Fermenting apple cider

[Schutty12]

Got a question for a veteran or someone knowledgeable on the topic.

In a gallon of cider I threw in a package of yeast, shook it up, and then put a plastic Baggie over the top with a rubber band around it and a hole in it as an airlock.

I know this is primitive, but what can I expect?

And info and knowledge is helpful, this is purely experimental but I want to try to get this down. Thanks!

 

[jamesngalveston]

I would imagine, that if there is enough sugar in the cider, you will get a ferment going, and if your 1 gallon of cider is about at the top of the container, you will get a plastic bag full of yuc....besides the co2.
If the sugar contend is really low, you will end up with a hard cider about 5 percent alcohol.

 

[Schutty12]

Thanks for the insight! Also, should I be periodically shaking or stirring it up? And should I add more sugar to increase the alcohol content?

 

[LoneStarLori]

I started one the other night using a gal of cider and adding some sugar to get the alcohol up. Starting SG was 1.076.
I put it in a 1 gal glass jug and wanted it to get some air for a vigorous ferment, so I used a coffee filter with a rubber band on the top. That lets the gas out, lets oxygen in and keeps fruit flys out. So far so good. No overflow but I left about 3" headspace. I'll put a bung and airlock on it when I rack it.

This site has a pretty good, no frills way of explaining and making a gal of cider.
http://www.howtomakehardcider.com/making.html

 

[jamesngalveston]

the more sugar the more alcohol, depending on what yeast you used.
some yeast go to 12 percent, some go to 20, and one to 22 percent.
use sugar with the correct yeast to give a high abv..

 

[BernardSmith]

I am not certain but I think apple cider from pressed apples has a gravity of around 1.050 or thereabouts, so without any addition of sugar you would have an ABV of about 6 or 7 % alcohol. I have not done this although I am planning to get a few gallons of cider from a local apple farm and ferment the cider dry then prime with sugar and additional yeast and bottle. Hard cider.

 

[Schutty12]

Thanks for the info! One more question:

How can I carbonate it? I understand you can do so using corn sugar or something?

 

[Schutty12]

Thanks for the info! One more question:

How can I carbonate it? I understand you can do so using corn sugar or something?

 

[LoneStarLori]

Thanks for the info! One more question:

How can I carbonate it? I understand you can do so using corn sugar or something?

The instructions are in the link posted above. From what I read, you add about 1/4 tsp of corn sugar to each bottle at bottling time. I haven't gotten that far yet.

Here's all the ingredients I used. (I take pics because I am not great about writing stuff down).
I found a 5 apple concentrate at Williams Sonoma that I just had to do something with so I thought I would try to beef up a cider. I already did one with Motts apple juice that is still aging, Not tasting too much like cider at the moment, but I hear it gets better with age.

Here's what I did for batch 2;
Bought 1 gal pure cider from local grocery. Pasturized, no chems.
Took out about 2 cups, added 1-1/2 cups of 5 apple cider concentrate from Williams Sonoma.
Added ¾ cup of Florida crystals Demerara sugar to bring SG up to 1.072.
Added 1/4 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp red star premier Cuvee yeast.
1 tsp of Tannin

 

[Tess]

Lori, I first have to say, when you first came here you didn't even want to buy a 6 gallon carboy!! Now? Your hooked and I get excited about your new wine adventures!! Next spring I cant wait to add my lavender!! You are so brave and wise!! Im so glad your here!! I mean that!! Cant wait to see how this turns out!!

 

[LoneStarLori]

Lori, I first have to say, when you first came here you didn't even want to buy a 6 gallon carboy!! Now? Your hooked and I get excited about your new wine adventures!! Next spring I cant wait to add my lavender!! You are so brave and wise!! Im so glad your here!! I mean that!! Cant wait to see how this turns out!!

Thanks Tess. I'm not sure about brave and wise. I think my husband refers to it as 'obsessed' lol
I blame everyone here for my addiction.
(you included) There are so many ideas and experiences being posted, I can't help but want to try something new every time I turn around.

 

[Putterrr]

I have a 3 gal cider going now. I only added 1 cup corn sugar to SG 1.052. I used Nottingham ale yeast. It is stubbornly slow to get down to 1.10 at this point. I still have hopes without having to intervene. Once at that level i will bulk prime and them monitor closely. I will be using a bottle pasteurizing technique to end up with a off-dry carbonated beverage. (do to the nature of bottle pasteurizing i will not go into it on this forum. you can google if interested)

fingers crossed

 

[MilesDavis]

I am not certain but I think apple cider from pressed apples has a gravity of around 1.050 or thereabouts, so without any addition of sugar you would have an ABV of about 6 or 7 % alcohol. I have not done this although I am planning to get a few gallons of cider from a local apple farm and ferment the cider dry then prime with sugar and additional yeast and bottle. Hard cider.

You won't need additional yeast.

Thanks for the info! One more question:

How can I carbonate it? I understand you can do so using corn sugar or something?

About one ounce of dextrose per gallon of dry cider gets a nice fizz.

I have been making a farmhouse style (cloudy, no added sugar) and what I do is add 2.1 grams of Safale S-04 or Nottingham ale yeast into a one gallon jug of Knudsen's organic unfiltered apple juice and let it ferment down to S.G. of 1.025 or so and then directly bottle it. All of it except enough for a .5 liter plastic bottle goes into glass beer bottles with crown caps. The .5 liter plastic bottle is my carbonation indicator. When it has been rock hard for a couple of days, I crack it open and try it. If it's adequately fizzy, then it's time for the rest to go in the fridge. Easiest cider on the planet, and SWMBO loves it. ABV is around 4.8%.