Recent content by ncguire

I don't see anything wrong with your process. It looks like the yeast is starting to get going to me. It may have gotten off to a slow start for a few reasons. 1) Never used Kveik, but maybe 63 was too cold for it. 2) Maybe the yeast was bad to begin with. Check the expiration date. Or...

Store bought apples are usually picked before they're fully ripe, so they may not be uniform in ripeness as you have noticed. To get the full potential out of apples for cider, I think they need to be allowed to be fully tree ripened. Further, you can leave them to sweat for a while also, which...

Possible, yes. From my experience though, commercial yeasts ferment more vigorously than wild yeasts, so I'm doubtful a wild strain would take over, but you never know. I guess it depends on the strain and the temperature. I think what would happen most likely is that all the yeasts would stall...

Interesting, did you take a final gravity reading to compare each yeast? How long did they take in comparison? It almost sounds like your TF6 wasn't finished fermenting. I've only tried AB1 from Fermentis, and been pleased with the results.

Good question. I've put apples in the freezer, thawed them, and pressed them later before, and when you do this, it breaks down the cell walls of the fruit, making them mushy. You can sometimes squeeze the juice out with your bare hands. Never tried using previously frozen apples from the tree...

1. If you have OG readings you must have a hydrometer. Gravity reading is the best way to know when primary is complete (will be around 1), but if there are bubbles, probably needs more time. I've never had primary take 1-2 weeks. For me, more like 1-2 months. But I am usually fermenting cold...

How does it smell? Should be fine as long as it was stored properly and not exposed to air. In which case, yes, you may have apple cider vinegar.

What temp do you have them at? Could be stalled if too cold. I left two batches from last year in my fermentation fridge for 9 months at 55F. I figured they were done because they were clear, no airlock activity, etc. I was getting ready to bottle and did a final gravity reading and got 1.020. I...

I think all of the above would be good choices. I'd also consider Baldwin and Northern Spy. Maybe some crabs like Wickson or Chestnut. Also don't forget to think about bloom time and harvest time. Each tree will need a pollination partner that blooms at the same time. If you grow a triploid...

If it is just bittersweet apples it will most likely need blending as it will lack acidity and may have too much tannin. 1/4 would probably be a safe place to start. Or you could do two batches, one with the bittersweets and one with your normal run of the mill juice, then blend them together to...

I have always consumed my home made stuff after about a year, but that's because I've usually only had enough apples for a few gallons supplemented with store bought juice. Finally had a good crop this fall and have about 17 gallons fermenting, so will try aging some longer. I've had commercial...

Usually when people say to have two other varieties for pollination with triploids, it is because the triploid tree's pollen is sterile. Triploids only require one other tree for pollination, but will not be able to to pollinate the other tree back. That's why they say to have a third...

I wouldn't think there would be enough sugar to make much alcohol just from apple peels and water, but I've never done anything like that before, so don't take my word for it. Do you have a hydrometer? A hydrometer reading of the liquid from the start would be able to tell you how much sugar you...

Looks a lot like Gravenstein. When is bloom and harvest time relative to other apples? Not sure about Australia, but in the US, Gravenstein is early to bloom. And early harvest (late summer), ripening over several weeks and not all at once. Not a great keeper like most early apples. It's also...

If you want sparkling cider, I would use beer bottles or champagne bottles, not jugs or growlers, which usually aren't rated to hold carbonation and may explode. Not sure the metal screw tops will keep a good air tight seal long term either, so if you are planning to use jugs it may be better to...