First Cider Brew

[Len2307]

Hi - I am a complete novice, and have pressed my own Apples and started a Cider brew with 2.5 gallons of juice
The initial Apple juice was 1.45 on the Hydrometer - I added a commercial wine/brewing yeast and left it at 16 deg C for 5 days ands nothing seemed to happen so I moved it to a warmer place (20 Deg C) and still no bubble activity in the airlock (but the bucket was somewhat pressurised) on Day 7 I tested it and we have a reading of 1.15 Sg - The liquid is very cloudy, but a decent straw colour. Does this mean the job is done and bottling and secondary fermentation should be started or should I leave it - were on Day 9 today. Thank you in advance for any advice

 

[Nidger]

Hi - I am a complete novice, and have pressed my own Apples and started a Cider brew with 2.5 gallons of juice
The initial Apple juice was 1.45 on the Hydrometer - I added a commercial wine/brewing yeast and left it at 16 deg C for 5 days ands nothing seemed to happen so I moved it to a warmer place (20 Deg C) and still no bubble activity in the airlock (but the bucket was somewhat pressurised) on Day 7 I tested it and we have a reading of 1.15 Sg - The liquid is very cloudy, but a decent straw colour. Does this mean the job is done and bottling and secondary fermentation should be started or should I leave it - were on Day 9 today. Thank you in advance for any advice

Hi Len, firstly, I'm pretty new too, I noticed you haven't had a reply in this section so I've jumped in to say of the ciders i have fermented, the gallon ones of supermarket juice wines took a couple of weeks where as a 23ltr kit cider took maybe around 9 days.
Yours being 9 days with the first 4 not fermenting due to being too cold sounds short to me.

I don't use a hydrometer but although i have one though 115 i think will go lower,
Is the bucket the one with a flat lid ?
I did a lager and there was no real activity in the airlock although the lid did swell up,
The Co2 was escaping around the rim, I left it about 4 weeks even though the final week seemed to have settled.
Usually the froth disappearing at the top is an indicator.

To sum up, 5 days out of 9 fermenting seems short.
I think leaving it another week and another hydrometer reading after another 3 days will tell you more.

But to be sure @Chippy_Tea will hopefully better advise

 

[Len2307]

Thanks Nidger - I will as you suggest leave it a few days longer - probably till the weekend - It is a flat lid brew bucket and the lid appears to be tight fitting but I suppose the gas will find its easiest route out so a leak is potentially the likely reason for poor activity. The tip about the froth disappearing is appreciated - thank you -
Happy brewing and good health

 

[VW911]

You're right about the co2 finding the easiest route out. There aren't many fermenters that seal properly.
With regard to the gravity, most ciders ferment down to below 1.000. quite often down to .995 or less.
Be sure to take a reading every day for a couple of days, and as long as it's stable at about 1.000 for a couple of consecutive days, you'll good to bottle. ( I don't bottle any of mine the same year that I pressed it!)

 

[Len2307]

Thanks VW911 - not bottling in the year of pressing - does that mean you leave it fermenting for months ? Do you pasteurise the juice first ?

 

[VW911]

No, just press it, then leave it for at least a month. Once It's finished fermenting, I rack it into a fresh fermenter, (leaving minimal head room) then forget about it until the early spring. I then bottle it, and wait a few weeks before sampling.
You can obviously cut down on the timescales, but I have the luxury of a few years worth of bottled cider to fall back on!.
There's an old saying, that you shouldn't drink a cider 'til the trees that it came from are back in blossom...

...Works for me!

 

[Nidger]

@Len2307
Just to edit my other post.
I have been making cider as well as wine in demijohns.
There is a thread on here for both if your interested.
Search turbo cider, wow cider and supermarket wine.
I'm off to work so haven't time to find them atm

 

[Len2307]

No, just press it, then leave it for at least a month. Once It's finished fermenting, I rack it into a fresh fermenter, (leaving minimal head room) then forget about it until the early spring. I then bottle it, and wait a few weeks before sampling.
You can obviously cut down on the timescales, but I have the luxury of a few years worth of bottled cider to fall back on!.
There's an old saying, that you shouldn't drink a cider 'til the trees that it came from are back in blossom...

...Works for me!

Thank you - I’ll look forward to being in that stock level position at some point - I appreciate your advice it is really helpful

 

[Len2307]

W

@Len2307
Just to edit my other post.
I have been making cider as well as wine in demijohns.
There is a thread on here for both if your interested.
Search turbo cider, wow cider and supermarket wine.
I'm off to work so haven't time to find them atm

Will do - thanks