Beginner Brewing Questions

[PCeditorpro]

I'm just starting out and on my 3rd attempt at this. I have done a apple cider, cranberry cider that I just bottled last night, and just started another version of cranberry cider. This all started after I was watching M*A*S*H one night while I can't distill gin in my college dorm room this seems like a good place to start. Here are my newbie questions that I couldn't find any good answers for surfing the forums.
1. I ran out of stuff to clean my fermentation jug so I went to the local brew store and they sold me this star san sanitation stuff but it looks like I just put dish soap in. is it still ok to use?
2. In my first batch of cranberry cider 3 of the bottles the caps look like they are ready to blow off did I screw up? They went from the normal crimped cap look to a big bulged.
3. Also on that batch of cranberry cider it was still bubbling away after sitting for 2.5 weeks. Was it OK to bottle it at this point?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

1) Yes. Star San foams like a mother. It will not impart any flavors into the finished product.
2) Uncap those sooner than later. In the sink preferably. It's going to gush. While you're at it, put the remaining bottles in a bucket or bin just in case they go.
3) I already know the answer to this, but did you check the gravity? Airlock activity means nothing. Gravity is the only thing that will tell you if fermentation is done.

Welcome and good luck!

 

[PCeditorpro]

2. Stupid question but would only a few do it when they are all identical? Is it just over carbonated? I used the same ratios for my apple cider(That was almost flat) when priming.
3. I did not I'm just starting and have not bought a hydrometer yet.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

That depends on how much sugar got into those three bottle versus the rest of the batch. If you primed them independently or the sugar didn't dissolve all the way could be likely culprits. To be on the safe side I would uncap all of them, just to burp the pressure.

 

[RM-MN]

2. Stupid question but would only a few do it when they are all identical? Is it just over carbonated? I used the same ratios for my apple cider(That was almost flat) when priming.
3. I did not I'm just starting and have not bought a hydrometer yet.

1. Starsan is a sanitizer, not a cleaner. You clean the jugs first, then just before adding the juice you rinse with Starsan to get the last of the bacteria that might have settled into your jugs. Starsan is a wet sanitizer. If it dries before you add your juice you do it again. Same with bottles.
2. If you are careful you can just loosen the caps to let out a little of the CO2 instead of removing the cap. Most of the time the cap will reseal itself. This will need to be done multiple times to avoid a gusher. Keep doing it until you don't hear the hiss of escaping gas, probably every half hour to an hour between.
3. A hydrometer is the most important tool in brewing. Get one. Almost flat isn't the same as completed fermentation. The hydrometer is the tool to tell if fermentation is complete. Take a reading, then 2 days later take another. If they match you can safely bottle. Match means exact, not just close. Only then will you know that the amount of priming sugar will create the correct amount of CO2 pressure. If fermentation was not complete, you don't have any way to tell if it will cause overpressure or exploding bottles.

 

[MrBJones]

Unless your fermenter is REAL gross and dirty, or the gunk is dried hard, just fill it with water and put in a scoop of Oxi Clean Free (non scented). After it sits for a few hours, just drain and rinse...no need to do much more than that, other than to sanitize before the next use.

By the way, something like one of THESE make rinsing jugs, bottles, and carboys real easy.

Starsan will turn cloudy when mixing with tap water because it reacts with the mineral content. Using distilled water will keep it clear and useable much longer.

 

[PCeditorpro]

Update: I opened one of the bottles. It did not explode but I did notice that it was filled to the brim. I think the gas had no where to go and that is what caused it to bubble out. I could be completely wrong but with the evidence I have this is my conclusion.

 

[diyHardCider]

Filling to the brim is not advised, but 'no where for the gas to go' is sort of the point of carbonation.... the gas is pushed into the cider. Like others have mentioned, it's tough to give guidance without hydrometer readings and specifics of how much/what type of sugar was added, etc.

More pressure than expected is due excess sugar, either because:

• Too much priming sugar
• Fermentation wasn't finished (there is still fermentable sugar remaining that will be consumed after bottling).

The easiest way to make cider (and where you'll want to start, especially without a hydrometer) is to ferment the cider to fully dry (or as dry as the yeast will take it; 2-3 full weeks if you don't have hydrometer to check)... then back carbonate with priming sugar and sweeten with artificial sweeteners if you'd like. This method can remove a lot of the apple flavor, but it's the best place to start, in my opinion.