Second Racking Post Fining

Our Second Decanting

The Bentonite fining agent clarified our cider nicely.  Based on my research, I thought I may need to add a positively charged fining agent to further clarify the cider, as Bentonite is negatively charged; but after a few weeks, the cider has such a lovely rich amber glow, clarity and delightful flavor that really requires no further processing.  In this case, less is most definitely more.

Beautifully clarified, with Bentonite at the bottom:

Today's objectives were to:

1.)  Use hydrometer to calculate alcohol content
2.)  Siphon cider and decant to a clean carboy
3.)  Adjust flavor

Using the Hydrometer to Calculate Alcohol Content

I read that the hydrometer is to the wine/cider maker what the compass is to the mariner.

The hydrometer measures the weight (gravity) of a liquid in relation to the weight of water. Because the relation of the gravity to water is specified, the resulting measure is called a specific gravity.

A hydrometer will float higher in a heavy liquid (such as one with sugar dissolved in it) and dips lower in a light liquid (such as in water or alcohol). By knowing how much sugar you started and ended with, you can calculate the resulting alcohol content.

Based on a hydrometer reading that began with 1.070 in September and today's drop to just a shade below 1.000, our projected alcohol content will be around 9%. 

Here's how it works out:

1.070 - 1.000 = .070 (drop) x the K Factor (ranges from 125-130 for cider making - we chose 128)

The result is 8.96, or roughly 9%.

Siphon Cider & Decant to A Clean Carboy

Bernie fashioned a device to keep the siphon tube from disturbing the Bentonite.

The siphoning process begins.

Adjusting the Flavor

After all four of us tasted the cider, we determined it would be even more delicious with the addition of Bernie's super premium Pete's Mountain collected flower honey.

So I imagine that we should refer to the cider as "Cyser" from this point on, because now it is truly a combination of apple cider & mead.

The addition of honey may have the consequence of reinvigorating the fermentation process.  This, in conjunction with moving the carboy to a warmer location, could quite possibly boost the alcohol content. 

It simply means we need to keep a close eye on the cyser's metamorphosis...and taste it frequently!


Although I haven't tried these recipes, this looked like a nice place to start:  Cyser Recipes.

Day 3

Day 3

I noticed that the foam has settled down a bit and when I loosened the elastic band, I heard a little gas escape.  It seems fermentation may be slowing a bit.

So How High Will It (You) Get?

Hygrometer

I was pretty tired by the end of day two picking, chopping, shredding, pressing, pouring, repeat.

So doing the math for cider chemistry at the end of the day was a little taxing.  We used a hygrometer to determine the specific gravity of the juice to measure the sugar content.  A formula provided by our local home brew/wine making supply helped us to determine how much sugar to add to reach the alcohol content of our choosing.

My friend, Elaine, thought that one should get something out of all that hard work and not leave the alcohol content at a low 4-5% like simple beer.  Agreed.  We decided to shoot for 12%.

After adding the sugar, we hadn't adequately dispersed it through the heavy carboy, so we added more sugar when the hygrometer reading was still a little low.  After everything settled out, we realized that our alcohol content may be closer to 14%.  Most definitely not a lowly 4% beer.

Our friends pressed a batch of grapes to create this lovely pinkish grape juice on the left.

Pressing Day

Pressing Day 

Fresh juice from Golden Russets, Esopus Spitzenberg, Belle de Boskoop, Winter Banana and Hudson's Golden Gem.

Immediately after pressing, the juice was golder in color and definitely not as clear.  We added Campden tablets, (sodium metabisulfite) to kill the natural yeast and it wasn't long before you could see the sediments falling to the bottom.  The next day, we had this lovely golden clear cider.  You can see a faint line where the juice looks clearer on top.

Tomorrow, we'll add the yeast & sugar.