Hard Cider

[Oldskooler]

Hi, I just made a simple hard cider recipe on 22 Nov made up of 5 Gallons Apple Juice, 5 pounds of brown sugar and I used Red Star Champaign yeast. It is now 4 Dec and this stuff is bubbling at a rate of every six seconds. I tasted it and it tastes good but the fermentation is going like crazy. What have I got here?

 

[Randzor]

Strong apple cider....

 

[leomulholland]

What was you og? And what is the reading now?

 

[Oldskooler]

What was you og? And what is the reading now?

The OG was 1.062 and it was 1.022 yesterday. It still has a very strong bubbling in the airlock every 5 to 6 seconds. Thanks...

 

[Newsman]

I'd suggest checking every other day until you get three consecutive identical readings, then leave it for another week, just to allow cleanup.

 

[MindenMan]

Did you temp correct for accuracy? Why I ask is, that if you dissolve one pound of sugar in one gallon of water it will yield a sugar solution of, in this case, 1.046 SG. Based on general info store bought apple juice has a S.G. of 1.050. I could certainly be wrong here, but the math says 1.096 O.G. per gallon.

 

[SEABrewer]

If it's still bubbling, just walk away and leave it be. Once you stop seeing visible signs of fermentation, give it a few more days and then check your gravity over the course of a few days to see if it's stabilized. I'd then give it a bit more time for the yeast to clean up after themselves and for the cider to clear up a bit and then you can keg/bottle.

 

[Oldskooler]

I thank everyone for the input. I am going to take the suggestion and let it run it's course and then let it rest. I'll update when I get a result.

Thanks again...

 

[Oldskooler]

OK everyone it has finished up at 1.008 with temperature correction. It tastes pretty good to me. Thanks everyone for your help and have a Very Merry HBT Christmas.

 

[mickeyb]

i have a question actually, i have had some hard cider going for 3 days and no bubbles if the airlock that i have noticed, is this normal?

 

[ozzmosiz]

Hi Mickey, normally you should get some bubbles in the airlock by then. Are you sure your container is air tight?