franc1969
Senior Member
So it's my first time making cider from really good apples. I got juices fresh pressed last weekend from Distillery Lane Ciderworks. They will make a lower ABV than I am used to dealing with, and I am totally over-read on how to handle bottling. Do I cap these? Bottle with corks? will they last a year? I am likely to have consumed by next fall, but still a question going forward when I have a larger amount. I am trying to compare cappers- I don't have one.
The details- all are SafAle S-04 yeast, happily bubbling away right now. Wickson (3.5 pH 16.5brix), Harrison(3.6 pH 16.2brix), Redfield(3.6 pH 11.8brix)
So that should come out to about 9% and 6.25% alcohol. Don't know about blending yet- wanted to make specific varietals to start. I intend still cider. I might also start another batch of blended cider by the end of the month, depends on what I find at the PA orchard, and I'd like to try another yeast.
I've made an apple wine (abv about 11%) from fresh cider before, and hard scrumpy-type cider that we drank really fresh. The scrumpy was pulled right from the fridge, the wine bottled as usual. I might be overthinking the difference after barbera / merlot / berry wine.
The details- all are SafAle S-04 yeast, happily bubbling away right now. Wickson (3.5 pH 16.5brix), Harrison(3.6 pH 16.2brix), Redfield(3.6 pH 11.8brix)
So that should come out to about 9% and 6.25% alcohol. Don't know about blending yet- wanted to make specific varietals to start. I intend still cider. I might also start another batch of blended cider by the end of the month, depends on what I find at the PA orchard, and I'd like to try another yeast.
I've made an apple wine (abv about 11%) from fresh cider before, and hard scrumpy-type cider that we drank really fresh. The scrumpy was pulled right from the fridge, the wine bottled as usual. I might be overthinking the difference after barbera / merlot / berry wine.