady hand, and after several goes you'll get a good technique, don't worry if you take some through, it'll just be there for the next time.

lees - is the name for the sediment, not sure if it's specific to cider, or if it includes dead yeast or what, but I think it's called 'trub' in the beer section of this forum.

it should ferment at a temperature above about 12 deg C (but will be slow at that temp), but as you've said it's finished, termperature is fairly irrelevant. Though too hot is probably bad, too cold is perfectly fine. outside in the cold will spead up the clearing process, just don't jiggle it too much when you move it to do the next racking. I ferment/mature mostly on the work surface so that I don't need to move it much at all when racking.

Oxygen is needed at the very start for the yeast to multiply, after which they, without air, they produce CO2 and alcohol.
initial ferment doesn't worry about air gap as there's a CO2 cloud above the liquid (but you don't want it too near the airlock as it'll overflow, and make a mess) - once fermentation dies down, there's a risk of the cider going off if in contact with air, so it's normal to top up to the top of the shoulder of the DJ - this reduces the surface area of liquid exposed to air.

(the rate at which it goes off / turns to vinegar is in direct proportion to the ratio of surface area exposed to air against volume of liquid - a shallow wide tray of cider will go off a lot quicker than the same volume in a glass jar with a very small kneck)

 

[Markdon]

Excellent, thanks for clearing that up. Feeling a bit more confident i'll end up with something drinkable!

Its on a shelf in the shed so shouldnt need to move. Think once the 23L batch has finished i will top that up and leave it where it is a bit.

Thanks again.

 

[Mad Mick]

Thanks for the info there, so you go both extremes, do you find any noticeable difference?

Im concerned about the colour its gone, but have looked at pics and it doesnt seem too dissimilar to other peoples. Just have to wait it out i guess and hope it sorts itself out.

Will give a lager a shot and an ale once my tubs are empty. Its quite addictive, even when i dont know how it will turn out!

I certainly expect a difference in taste, and speed of fermentation for the 'rustic' is considerably slower.

In so much as your brew been cloudy once fermentation has ceased, have you considered adding finings to clear same?

Happy Brewing

 

[Markdon]

Is there no chance it could drop clear now it's been racked? It's a very odd colour!

Going to rack the 23L batch on sat, am I right in thinking I should top it up with something to reduce air gap?

 

[Markdon]

Well a week has passed and the batch in the shed seems to be still fermenting?? Little bubbles rising up the side?

Should ihave added, or should i add some campden tablets? Going to rack the big batch into another container tonight, should i add campden tablets to it once its in the new containter? Should i also top up with apple juice?

Thanks!

 

[oldbloke]

You don't want Campden while it's fermenting. Before you add yeast (24hrs) to stop nasties, then not until you bottle/keg, and not then either if you want it fizzy.
Working with shop juice, I never use any in cider.

 

[Markdon]

Ah no problem. I just wasnt sure as some say to use it to stop it refermenting or going off. And other recipes say dont use it.

Hard to decide what is best :/

 

[oldbloke]

Well, it only stops fermentation in combination with potassium sorbate anyway. On it's own it'll stun the yeast for a day or so, but then it'll start again.

 

[Markdon]

Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up. When I rack into secondary, should I be topping the cider up with something? Apple juice?

Thanks.

 

[Markdon]

Ive racked the big batch into a fresh container, looks amazing!(im my eyes anyway)

Re done the smaller batch as there was quite a bit of sediment. Not as clear as the big batch, and alot drier and bitter.

So all in the shed now, 35L of lovelyness! No vinegar, huzzah!

So i just leave it to sit now? A month then taste?

Thanks

 

[tazuk]

here is how i did mine :thumb:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=45623

and a read here

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=45893