New to the forum and hard cider.

[Wapiti Dreamer]

Hello all.

I'm new to the forum. Just getting started with a batch of hard cider. We've got lots of apples here in Northern California, just not many of the bitter type.

My first batch is still in the primary fermenter. It's 8 days old and is starting slow down. The SG is now at 1.005, which gives me an alcohol content of about 9%.

I'd like to let go for another week, then rack to a secondary for a few months. Hopefully it will develop some MLF.

Ultimately I'd like to bottle it and produce a bit of bubble in the bottle.

If anyone has any suggestions, advice or comments, I'd appreciate the input.

All the best.

 

[bobsbeer]

Welcome. :

 

[LeedsBrewer]

For MLF to take place you'll need the batch to be infected with lactobacillus. - the following thread is a 'how to... guide' on cultivating yeast from a bottle of old rosie scrumpy. These are bottle conditioned and by using the yeast from these you pretty much guarantee that MLF will take place.
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=27372

...or so i've been told... my batch has only been in the fv for a week.

welcome to the forum. check out the wine and cider section. plenty of good advice in there. :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

If your apples are low in malic acid then you will need to add about 1 tsp per gallon, also you may want to add som etannin again 1 tsp per gallon. MLF will occour naturally as lactobacillus are in the air but either buying a lactobacilllus culture I think wyeast do one. We over on thsi side of the pond have used a culture of old rosie cider yesst which is infected with a lactobacilllus culture, you could see if you could find a craft cider which has a healthy population of yeast and bacteria in it and culture up a sample of yeast. Finally you need to give it time 2-3 months to get the MLF going 6 months is better. There is no easy quick fix with cider it is a long game :thumb:

Welcome to the forum

 

[joe1002]

Welcome to the forum :

 

[DamageCase]

Welcome to the forum :thumb:

 

[RokDok]

Welcome to the forum !

RD