I started some cider in october, it fermented for a month, I racked it, and it has been sitting ever since. This was fresh unpasteurized cider. I pitched yeast immediately and used no k-meta initially.
I'm not really in the cider-drinking mood, so I've decided to rerack and let it sit for a year or more. I plan to drink it like a wine. I figure I should add some k-meta (I have campden tablets) before aging.
I know very little about winemaking, but what I understand is that I want about 40ppm of sulfites in the batch. I also understand that one campden tablet has 67ppm of sulfites.
Therefore, in a 5 gallon batch treated after fermentation, do I simply add 3 tablets as I rack the cider?
Other questions:
-Do i immediately replace the airlock after racking and mixing in the campden tablets? In my mind they need to off-gas for 24 hours. (But I'm probably mixed up)
- If I decide to backsweeten later, I can add potassium sorbate before bottling, correct?
- Is it okay if I degas after racking, or do I wait until bottling? It is quite gassy
- It is not clear at all despite about 5 months of time to settle and one racking. Will a year clear it up or should I add something? Is it too late to add pectic enzymes?
- If I rerack after 5 or 6 months, should I add more campden tablets?
I'm not really in the cider-drinking mood, so I've decided to rerack and let it sit for a year or more. I plan to drink it like a wine. I figure I should add some k-meta (I have campden tablets) before aging.
I know very little about winemaking, but what I understand is that I want about 40ppm of sulfites in the batch. I also understand that one campden tablet has 67ppm of sulfites.
Therefore, in a 5 gallon batch treated after fermentation, do I simply add 3 tablets as I rack the cider?
Other questions:
-Do i immediately replace the airlock after racking and mixing in the campden tablets? In my mind they need to off-gas for 24 hours. (But I'm probably mixed up)
- If I decide to backsweeten later, I can add potassium sorbate before bottling, correct?
- Is it okay if I degas after racking, or do I wait until bottling? It is quite gassy
- It is not clear at all despite about 5 months of time to settle and one racking. Will a year clear it up or should I add something? Is it too late to add pectic enzymes?
- If I rerack after 5 or 6 months, should I add more campden tablets?