Made several batches, but different that what you guys do

[Goof]

I've made several batches, some pretty ok. I'm looking to step up, and I want to know what the differences from what I do, to what you guys do are, and why?

What I do is:

1. 1 gal organic pasteurized juices
2. Add sugar: 1/4c to 2c (I find 1/4c - 1/2c best)
3. Add 5 raisins.
4. Pitch yeast in separate container with some juice to make sure it grows and split that between 2 jugs (like Nottingham ale yeast but also used champagne and bread yest)
5. Let ferment until activity drops, usually about a month. kept in a cool dark room.
6. Rack, and top off w/ more juice
7. 2-8 months later, rack again
8. Depending on activity and sediment I rack again, may top off w/ more juice.
9. Back sweeten, maybe add flavor.
10. Kill yeast, either stove top keeping temp bellow 170 or sorbating, rarely cold crash

I have kept them in the gallon till consumed. Usually they are drunk in the next week at a camping event after this. but I am thinking of stepping up my game and then bottling it.

So, can you guys tell me what I am missing, and why it matters?

Like taking gravity, why measure if I can just change the amount of sugar to control how strong it is? And wouldn't adding things throughout the process change how accurate it is anyways?

I notice a lot of talk about cold crashing rather than killing, I've done it a few times, but think I misunderstanding the benefits. It seams short term.

Racking while yeast is very active?

Anything else would be helpful.


P.S.
I've also been thinking of adding a sour apple syrup since i find most juice sold depend on sweetness for flavor. Anyone who doesn't press this own apples do this?

 

[Goof]

Really, not a single suggestion?

 

[Randzor]

Tbh your recipe/methods are pretty advanced. The only thing different I would say is up the sugar and juice by 5 then try your hand at bottling.

 

[stevetree]

Your process sounds fine to me.

Yes, gravity readings will be thrown off if you add a little juice to top off, but I rarely add enough that I feel like it changes much.
Cold crashing is really just to help the yeast fall to the bottom. It will slow things down a bit, but fermentation will resume when it warms back up. So yes, stove top pasteurization is the way to go if you don't want to use chemicals.
Never tried sour apple syrup, but it sounds good. The main difference between my process and yours is that I'm not patient enough to wait that long. As a result, I usually end up with sediment in my bottles IF they actually sit around that long lol.