How much time to get to 1.010-1.006?

[Silentnoiz]

I'm doing a 5-gallon batch of cider, and am aiming for a cider that is just on the sweet side without having to backsweeten (although I'm not opposed to it if need be). I'm assuming, from what I've read, that this is the right FG range for that taste.

I bought a combination of apple juice and apple cider that was pasteurized, and not preserved. I pitched a packet of dry Montrachet yeast into the room-temp juice in a 5-gallon glass carboy. I observed airlock activity in about 2-3 hours, and it has been steadily bubbling (at a rate of 2-3 bubbles per second) for 72 hours. It smells like a baby's ripe diaper, if anyone knows that smell.

I am going to keg and force carb.

So I'm wondering how long in general it takes to get to 1.010-1.006, so that I can take a hydrometer reading, and a taste test. I obviously want to minimize the number of times I do this.

Once it is at the right spot, I plan on cold crashing it, and then adding some Potassium Sorbate (1/2 tsp per gallon, so 2.5 tsp), and then kegging and force carbing.

This is my first time doing cider, so am I missing anything? Is Potassium Sorbate necessary, and if so at what amount, or will cold crashing be enough?

 

[Yooper]

It takes me about 5 days for most wines and ciders to go from 1.100 to .990 or so, sometimes longer. Sometimes shorter. With a lower OG wine or cider, I'm usually at 1.000 or less in 3 days.

If you've had active fermentation for several days, you're probably past 1.010. Of course, if it is stinky, you may have some stressed yeast so it could be struggling to get that low as well.

Oh, by the way- sorbate won't stop a active fermentation. so if you're crash cooling, make sure the cider is totally and completely clear and then rack it onto campden and sorbate. Neither kill yeast, but sorbate inhibits yeast reproduction (that's why it needs to have very little yeast in suspension, along with no lees, before racking it onto the sorbate).

I don't like the taste of sorbate, so I'd skip that and just keep the keg cold. That's what I do with hard lemonade- crash cool it at the correct SG, and keep it cold.

 

[Silentnoiz]

Thanks for the reply, Yooper. I prefer not to have to add anything, especially if it isn't a desirable taste. So I'll plan on cold crashing and kegging.

I took a hydrometer reading and it's only at 1.036, so it has a bit to go. The problem is that I'm an idiot and forgot to take an OG. So I have no clue how far it has actually come (I did add some honey and brown sugar, and true to my cooking style didn't measure how much I added).

But it sure did taste really damn good so far, so I am pumped about that!

 

[CvilleKevin]

The speed of ferment depends on the type of yeast and the temp. Depending on how much sugar you added, you are probably 2-3 days away from 1.010. If you can move it to a cooler location, that should help the stink

 

[Silentnoiz]

I took a gravity reading exactly 7 days to the hour from when I pitched the yeast and it is at 1.005 (I am guessing it started at around 1.055). So I am cold crashing it now and will rack it to keg in probably 2 days or so. It tastes good, but not as sweet as I think I want it, so I'll probably back sweeten into the keg without adding anything else and just keep it cold, force carb (set and forget), and consume.