Home Brew Kits

[Aleks]

Definitely depends on the yeast strain for temps, it should say but most clean strains are 18-22 degrees. Also like was said above, get a hydrometer, there's many cases where people are tricked into thinking they didn't see any fermentation but the hydrometer doesn't lie. You won't see carbonation in an open container, you might not see much krausen either depending on lots of factors. Also, unless your container is sealed around all the edges, you may not see airlock activity either, the gas could just be escaping elsewhere. You should be able to distinctly tell a difference though between the before pitch taste and smell and the after....just be careful though, you can repitch, but the time that your juice is exposed also allows bad yeast to take hold so let your nose lead. Sometimes wild ferments come up with really neat things, sometimes they're poison haha

I would get a hydrometer and just check it anyhow, you may not pinpoint your ABV, but a cider with champagne yeast should dry out pretty good and if it's fermented out I'd anticipate it would be <1.005, some ciders will hit 0.98 but that usually takes sugar additions. You can't take the "sweetness" or lack of with crabapples as a lack of fermentables, I can't recall what my cider had for OG but it was likely around 1.05 before sugar

[Canadianman]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Probably to cold. Either get a heat belt, or move it somewhere warm. Depending on the yeast, you typically want it around 22-26°C. I like to pitch around 28 so it gets a good start......

Originally Posted by Aleks

Definitely depends on the yeast strain for temps, it should say but most clean strains are 18-22 degrees....

I agree with Aleks. I ferment at 18-20 degrees using Nottingham yeast, but it does depends on the yeast. 28 seems pretty high, unless you are using a kveik.

Also, get a hydrometer. They are cheap and an essential tool. I think I have 3 of them.

[Fuzz]

Ya, I guess my experience may not translate as well, as I do GF beer and it tends to need a kickstart. The yeast won't die until 35-40, so by starting somewhere below 30, within 24 hours it has dropped to around 24 which is when I turn the heat belt on, and that keeps it at 24. But I find the warm initial temp helps it get started. Otherwise it will be pretty piddly for the first week. If I don't use a heat belt, it will take a couple months to ferment properly. But out of habit I do the same when doing cider kits and have never had an issue.

[Fuzz]

And ya, you want at least 2 hydrometers, becuase the little ####ers like to roll off your counter and shatter! I need to find a plastic one.

[Canadianman]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Ya, I guess my experience may not translate as well, as I do GF beer and it tends to need a kickstart. The yeast won't die until 35-40, so by starting somewhere below 30, within 24 hours it has dropped to around 24 which is when I turn the heat belt on, and that keeps it at 24. But I find the warm initial temp helps it get started. Otherwise it will be pretty piddly for the first week. If I don't use a heat belt, it will take a couple months to ferment properly. But out of habit I do the same when doing cider kits and have never had an issue.

Yeah, this might work fine for ciders, I've never tried a warmer temp.

Brewing beer, I found that I ended up with off-flavours when I fermented too warm, so I always tended to ferment on the low side (unless I was actively seeking those flavours).

Unless you are in a rush, I'd take it nice and slow.

[Fuzz]

GF beer already has an off taste!



Ugh. One day they'll make a vaccine for me, and I can have real beer again. One day.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

GF beer already has an off taste!



Ugh. One day they'll make a vaccine for me, and I can have real beer again. One day.

You could always make carbonated session meads

[Fuzz]

But then I'd have to drink meads.



I'd rather have my GF beer. I've actually gotten really good at making it, way better than most of the store stuff.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

But then I'd have to drink meads.



I'd rather have my GF beer. I've actually gotten really good at making it, way better than most of the store stuff.

I've moved from making straight mead to making braggots. Half malt, half honey. Makes those huge 10.5% super hopped up IPAs really good.

[Fuzz]

Ya, I dunno, I've tried Meadjito and Hopped Mead from Fallen Timber, and they didn't really do it for me.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Ya, I dunno, I've tried Meadjito and Hopped Mead from Fallen Timber, and they didn't really do it for me.

Yeah I'm not a big fan of either of those due to the sulphites. I find their hopped mead to be meh as it seems they only dry hopped and didn't boil the water with hops before adding honey once cooled.

I usually do a BIAB mash with grains and then add honey once the boil is done and the wort is cooled.

[Canadianman]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

GF beer already has an off taste!



Ugh. One day they'll make a vaccine for me, and I can have real beer again. One day.

Do you like cider or ginger beer?

That's pretty much all I make nowadays. Low carb and gluten free.

[Fuzz]

Ya, I make both. But I also still like beer.

[Wormius]

I finally had some time to check up on the cider again. The hydrometer reading, after the initial few weeks of dubious fermentation - the reading today was 1.018. It still looks clean and smells / tastes fine, but no noticeable alcohol taste. I have moved it a couple of cm over top a floor register this time and will see how things proceed this time

[Fuzz]

Without knowing the initial gravity, I guess all you can do is wait and see if it drops. I'd keep an eye on the temps, too.

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I finally had some time to check up on the cider again. The hydrometer reading, after the initial few weeks of dubious fermentation - the reading today was 1.018. It still looks clean and smells / tastes fine, but no noticeable alcohol taste. I have moved it a couple of cm over top a floor register this time and will see how things proceed this time

Its highly doubtful you'd have an OG of 1.018 so some fermentation has happened. That said 1.018 is really still quite sweet. You can always just get another package of yeast and repitch, no harm in that. Don't make it too warm though, you get off flavors doing that.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Its highly doubtful you'd have an OG of 1.018 so some fermentation has happened. That said 1.018 is really still quite sweet. You can always just get another package of yeast and repitch, no harm in that. Don't make it too warm though, you get off flavors doing that.

I was kind of thinking that some fermentation must have happened, otherwise the whole batch would have spoiled, right?

[Wormius]

Alright. Attempting cider #2. Got about two Superstore baskets of crab apples from a couple of trees in my front yard. Ran them all through the grater on my food processor and then made another dinky cider press and ended up with 8L of juice. Checked the hydrometer, sitting at 1.052. Tastes pretty good. Will let the campden tablet do its thing tonight and pitch the year tomorrow. Hopefully this year I will get something a bit more fizzy.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Alright. Attempting cider #2. Got about two Superstore baskets of crab apples from a couple of trees in my front yard. Ran them all through the grater on my food processor and then made another dinky cider press and ended up with 8L of juice. Checked the hydrometer, sitting at 1.052. Tastes pretty good. Will let the campden tablet do its thing tonight and pitch the year tomorrow. Hopefully this year I will get something a bit more fizzy.

If it isn’t drinkable you can always distill it a few times and attempt to make rum.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by GGG

If it isn’t drinkable you can always distill it a few times and attempt to make rum.

Phase 2 will be a micro-distillery in the furnace room.