cider brew with OG of 1.032 - advice please

[pablo100]

hi all - after some advice if possible. I have started fermenting a brew of cider from juiced apples and didnt have hydrometer to hand to establish OG. it is now bubbling happily away. I found the hydrometer and just taken reading from original sample of juice I kept back and it is 1.032.
i read that you should really aim for starting OG higher than this to ensure longer life and pitch in some sugar but its a bit late now.
Is it safe to proceed? or should I add sugar at a later stage to boost ABV ?

Also I didnt add any sterilising tablets to brew either - whats my chances do you think of this being an issue? everything was sterilised etc

All help and advice much appreciated

Many thanks

 

[LED_ZEP]

1.032 should still get you around 4.5% abv if it ferments to 0.996. To really get the preservative affect from alcohol you're looking at 10%+ and then you're in wine territory. You can add sugar at any time in the ferment to boost abv if that's what you're looking for.

About the infection risk; It's about what could be on the apples themselves more than the equipment but many people use the wild yeasts on the apples to ferment the cider and don't add yeast. So it's fingers crossed from here but I wouldn't be over worried.

 

[VW911]

Depends on how long from pressing to taking a reading. Chances are that the sample that you kept back has probably started fermenting on its' own, thus reducing the gravity...

 

[pablo100]

thanks both - appeciate the comments - can I also ask if you think I should be ok to add to a pressure barrel for the second ferment - it has a pressure release valve. Also would you recomend adding milton tablets when adding to the barrel - and does it matter if the barrel is not completely full when I do this - im aware that exposure to air is a bad thing but I expect leaving a couple litre space at the top of the barrel which I assume will be safe as the fermentation will chase out the air as it ferments - is this the case please?

 

[DavieC]

Hi Pablo, no need for milton tablets, never used a pressure barrel so not sure how well it'll hold pressure if youre after a highly carbed sparkling cider,I usually use pet bottles or glass beer bottles.

 

[LED_ZEP]

I use a PB for my ciders and I even clear my wines in one. A small head space wouldn't be an issue, as you say if your priming the cider it will make a protective layer above. My barrels are rated to 15psi and that works for me.

 

[terrym]

I use a PB for my ciders and I even clear my wines in one. A small head space wouldn't be an issue, as you say if your priming the cider it will make a protective layer above. My barrels are rated to 15psi and that works for me.

Although it would be ideal if there was such a thing as a 'blanket' or 'protective layer' of CO2 (produced by fermentation) over beer or cider or whatever in a vessel with some form of headspace that has originally contained only air, whereas initially there might be some form of concentration gradient with more CO2 just above the liquid, unfortunately as time rolls on the gradient flattens as the gases mix, driven by a process called Brownian motion, which operates at the molecular level

 

[LED_ZEP]

Although it would be ideal if there was such a thing as a 'blanket' or 'protective layer' of CO2 (produced by fermentation) over beer or cider or whatever in a vessel with some form of headspace that has originally contained only air, whereas initially there might be some form of concentration gradient with more CO2 just above the liquid, unfortunately as time rolls on the gradient flattens as the gases mix, driven by a process called Brownian motion, which operates at the molecular level

This is true but as you draw off liquid it will increase the volume of the head space releasing more CO2 from the brew and renewing the layer would it not? I've never had an issue but I empty my barrels pretty quick...lol

 

[terrym]

This is true but as you draw off liquid it will increase the volume of the head space releasing more CO2 from the brew and renewing the layer would it not? I've never had an issue but I empty my barrels pretty quick...lol

You are right. But the 'layer' is only temporary as Brownian motion takes over, helped by the agitation in the headspace caused by the increase in volume. But a positive is that the CO2 concentration in the headspace increases, just as the oxygen level decreases. However all that matters little if you neck the lot within a short space of time.