Apple Cider

[Hinotori]

I don't care for most wines so I haven't asked much about it.

 

[CrealCritter]

Hard apple cider is coming along nicely. Still blowing bubbles. Its really lightened up.

 

[CrealCritter]

I racked the cider through a length of copper pipe to get it off the yeast bed and to rid it of any sulfur gas. I'll be bottling Saturday morning. It tastes pretty good like a sharp spiked apple juice. The hydrometer reading is below 1.000 so its pretty much fully fermented. It should finish off fermenting in the secondary between now and Saturday. I'm adding priming sugar to it anyways for carbonation, so I'm not to concerned about it being fully fermented. I just don't want bottle bombs.

 

[CrealCritter]

Bottled up 66 12 ounce beer bottles - yielded a little over 6 gallons. Now it needs to bottle condition & carbonate for at least 2 weeks (more time is better).

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's a lotta cider!

 

[wyoDreamer]

It looks good! Hopefully it has a bit of sweet left to it. I had a hard cider once that that was way too dry, I couldn't even drink it.

 

[CrealCritter]

Its now just lightly carbonated, slightly sweet (nice balance) and so easy to drink (chug) watch out - it'll sneak up on you and hit you over the head.

Cleared out really nicely so far... But I was gentle with it while making it. It's really nothing more than a sparkling apple wine is all.

 

[wyoDreamer]

That looks beautiful!
Is it going to get more carbonated as it sits, or do you think it is done fermenting?

 

[CrealCritter]

That looks beautiful!
Is it going to get more carbonated as it sits, or do you think it is done fermenting?

It definitely will get more carbonated. My wife keeps the house at 65 degrees during the day and 62 at night. So all the bottles have been cold and are slow to ferment. I think that's a big reason why I have a hard time getting ale & wine yeasts to start. It's OK though... I like how smooth my beers and wines turn out fermenting at the bottom of the allowable temperature range. They just take longer is all.

 

[CrealCritter]

19 days bottle conditioning, i put in freezer for 45 minutes, and poured. It's cleared out, fully carbonated, not to sweet, no to dry, very smooth, with just a hint of tang. I like it, i like it a lot who knew I would like semi dry sparkling apple wine?

I'm taking several to the 4 of July cookout at my sons. My daughter in laws will love me long time for this cider.