hard apple cider

[franc1969]

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.

 

[salcoco]

caps or corks work fine.

 

[bshef]

If still cider, just cap as you did the scrumpy. You are suffering info overload. Easy to do here.

 

[franc1969]

Apple had settled into no more active airlock burps by Friday, and seemed to be ready to rack. I was out all day yesterday and I thought I would transfer to other carboys today. Went into the room and found that Harrison has a definite fizzy malolactic fermentation going and active burps. Wickson may also, infrequent burps there, I don't see a fizz.
Is this going to be ok with my pH? 3.6 for Harrison and 3.5 Wickson at start. Also- is it ok to rack while this is happening so actively?

 

[BernardSmith]

I would check the gravity. If the gravity is closing in on 1.000 then good to rack but if there is still a wide margin then there ie no ruc=sh and in fact rushing may result in you racking the cider off the yeast and so creating a stalled fermentation while there are still many miles to go

 

[franc1969]

All batches were at 1- 1.030 so I racked to smaller carboys. I have left them to sit, having to add more pectinase after running out last week, so they'll be dealt with in awhile.

 

[al.hammerhead]

Question:
After you work off apple wine, how long sould it sit before you drink?