Weapons grade yeast

ngill111

Hi folks

A 40 pint apple cider kit and pressure barrel was donated to me by a very kind soul so I thought I would get it on the go. I won't mention the name...but it begins with W. Although sugars and other bits are from HBO's yard !

So it been in the FV for 10 days now (4 - 6 days) and its still got a decent bit of bubbling going on.

Instructions say that the gravity should come down to 1.008, and so far this mix is only at 1.014. I am of the opinion that I should just leave it there and let it do its thing....just means the yeast is happy right? I hear that on occasion with ciders some people have waited weeks before moving it over pressure barrel because its still bubbling in the FV

As I haven't done a cider before though then I am wondering what the boys and girls of the HBO forum think, and I will bow to the greater knowledge.

What do ya think?

Cheers

Nick

HBO_Staff

Hi Nick, as it is still bubbling this shows it is still fermenting so we recommend you just leave it in there longer until it finishes, taking further hydrometer readings will prove it has finished fermenting once they are low and constant for a couple of days in a row. It is quite common for beers, lagers and ciders to take longer to ferment and is affected by temperature etc, so just bear with it and we suspect another couple of days and it will be done, you don't want to bottle it too early or you may have excess pressure in the bottles/barrel. In Particularly ciders made from pressed apples rather than refill ingredients can take much longer, it depends on the yeast and how easily the natural sugars in the fruit ferment, etc, if using your own apples it can take months. Let us know how it turns out....

ngill111

I had a little nosey at it today and it does seem to be slowing a little, so I reckon you are right...I will leave it until it has done its thing, rather than move it over to the pressure barrel now.

I'll see how it goes, and let you know how it pans out.

Thanks as always for the tips.

Drink well !

Nick

ngill111

Do you mind if I pick your brains?

Fermentation seems to have finished so now I am ready to move it over into my pressure barrel.

The instructions state the following (word for word):

Add half a teaspoon of sugar per pint, to each bottle (up to a maximum of 85g, 3oz, per pressure barrel), then cap the bottles or seal the pressure barrel securely and stand at room temperature for two days.

Now, as I mentioned I am using a pressure barrel  (to make approx. 40 pints)....85g / 3oz seems a VERY small amount of sugar PER PRESSURE BARREL, especially when taking into consideration that if I was bottling it then I would be using a half teaspoon per pint.

So this maybe a stupid question(s),  but should I just put 85g / 3oz of sugar in a 40 pint pressure barrel? Or am I reading something wrong?

Should it really say 85g / 3oz per PINT into the pressure barrel?

Thanks as always

Cheers

Nick

HBO_Staff

Hi Nick, it is a fairly small amount that is usually recommended for pressure barrels, as a guide half a teaspoon per pint is around 2.5g, so in total for 40 bottles you would use around 100g. This is reduced a little for a barrel and 85g for a 40 pint batch in a barrel is fairly standard, if you put more sugar in it will create more CO2 which will then just be vented by the pressure release valve

ngill111

Thanks Mr Brew God

Actually when I measured out 3oz of sugar it looked more than I thought it would.

Its now doing its thing in the pressure barrel.

Keep well

Cheers

Nick

HBO_Staff

Excellent, a few days in the warmth should get it dissolved and secondary fermenting then as many weeks to condition as you can manage and it should be clear and erayd for a taste