1st time hard cider brewer racked tonight

[Maugatar]

Hi all just wanted your thoughts, just racked 18 bottles of my first hard ciders 1 pure apple, 1 vimto. If my hydrometer readings are up to spec. The vimto is 5.7% and the apple.....well I managed to break my trial flask (because I'm a clumsy bugger). Both brews were I. 5 gallon demijohns with just apple juice yeast and vimto, didn't add any teabags yet just wanted to see what the brew tastes without. Left for 10 days until the airlock bubbling has calmed down. The vimto cider bottles (all bottles 500ml) got a teaspoon of sugar before sealing. The pure apple 2.5 for a bit of sweetness. (First taste it was a little tart for my liking) . Would anyone do anything differently? Thinking my next brew will be passion fruit cider.

 

[jof]

If it's still not sweet enough you could add sweetener to it (eg the sugar substitutes for tea/coffee).
But go gently and be prepared to experiment because each batch will be different.
For example you may only need 3 or 4 for the whole demijohn rather than 1 per bottle

Oh and you don't need to use the Americanism of 'hard'. All cider is alcoholic here. If it's not fermented it's just apple juice.

 

[MashBag]

a teaspoon of sugar before sealing. The pure apple 2.5 for a bit of sweetness.

Is that 2.5tsp per bottle? What size are the bottles?

 

[old dog new tricks]

I would wait before adding sweetener or only add a small about leave it for a few weeks and the taste really comes out and does not need sweetener I found, when still young a bit of sweetener brought it to life.

Only thing I do differently is add tea and pectolose and finings if you want the crystal clear or cold shock it before racking

 

[Maugatar]

Is that 2.5tsp per bottle? What size are the bottles?

500ml thinking I may have created something a bit overly lively

 

[Maugatar]

If it's still not sweet enough you could add sweetener to it (eg the sugar substitutes for tea/coffee).
But go gently and be prepared to experiment because each batch will be different.
For example you may only need 3 or 4 for the whole demijohn rather than 1 per bottle

Oh and you don't need to use the Americanism of 'hard'. All cider is alcoholic here. If it's not fermented it's just apple juice.

Thank goodness did wonder why all the videos I wanted online were going on about hard cider. Normal cider it is.

 

[MashBag]

Hmm. I consider over 1tsp/500ml dangerous. Google "bottle bombs"... Hmm maybe not

 

[Maugatar]

Thanks for your help everyone, I'll be delaying the next batch slightly until I can get hold of some pectolose, and some decent tea bags.

 

[MashBag]

500ml thinking I may have created something a bit overly lively

Erm.. I would keep an eye on these they could explode. Bottle bombs have been known to trigger the bottle next door too.

Could be very messy and a bit dangerous

 

[MashBag]

Google "homebrew bottle bombs"

 

[old dog new tricks]

Yes that is a bit excessive if plastic bottles you will get away with it if glass I'd keep them cool

 

[jof]

If in glass, you may need to cool & crack the lid just enough to vent the excess pressure.
Search thread titles for bottle bomb & that should give more details