1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

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Fonzie

1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

Post by Fonzie » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:05 am

Hi all, first time poster here as I am new to cider making.

I have got 2 x 5l demijohns on the go the first with toffee apple & pear Turbo Cider and the second with just 4L of apple juice with half a bottle of Polish raspberry and lemon syrup with a view to putting the remaining half in when fermented.

The first one has been going for 36 hours and is bubbling nicely and the second one just starting to bubble now after 1 hours.

My question is how will I know when the fermentation is done and will adding the syrup start the process again? I am looking to carbonate them when bottling too, can this be potentially dangerous?

thanks all

scotsloon
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Re: 1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

Post by scotsloon » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:58 am

You get a couple of indications that fermentation has come to an end, the first is the airlock will stop bubbling - not very reliable - the second requires you to buy a Hydrometer. Using the hydrometer, take a sample of cider into the hydrometer jar and float the hydrometer, if the specific gravity (SG) reading is around 1.000 the fermentation is coming toward an end, it might go down below 1,000. However, if you get the same SG reading for 3 consecutive days then it is reasonably safe to consider that the fermentation has finished and is now ready for bottling.

When checking the SG for 3 days you are attempting to avoid bottle bombs and bottle fountains when you open the bottle.

Fonzie

Re: 1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

Post by Fonzie » Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:53 pm

Brilliant, thanks for the reply.

Its bubbling steadily now after 36 hours, more than once a second. I will keep an eye on it.

Is the best method for getting the sweetness right to add something like Candarel before bottling and then adding the carbonation tablets to get the fizz?

thanks

scotsloon
Piss Artist
Posts: 204
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:59 pm
Location: Kemnay, Aberdeenshire

Re: 1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

Post by scotsloon » Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:04 pm

If its only been running for 36 hrs I'd leave it longer, my usual approach is to leave it for a week in the Fermentation bucket then transfer it to an FV with an air lock, I have added further sugar or other flavourings maybe polish syrup. I leave it in the airlock FV for another week, there is no point in rushing the process, that's when you make mistakes - unless you are in a terrible hurry to get drinking!

To combat this make more cider/beer until you have sufficient to last you a few weeks.

If you let the cider ferment out to 1.000 or maybe lower then you can back sweeten if you feel its necessary - I'd suggest taking a 1/2 litre of cider and add small amounts of canderel until you are happy with the taste, noting the amount of canderel added. Then multiply up the amount of canderel used in 500mL so you can make the whole batch taste as you want it. I have never used carbonation tablets - to expensive! - I suggest you use ordinary sugar at the rate of 5g/L so for a 23L batch you would add 115g of sugar. You can increase/decrease this amount once you have some experience of what effect it has on carbonation.

Also I suggest you organise yourself a bottling bucket. This is a bucket with a simple tap at the bottom. Transfer your cider into the bottling bucket then add the conditioning sugar (115g/L - heated and melted in small amount of water or even cider) stir this gently into the 23L OR even do it the other way round adding the sugar to the bucket first and using the added cider to mix it in. This makes sure the conditioning sugar is spread thoughout the cider and allows you to fill bottles consistently irrespective of the size of bottle.

Fonzie

Re: 1st Attempt (x2) Toffee Apple/Pear & Polish Syrup

Post by Fonzie » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:10 pm

Great advice, thanks ever so much.

Will keep you all updated on my progress and listen to the experts!

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