Hate to just jump on here and ask 50 questions. Im worried and confused... Hahaha like a lot of first timers 
First question. I started a cider 2 weeks ago. A local cidery had an intro to cider class. We started with a gallon of Orange Pippins some 118 yeast and some wyeast nutrient. My 1 gallon carboy was way to full. I should have drank some before I added it to the jug. It started bubbling up to the lock within a few hours of me being home. I will add that my jug of pippin was already starting to ferment naturally.
I had a 2quart jug of pressed Rambo juice that I forgot about in the back of the fridge It was in there a month or so. Straight from the press to the fridge... Unpasteurized. I thought maybe I should add some of the over full pippin jug to the Rambo and start it at the same time. I tested the Rambo juice and it was still yummy! I used the same yeast (118) and put the yeast with wyeast in a flask to let sit a day before adding. I racked part of the Pippin into a new container so that they would be about the same.
I felt it was alot of head space but thought if I was careful and didnt move it then the CO2 would settle and seal it.
Both had about 1.050 OG to start. Temps in the 65-75 degrees.
So they started bubbling right away. By day 3 they hit 2-3 bubbles per second and was foaming like soda. Keep in mind they are a day apart.. but the Rambo mix did start to ferment since I added from the pippen jug. For the record.. when I was mixing the 2 I felt like I shouldn't be messing with the pippen and should have just let it ride out.
By day 5 they stopped bubbling completely.. day 4 I noticed they slowed down considerably. I let them sit un-moved for week after they stopped bubbling. I was thinking it was going to be 2 weeks to ferment. I racked them off into smaller jugs (3 quart) and tested the Final gravity last night.
Pippin = 1.000
Rambo = .998
The taste.. well not good. Not terrible.. I didnt get the barf juice as I was expecting but I didnt want to drink a glass of it.
This is difficult to explain but... Pippen; kind of tart and almost sourish. Didnt leave a dry feeling but almost. Not a lot of alcohol taste but definitely present. Smelled floral and applish but not by much. I wouldn't want a glass of it and small sips were about the limit.
Rambo mix: Was much clearer than the Pippin. Tart and sour with a strong alcohol finish. When I say strong I could feel it in my breath after I took a sip. Surprisingly not dry, but not sweet either.. more sour. Not as drinkable as the Pippen. Not as floral but not sulphery.
So between the 2 I have nothing good on my first try. Should I let them sit longer? They are done fermenting. So do I cap them and store them? Do I have a mix of vinegar and cider? I am guessing I left to much head space. I didnt move them...
That was my first attempt........................................................................................................................................................................................................
I bought Santa Cruz Organic Apple juice, 4 3 quart jugs at Lowes Whole foods. Not great price but not terrible. No preservatives.
I Sanitized everything with Starsan. I made sure no way anything could be contaminated.
Took the 4 jugs and poured them into a 3 Gallon Carboy. Had my yeast (us-05) and wyeast in a beaker with warm water and a cottonball as my lid sitting for 24 hrs. Poured my yeast into my carboy. 6 hours later... I have no bubbles. Not even a little! I didnt expect full on brew bubbles but I figured it would get going a little. Any Ideas?
First question. I started a cider 2 weeks ago. A local cidery had an intro to cider class. We started with a gallon of Orange Pippins some 118 yeast and some wyeast nutrient. My 1 gallon carboy was way to full. I should have drank some before I added it to the jug. It started bubbling up to the lock within a few hours of me being home. I will add that my jug of pippin was already starting to ferment naturally.
I had a 2quart jug of pressed Rambo juice that I forgot about in the back of the fridge It was in there a month or so. Straight from the press to the fridge... Unpasteurized. I thought maybe I should add some of the over full pippin jug to the Rambo and start it at the same time. I tested the Rambo juice and it was still yummy! I used the same yeast (118) and put the yeast with wyeast in a flask to let sit a day before adding. I racked part of the Pippin into a new container so that they would be about the same.
I felt it was alot of head space but thought if I was careful and didnt move it then the CO2 would settle and seal it.
Both had about 1.050 OG to start. Temps in the 65-75 degrees.
So they started bubbling right away. By day 3 they hit 2-3 bubbles per second and was foaming like soda. Keep in mind they are a day apart.. but the Rambo mix did start to ferment since I added from the pippen jug. For the record.. when I was mixing the 2 I felt like I shouldn't be messing with the pippen and should have just let it ride out.
By day 5 they stopped bubbling completely.. day 4 I noticed they slowed down considerably. I let them sit un-moved for week after they stopped bubbling. I was thinking it was going to be 2 weeks to ferment. I racked them off into smaller jugs (3 quart) and tested the Final gravity last night.
Pippin = 1.000
Rambo = .998
The taste.. well not good. Not terrible.. I didnt get the barf juice as I was expecting but I didnt want to drink a glass of it.
This is difficult to explain but... Pippen; kind of tart and almost sourish. Didnt leave a dry feeling but almost. Not a lot of alcohol taste but definitely present. Smelled floral and applish but not by much. I wouldn't want a glass of it and small sips were about the limit.
Rambo mix: Was much clearer than the Pippin. Tart and sour with a strong alcohol finish. When I say strong I could feel it in my breath after I took a sip. Surprisingly not dry, but not sweet either.. more sour. Not as drinkable as the Pippen. Not as floral but not sulphery.
So between the 2 I have nothing good on my first try. Should I let them sit longer? They are done fermenting. So do I cap them and store them? Do I have a mix of vinegar and cider? I am guessing I left to much head space. I didnt move them...
That was my first attempt........................................................................................................................................................................................................
I bought Santa Cruz Organic Apple juice, 4 3 quart jugs at Lowes Whole foods. Not great price but not terrible. No preservatives.
I Sanitized everything with Starsan. I made sure no way anything could be contaminated.
Took the 4 jugs and poured them into a 3 Gallon Carboy. Had my yeast (us-05) and wyeast in a beaker with warm water and a cottonball as my lid sitting for 24 hrs. Poured my yeast into my carboy. 6 hours later... I have no bubbles. Not even a little! I didnt expect full on brew bubbles but I figured it would get going a little. Any Ideas?
