Howdy Brewers!
It's my first time ever at brewing anything apart from mold in an old coffee cup...
I'm having a go at cider from actual apples that I pressed a while ago (2 types, one cooking apples, the other sweet dessert apples).
I managed to squeeze 2 gallons of the cooking apples and 1.5 gallons of the sweet ones.
Noob mitakes I made along the way with 1st batch (I think I did OK with the second, although only time will tell):
1- I kicked off my first fermentation directly into DJs (i.e. not in FV) and filled the DJs a bit too much which resulted in stuff gushing through the air lock and all over in my cupboard floor (at least I knoew the frementation was happeneing!!)
2- I never sanitized the firt DJs, only rinsed them with cold water
3- Didn't use any campden tablets or yeast nutrients before or during primary
4- After adding the yeast (standard baker's yeast found in my kitchen cupboard), I realised it had expired in 2014! meh...*shrug* (I'm French btw so I know how to shrug alright...
5- I only read about hydrometer readings after i'd started the whole thing, so I don't have a base reading to refer to.
6- I ordered a hydrometer since, but it came from Poland so I have o idea what's written on it. I guess Google translate will be my friend.
Despite all that, the things have been bubbling away for 4 weeks now in a dark warm place and it's now finally cleared up. Everywhere I read primary takes people 2 to 3 weeks but mine is still going after 4 or more...albeit only one bubble every min and half now!
I took a sample into a trial jar and took a reading. No idea what I'm looking at (in Polish) or if it's relevant anyway since I haven't got a base reading. All I know is that it's bang on between a red and green marks. I think it says 0% but who knows...I drank the sample and am still alive to tell the tale. It tasted like a semi bubbly dry and slightly acidic white wine, and I can definitely taste some alchohol (a bit like a very dry Old Rosie).
Second batch primary (sweet apples) was done in the same manner but in sanitised DJs. Difference is the fermentation was started a couple of weeks later. That one too has now slowed right down to the occasional bubble ever couple of minutes. I have not tasted yet as one DJ is only half full so I didn't want the CO2 layer protecting my cider to escape (I have been listening you see?!)...
1st question: does is matter if I don't take a base reading before primary?
2nd question: does the fermentation have to stop completely? or is one bubble every 2min considered as 'stopped'
3rd question: I bought blend of acids as I've read that it could help with very sharp acidic taste. Will that help or should I look at another solution to make the 1st batch a bit less dry/bit sweeter?
4th question: I made sure I stared at my DJs every single day for at least half an hour and read them a story every night. Will that help making my cider sweeter?
I got all my glass bottles ready and sanitized and a clean vassal for racking but I don't know if I'm being impatient or not...Every time I think "oh THAT'S IT! it has stopped bubbling...and then blurp....one more bubble"
I intend to bottle up (500ml bottles) and add half a teaspoon of sugar in each for carbonation, and I have a test cola bottle to monitor the 'hardness' before I pasteurise in 80C water for 10min. Have I been following right? I will wear my bomb disposal suit when doing it of course.
If I keep the cider in a cool place for a couple of months after that, will it sweeten with time?
I think that's enough jibberish for now. More updates on second batch later...curious to see what difference having two types of apples makes in the end.
Thanks if you find the time answer any of the questions above!
In the meantime have a great Halloween.
It's my first time ever at brewing anything apart from mold in an old coffee cup...
I'm having a go at cider from actual apples that I pressed a while ago (2 types, one cooking apples, the other sweet dessert apples).
I managed to squeeze 2 gallons of the cooking apples and 1.5 gallons of the sweet ones.
Noob mitakes I made along the way with 1st batch (I think I did OK with the second, although only time will tell):
1- I kicked off my first fermentation directly into DJs (i.e. not in FV) and filled the DJs a bit too much which resulted in stuff gushing through the air lock and all over in my cupboard floor (at least I knoew the frementation was happeneing!!)
2- I never sanitized the firt DJs, only rinsed them with cold water
3- Didn't use any campden tablets or yeast nutrients before or during primary
4- After adding the yeast (standard baker's yeast found in my kitchen cupboard), I realised it had expired in 2014! meh...*shrug* (I'm French btw so I know how to shrug alright...
5- I only read about hydrometer readings after i'd started the whole thing, so I don't have a base reading to refer to.
6- I ordered a hydrometer since, but it came from Poland so I have o idea what's written on it. I guess Google translate will be my friend.
Despite all that, the things have been bubbling away for 4 weeks now in a dark warm place and it's now finally cleared up. Everywhere I read primary takes people 2 to 3 weeks but mine is still going after 4 or more...albeit only one bubble every min and half now!
I took a sample into a trial jar and took a reading. No idea what I'm looking at (in Polish) or if it's relevant anyway since I haven't got a base reading. All I know is that it's bang on between a red and green marks. I think it says 0% but who knows...I drank the sample and am still alive to tell the tale. It tasted like a semi bubbly dry and slightly acidic white wine, and I can definitely taste some alchohol (a bit like a very dry Old Rosie).
Second batch primary (sweet apples) was done in the same manner but in sanitised DJs. Difference is the fermentation was started a couple of weeks later. That one too has now slowed right down to the occasional bubble ever couple of minutes. I have not tasted yet as one DJ is only half full so I didn't want the CO2 layer protecting my cider to escape (I have been listening you see?!)...
1st question: does is matter if I don't take a base reading before primary?
2nd question: does the fermentation have to stop completely? or is one bubble every 2min considered as 'stopped'
3rd question: I bought blend of acids as I've read that it could help with very sharp acidic taste. Will that help or should I look at another solution to make the 1st batch a bit less dry/bit sweeter?
4th question: I made sure I stared at my DJs every single day for at least half an hour and read them a story every night. Will that help making my cider sweeter?
I got all my glass bottles ready and sanitized and a clean vassal for racking but I don't know if I'm being impatient or not...Every time I think "oh THAT'S IT! it has stopped bubbling...and then blurp....one more bubble"
I intend to bottle up (500ml bottles) and add half a teaspoon of sugar in each for carbonation, and I have a test cola bottle to monitor the 'hardness' before I pasteurise in 80C water for 10min. Have I been following right? I will wear my bomb disposal suit when doing it of course.
If I keep the cider in a cool place for a couple of months after that, will it sweeten with time?
I think that's enough jibberish for now. More updates on second batch later...curious to see what difference having two types of apples makes in the end.
Thanks if you find the time answer any of the questions above!
In the meantime have a great Halloween.