Bottling Cider for a second fermentation.

Jane

Hi
I'm new to cider making, but not brewing, having made various fruit wines, kit wines and beers over the years.
I've picked, washed, chopped, pulped and pressed rather a lot of apples and produced about 6 1/2 gallons of juice so far. Lots more to come!
Anyway, I have fermented the larger part in a 5 gall fermenter and used a cider yeast. SG was 1045, so I didn't add sugar. After about 5 - 6 days FG was 1000 and was still the same the day after.
I racked off the lees into gallon plastic containers and added finings. Then put airtight caps on - no airlock. Fermentation obvs finished as no sign of expanding drums!
Am now on day 9 and cider slightly hazy - do I leave until completely clear before syphoning into primed bottles, or is it ok to go straight ahead? I take it there will still be yeast in suspension, even if cider relatively clear.
This all seems very quick to me after wine making, am assuming the cider will condition if left in bottle for several weeks.
Also, is it ok to use the litre plastic bottles that tonic comes in? I hope so, I've drunk gallons of gin, just to use the tonic up :-)
Any advice/help gratefully recieved.
Cheers Jane

HBO_Staff

Hi Jane, welcome, sounds like you have a lot of pressing of apples to do but it will be worth it when you are drinking the finished cider. When making cider from your own fruit it can really vary on how long the fermentation takes, a few days is very quick as depednignon how easily the sugars in the fruit ferment it can take much longer, each batch will vary though - the main thing is to make sure it has finished fermenting before bottling so the bottles don't over-pressurise.
Adding finings will help it to settle and clear, it varies with cider if it will completely clear or not, often it keeps it's naturally cloudy look. Usually when you bottle it will still be cloudy, this is fine and if it is going to it will clear in the bottles, if it doesn't this is not a problem, but any sediment will settle to the bottom of the bottles when left undisturbed.
Once bottles and left to condition you are quite right it will then develop its full flavour, if you can leave for a good while it should continue to improve with time.
Plastic bottles are great for storage, if they are clear keep them away from UV light for best results, just make sure the are a suitable PET food grade and suitable for withstanding pressure if making a fizzy brew, as a general rule if they have had a fizzy drink in them before then they are usually fine.
A general cider making guide is here on this link if of any interest:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-scrumpy-cider-i72

Jane

Thanks for the input - cider seems a bit different to the fruit wines I have made. jx