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When do I know its done?
So I have three gallons in the primary. I have not noticed it bubbling at a rate that I can see the bubbles. So far I have pressed down on the lid to force air to escape and see if the lid is bulging again the next day. I'm going at 2 weeks and am not opening the lid so I don't infect my batch.
Is it OK simply to wait three weeks to guarantee its done?
thanks,
Scott
Use a hydrometer to take a specific gravity reading. Once you haven't noticed a change in gravity over a few days its safe to say its done assuming you're in the final gravity range for your beer. I use a wine thief to draw a sample of my beer but some people use a large turkey baster. You'll of course have to open the lid to do this but keep things clean, sanitized and exposed to open air for only as short of time as you need and you'll be fine.
It should be done in about 14 days, but trust your hydrometer. For cider I understand your end specific gravity should measure right about 1.000. Letting it go for 3 weeks should be fine regardless.
FirePitBrew: I would love to see that Dead Guy Clone receipe :-)
VoltRabbit wrote:
FirePitBrew: I would love to see that Dead Guy Clone receipe :-)
Your wish is my command. I'll post it in the recipe section.
voltrabit... 1.000 is distilled water. I'm not sure where you heard that but...
my final sg was 1.010. I ended up reading it one day and just transferring it over the next day. So far the bubbler on the secondary has had no action, so it must have been done.
Scott
Sashrlow. Don't pick a fight with VoltRabbit, especially when he is right and it appears you are somewhat less informed here. Wine, mead, and most ciders, finish around a reading of 0.095 on the hydrometer. You are absolutely correct about distilled water reading 1.000, but we are not dealing with distilled water. We are dealing with liquids that have water, sugar, and plenty of other stuff that has an impact on the specific gravity. It's the yeast and the type of sugars that determine how much of the sugar will be eaten by the yeast, and consequently the final gravity. Bubbles going through an airlock is not a good method to determine if the yeast are done. In fact, going back to an earlier post you made. Pressing down on the top of your bucket simply pushes gas out of the container. But when the lid rebounds, it will create a negative pressure gradient across the air lock, and pull air rich with oxygen back through the air lock. An air lock is really miss named. It does not lock out anything. It just avoids mixing of gases. If the cider is no longer producing CO2, that air you just introduced into your bucket will not be pushed back out and you could cause oxygenation. Luckily, your cider is most likely not done with a hydrometer reading of 1.010, and will continue to produce CO2 for a while, protecting your cider from the oxygen. VoltRabbit was correct. Taking readings over several days to determine if your cider is done. Buckets don't seal all that well, and the plastic it self will bleed oxygen, and plenty of other gases, over time. Hence, you will see an air lock with no bubbles moving, and still see your hydrometer readings changing. I don't use buckets anymore for that and other reasons. Everything I ferment goes into glass. Luckily for all of us, home brewing is somewhat forgiving. I think your cider will be fine.
Sorry Voltrabbit. I don't pick fights. I'm a wuss and your beer/cider could probably kick my ciders arse as well.
So what substances in ciders have a negative SG? Ciders are definitely sweet which means that there is some residual sugar. What counters that to bring the SG down to 1?
Is the 1.00 a solid rule, or is it all relative?
Thanks,
Scott
sashurlow wrote:
Sorry Voltrabbit. I don't pick fights. I'm a wuss and your beer/cider could probably kick my ciders arse as well.
So what substances in ciders have a negative SG? Ciders are definitely sweet which means that there is some residual sugar. What counters that to bring the SG down to 1?
Is the 1.00 a solid rule, or is it all relative?
Thanks,
Scott
I don't know if I'd call it "negative" SG, you won't get a number of -1.015 or anything like that. It'll always be a positive number.
Dry wines, meads and ciders do regularly drop below 1.000 though. That's not to say that there are absolutely no residual sugars left in them either, just not a lot.
Distilled water when measured at 68F will give you a specific gravity of 1.000. Alchohol has a lower specific gravity than water at the same temperature(I don't know what pure ethanol's SG at room temp is). If there is enough alchohol present in the cider, wine, mead, or even sometimes beer, its specific gravity can drop to below 1.000, even though there are still sugars and other compounds in solution with it.
I have just started brewing and making wine and have a question for you Ladies and Gentleman.
I have made a Pear wine that is going well and decided to try a Hard Cider.
When I pitched the yeast, ( English style Cider) I put in 1 Tbls. in each gallon jug.
Is it going to blow up on me while Im at work? I had no idea how much to add, so I split it into approx. 5 equeal parts as it will do 5 Gals. Its the liquid style of yeast and I eyeballed the amount fairly well.
Also, the night before I started the fermentation process I put in Potassium metabisulfate to kill the wild yeast.
20 hrs later starting the Fermentation. Did I kill the "good" yeast by doing so too soon?
Any help will be greatly appreciated, Thank you!!!!
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