And now for something different... (OK, it's cider)

[Journeyman]

@Norris! @Graculus @ChristinaS1  Just checking... My brew has gone all cloudy. Fridge smells good, like a clean cider smell but the was very clear juice. I presume it's normal for it to cloud up, a bit like beer wort can go through changes while fermenting?

[Graculus]

1 hour ago, Journeyman said:

@Norris! @Graculus @ChristinaS1  Just checking... My brew has gone all cloudy. Fridge smells good, like a clean cider smell but the was very clear juice. I presume it's normal for it to cloud up, a bit like beer wort can go through changes while fermenting?

Yes cloudy is fine. The sample I have in the hydrometer jar is cloudy.

As for the smell. Probably OK, although sometimes it can smell like rotten eggs.
fermenting apple juice rotten egg smell

Could you take a sample and leave a hydrometer in the jar like I do?

That way you can see it drop a bit each day.
Mine has definitely dropping.
I've just rushed out and checked mine. In the pic I posted on the previous page you can see the numbers on the hydrometer.
Now it's cloudy and they're all fuzzy.

Edited April 25, 2021 by Graculus

[Journeyman]

20 hours ago, Graculus said:

Could you take a sample and leave a hydrometer in the jar like I do?

That way you can see it drop a bit each day.
Mine has definitely dropping.

I always do the hydro thing although I stopped leaving the hydro in the jar a while back. Kraussen makes it hard to read so better to leave it outside and just test once the foam has gone.  It's even more cloudy today - almost milky. 

I wasn't worried about the yeast working, just whether there was something awry - it's sitting on 1.012 at present so yeast is doing it's thing.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Journeyman

[Graculus]

Yes, very cloudy today, & a Krausen.

I know what you mean about not being able to read the hydrometer,
but I like seeing the hydrometer drop over the days. Not that I check it everyday.

I was talking to someone the other day about homemade cider and the fact I don't think they're as good as commercial ciders.
He suggested using a flavouring.
Now this to me means it won't be a cider (apple) flavour. So therefore not a cider.

He suggested either the Morgans Lime & Strawberry flavours or Mangrove Jacks do Boost for beer and brewing.
I've bought a Cherry flavour and I'm not sure I'll try it with this cider, but probably the next.
It does say the small bottle is enough for 23 litres, or 1.5ml per 750ml bottle.
Being a bit sceptical of that I'll probably double it in a few bottles.

 

[Journeyman]

4 minutes ago, Graculus said:

I was talking to someone the other day about homemade cider and the fact I don't think they're as good as commercial ciders.
He suggested using a flavouring.
Now this to me means it won't be a cider (apple) flavour. So therefore not a cider

SWMBO drinks a few of the flavoured commercial ones but last time she tried one she said it was too sweet.

I'm with you on, it's no longer cider. I'd consider a minimum pear juice contribution to maintain some sweetness but this time around both potential victims like dry ciders so I figure I'd do the juice alone (I added some LDME for a little body - 400g total in 28L) and see how it turns out. Someone on here (Christina maybe?) said made with juice instead of extract pack you get a bit more residual sweetness from the real fruit. 

I figure see how it goes - if too dry they can add a bit in the glass and I'll know for next time.

[ChristinaS1]

1 hour ago, Journeyman said:

Someone on here (Christina maybe?) said made with juice instead of extract pack you get a bit more residual sweetness from the real fruit. 

Never said that. I have never used  cider kits/ concentrate, only real juice, so can't compare them. 

Edited April 27, 2021 by ChristinaS1

[Journeyman]

1 hour ago, ChristinaS1 said:

Never said that. I have never used  cider kits/ concentrate, only real juice, so can't compare them. 

Ah well, blame it on old man memory.

[Journeyman]

Is there something strange about cider? My FG is 0.994 - how is that possible? I checked with a 2nd hydro as well.

Tastes fine from the sample and has cleared up well in the CC - got down to 2° overnight, but WTF is it with the SG?

[Graculus]

33 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

Is there something strange about cider? My FG is 0.994 - how is that possible? I checked with a 2nd hydro as well.

Tastes fine from the sample and has cleared up well in the CC - got down to 2° overnight, but WTF is it with the SG?

That final gravity is what you get with cider / apple juice.

It'll be fine.

[Journeyman]

2 minutes ago, Graculus said:

That final gravity is what you get with cider / apple juice.

It'll be fine.

 Well now I AM worried... WTH is in water that it has a higher SG than cider?

Edited May 1, 2021 by Journeyman

[Graculus]

20 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

 Well now I AM worried... WTH is in water that it has a higher SG than cider?

Maybe we should be drinking more cider and less water?

Mine is still at 1010 this morning, and has had the "rotten egg" type smell for a few days.
I don't think this is going to get down to 1.000.
I added LDME & some maltodexrin to it. At the initial stage, not today.
I"ve upped the temperature to 22C to try and help it along. I want the brew fridge to empty by next weekend.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Graculus

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, Graculus said:

Mine is still at 1010 this morning, and has had the "rotten egg" type smell for a few days.

I never got the rotten egg thing. What ingredients did you use? My fridge just smelled like apple juice every time I opened it. FG sample tasted pretty good.

I used 400g LDME - some went in the starter and maybe 250g into the FV .

[Graculus]

1 hour ago, Journeyman said:

I never got the rotten egg thing. What ingredients did you use? My fridge just smelled like apple juice every time I opened it. FG sample tasted pretty good.

I used 400g LDME - some went in the starter and maybe 250g into the FV .

Mangrove Jacks Cider Kit

250 grams Maltodextrin

750 grams Dextrose

500 grams LDME

Kit yeast

The instructions on the kit are to use a kilo of dextrose.
As I've said previously I haven't really been that happy with the cider's that I've made.
The bloke in one home brew store told me to add some LDME and so I have. Along with a bit of maltodexrin because I could.

I think I've posted this before but here it is anyway.
fermenting apple juice rotten egg smell

 

[Journeyman]

1 hour ago, Graculus said:

Mangrove Jacks Cider Kit

250 grams Maltodextrin

750 grams Dextrose

500 grams LDME

Kit yeast

 

Just stuck my head in the fridge and not a slightest whiff of sulphur. Just apple smell.

From a quick browse of the search items it might be stressed yeast - I added a pkt of Coopers can yeast, boiled with some LDME thenpoured into the juice prior to pitching - maybe the nutrient ensured my yeast wasn't stressed?

Or maybe 1 day old apple juice doesn't have the issue?

Hmm... stressed yeast might also slow down ferment and maybe cause a higher SG? I don't think 250g malto would affct the SG quite that much and while LDME leaves a bit of body, dextrose is 100% fermentable I think.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Journeyman

[Graculus]

4 hours ago, Journeyman said:

Just stuck my head in the fridge and not a slightest whiff of sulphur. Just apple smell.

From a quick browse of the search items it might be stressed yeast - I added a pkt of Coopers can yeast, boiled with some LDME thenpoured into the juice prior to pitching - maybe the nutrient ensured my yeast wasn't stressed?

Or maybe 1 day old apple juice doesn't have the issue?

Hmm... stressed yeast might also slow down ferment and maybe cause a higher SG? I don't think 250g malto would affct the SG quite that much and while LDME leaves a bit of body, dextrose is 100% fermentable I think.

Thinking about it now, yes I have heard that the eggy smell can be stressed yeast.

However I think some yeast does give off the eggy smell anyway.
From memory it's not uncommon with cider or some Lagers.
I've just checked and the yeast was 9 grams. So I hope that isn't the problem.
I'm sure I've had the eggy smell before with cider.
Time will tell.

Just looking at my notes. One I did last year with a kilo of dextrose started off at 1055 and fermented out fine.
This one started at 1060, so not that much different.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Graculus

[Norris!]

The eggy sulphur smell In ciders is acceptable to a low degree but is due to stressed yeast. The smell will dissipate, but slowly. A big healthy yeast pitch will reduce the smell along with proper yeast nutrients depending on the yeast used.

[Graculus]

13 hours ago, Norris! said:

The eggy sulphur smell In ciders is acceptable to a low degree but is due to stressed yeast. The smell will dissipate, but slowly. A big healthy yeast pitch will reduce the smell along with proper yeast nutrients depending on the yeast used.

The eggy smell has gone this morning.
As I said previously one that was 1055 fermented out OK. I haven't made a note of an eggy smell while making that.
But that doesn't mean there wasn't a smell.
IF I make another cider I'll use nutrient.  In fact the recipe I've been given to do next calls for it anyway.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Graculus

[ben 10]

On 5/1/2021 at 10:50 AM, Journeyman said:

 Well now I AM worried... WTH is in water that it has a higher SG than cider?

Water. Alcohol has a lower specific gravity than water.

 

 

Hence, water with alcohol can have a specific gravity less than 1.000

[Shamus O'Sean]

4 hours ago, Green Blob said:

Water. Alcohol has a lower specific gravity than water.

 

 

Hence, water with alcohol can have a specific gravity less than 1.000

Science!

[Journeyman]

15 hours ago, Green Blob said:

Water. Alcohol has a lower specific gravity than water.

Hence, water with alcohol can have a specific gravity less than 1.000

Damn! I should'a thought of that.  Thanks!

So if the back/hips allow, today is bottling day for it. Been CC'ing a couple of extra days because Life and it's crystal clear and smells great. Might have to clean dust off the bottles and equipment, it's been so long.

[Graculus]

On 5/5/2021 at 9:13 AM, Journeyman said:

Damn! I should'a thought of that.  Thanks!

So if the back/hips allow, today is bottling day for it. Been CC'ing a couple of extra days because Life and it's crystal clear and smells great. Might have to clean dust off the bottles and equipment, it's been so long.

So, how did it turn out?

[Journeyman]

35 minutes ago, Graculus said:

So, how did it turn out?

I think pretty damn good although the recipients were a bit 'meh' about it - I DID tell them it likely needed a few more weeks in the bottle and haven't checked back yet. Will be catching up with them tomorrow and see if they've had another go at it. SWMBO loved it with a bit of apple juice in the glass.