# BREWING NOTES

## Cider

01OCT2023 - batch 1 primary fermentation 
	Had strong fermentation at beginning but died down in a week.

14OCT2023 - batch 1 racked
	Pretty boring flavor.
	Re-pitched yeast. (No hydrometer reading to go off of - just guessing that it's dead. In hindsight, I don't think it was.)
	- Gallons 1&2: Plain
	- Gallon 3: added 1 tblsp honey and some ginger

09NOV2023 - batch 1 bottled
	- Wow! Strong! Hydrometer down to 0%. Smelled very yeasty. Tasting directly, it's kinda gross, but backsweetening turns the whole thing around.
	- Bottled with potassium sorbate (@ 1/2 tsp/gal) as a yeast-killer/preservative.
	- From gallons 1&2: 
		- 2 gallons + 1 liter with 1 gallon of cider, boiled to a concentrate
			This is lovely. Nothing exquisite but lovely.
	- From gallon 3 (ginger and honey added in racking):
		- 1/2 gallon with 1/4 an orange + 1/4c sugar
			This is kinda too sweet - a little 'fake'. The orange is doing a lot!
		- 1/2 gallon with 1/4 an orange + 1/8c honey
			This is a great balance and the honey adds a better flavor. The orange is doing a lot!

14OCT2023 - batch 2 primary fermentation
	Had strong fermentation at beginning but died down in a week.

09NOV2023 - batch 2 racked
	Strong! Hydrometer down to 0%...
	- 1 gallon racked with 1/4 cup dried elderberries
	- 1 gallon racked with 1/4 cup chopped ginger
	- 1 gallon racked with 3 teabags (adds tannins???)
	I'm a little worried that it's over-fermented already. Fermentation seems to be going too quickly?
		No it's not, it's been almost 4 weeks. Oops. 

15NOV2023 - Batch 3 pressed
	- hydrometer reading 5% ABV potential
	- there's a good bit of pulp on the top. Pressing didn't go fun.
	- tastes. eh. "flat" - not crisp and sharp.
	- put in 3.5 campden tablets
	- put in 1.75 tsp pectinase


# 2023 Cider Pressing
Thoughts for next year:
- Find the right cheesecloth. Needs to be strong but allow stuff through. The tea towel actually ended up working pretty well, but it wasn't quite big enough to do amazingly.
- Get a metal bin that can withstand the pressure and isn't tapered. Or make a slotted barrel thing.
- Drill lots of holes in the bin - and drill them on a spiral, so there's no dead level.
- If the 'puck' had a handle on it that would be stellar. Make sure the puck is plenty strong.
## Ideas to try
- Potassium Sorbate kills off yeast (campden does not)
- Add concentrated apple cider (1 gallon raw cider -> boil -> put into 4 gallons brewed)

# BREWING
BREW BREW BREW CHOO CHOO CHEW