I have made a hard cider and it has seemed to stop working. It is not clear
at all and is very bitter. I would like a sweet apple taste when finished.
As I said before its done fermitting but it is now getting what looks like a
thin foam ring around top but not bubbling. Someone told me with apple that
I needed to bottle it early because apple turns to cider quickly. Any help
and suggestions would be appreciated.
Steve

Stephen wrote:

> I have made a hard cider and it has seemed to stop working. It is not clear
> at all and is very bitter. I would like a sweet apple taste when finished.
> As I said before its done fermitting but it is now getting what looks like a
> thin foam ring around top but not bubbling.

Time to get some sulfite in there, either in campden tabelt or Pot-meta
form. That's most likely some sort of film yeast forming. You'll want to
float it off or somehow remove it before adding the sulfite. The
bitterness will fade with time, at least it has in my experience. Cider
is best aged over the winter at _least_

> I needed to bottle it early because apple turns to cider quickly.

That's the point of fermenting apples! To get cider :^) If you keep your
containers topped up they won't turn into cider vinegar.

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields

Do I bulk age it over the winter or in bottles?
"Charles H" > wrote in message
...
> Stephen wrote:
>
> > I have made a hard cider and it has seemed to stop working. It is not
clear
> > at all and is very bitter. I would like a sweet apple taste when
finished.
> > As I said before its done fermitting but it is now getting what looks
like a
> > thin foam ring around top but not bubbling.
>
> Time to get some sulfite in there, either in campden tabelt or Pot-meta
> form. That's most likely some sort of film yeast forming. You'll want to
> float it off or somehow remove it before adding the sulfite. The
> bitterness will fade with time, at least it has in my experience. Cider
> is best aged over the winter at _least_
>
> > I needed to bottle it early because apple turns to cider quickly.
>
> That's the point of fermenting apples! To get cider :^) If you keep your
> containers topped up they won't turn into cider vinegar.
>
> --
> charles
>
> "Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
> forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
> - W.C. Fields

Stephen wrote:

> Do I bulk age it over the winter or in bottles?

Bulk age over winter... traditionally this was done in barrels set out
in the outbuildings of the farm, but a carboy in the basement is fine.

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields