56 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
56 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
# BREWING NOTES
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## Cider
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01OCT2023 - batch 1 primary fermentation
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Had strong fermentation at beginning but died down in a week.
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14OCT2023 - batch 1 racked
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Pretty boring flavor.
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Re-pitched yeast. (No hydrometer reading to go off of - just guessing that it's dead. In hindsight, I don't think it was.)
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- Gallons 1&2: Plain
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- Gallon 3: added 1 tblsp honey and some ginger
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09NOV2023 - batch 1 bottled
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- Wow! Strong! Hydrometer down to 0%. Smelled very yeasty. Tasting directly, it's kinda gross, but backsweetening turns the whole thing around.
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- Bottled with potassium sorbate (@ 1/2 tsp/gal) as a yeast-killer/preservative.
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- From gallons 1&2:
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- 2 gallons + 1 liter with 1 gallon of cider, boiled to a concentrate
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This is lovely. Nothing exquisite but lovely.
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- From gallon 3 (ginger and honey added in racking):
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- 1/2 gallon with 1/4 an orange + 1/4c sugar
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This is kinda too sweet - a little 'fake'. The orange is doing a lot!
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- 1/2 gallon with 1/4 an orange + 1/8c honey
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This is a great balance and the honey adds a better flavor. The orange is doing a lot!
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14OCT2023 - batch 2 primary fermentation
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Had strong fermentation at beginning but died down in a week.
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09NOV2023 - batch 2 racked
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Strong! Hydrometer down to 0%...
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- 1 gallon racked with 1/4 cup dried elderberries
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- 1 gallon racked with 1/4 cup chopped ginger
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- 1 gallon racked with 3 teabags (adds tannins???)
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I'm a little worried that it's over-fermented already. Fermentation seems to be going too quickly?
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No it's not, it's been almost 4 weeks. Oops.
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15NOV2023 - Batch 3 pressed
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- hydrometer reading 5% ABV potential
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- there's a good bit of pulp on the top. Pressing didn't go fun.
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- tastes. eh. "flat" - not crisp and sharp.
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- put in 3.5 campden tablets
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- put in 1.75 tsp pectinase
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# 2023 Cider Pressing
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Thoughts for next year:
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- 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.
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- Get a metal bin that can withstand the pressure and isn't tapered. Or make a slotted barrel thing.
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- Drill lots of holes in the bin - and drill them on a spiral, so there's no dead level.
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- If the 'puck' had a handle on it that would be stellar. Make sure the puck is plenty strong.
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## Ideas to try
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- Potassium Sorbate kills off yeast (campden does not)
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- Add concentrated apple cider (1 gallon raw cider -> boil -> put into 4 gallons brewed)
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# BREWING
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BREW BREW BREW CHOO CHOO CHEW |