THERE'S THIS ONE PARTICULAR HARBOR…

Couldn’t resist taking advantage of this cool clear day to start the September batch.

I’m using the EC-118 yeast, but I’m thinking next time of trying a different variety, this one’s been a bit varied in its performance.  Last batch is in the fridge and I tasted it today, a tiny bit, and it is very dry, not sweet at all. And loads of foam still.  I will have to find my hydrometer and measure its alcohol.  It won’t be ready to drink till next month at the earliest, but considering how many bottles I lost from exploding I’m very curious to see how this one turns out.

This will be the first batch that I am going to use a secondary fermenter on, instead of  bottling directly after primary fermentation. Which should help get a consistent cider for the whole batch.  I’m hoping that’s a consistently GOOD batch, its sort of an all or nothing option at this point.

This is a differnt brand of apple juice too, I think, its called “Nature’s Nectar” and is a blend of apple juices from all over. (Bulk purchase from Aldi’s, don’t tell anyone, but hey, I’m not charging for this stuff. 🙂  I’ll feel better about it once the fermentation takes off.  I wanted to use the fresh pressed apples from Lehman’s since they offer pressed apple juice from now until closing.  But the cost is making me hesitate and I think just changing one variable this time is enough for now.

This batch will be labeled:  SEP24/11.

I took advantage of our quiet weekend and drove over to Elkhart to grab some replacement bottles. I bought some blue 1 pint bottles with the bale top, much like grolsh bottles but blue of course. I had 3 remaining bottles of the July batch and I was amazed at the amount of pressure built up in them already. Its been less than 1 month and the yeast had converted all of the sugar and it was like opening champagne no wonder the bottles exploded. The 12 bottles I purchased were just enough to transfer the 3 liter bottles into, minus spillage and effervescence.
What I still don’t understand is why the bottles in the fridge, kept at a steady 50 degrees were exploding and the three in my house, where its nearer to 70 didn’t? Both are within the range of viablitiy for the yeast. (got some more of that too, EC-118) but you’d THINK that the lower the temp, the less active.

if these babies don't hold up, I'm going to a keg!

I’m not complaining, the spills in the storage shed are easier to clean up than the spills in my apartment!

Recent visits to the storage shed where my mini fridge sits have been disapointing.  I’ve lost another 3 bottles!  I THINK I’m down to 5 bottles from this batch of Cider, and they haven’t been in the bottle a month yet.

The first ones to go were lying on their sides so it made me think the gas was building up and blowing out the side of the bottles.  This last three were all square bottles and each had cracked along one of the sides. No doubt thin walls and shoddy production.  I also had a hip flask shaped bottle that either blew or was taken out by the force of the explosion.  I’m glad they were out in the storage area where I can sprinkle some cat litter and be done with it.

The curious thing is, I have 4 or 5 bottles here in my bedroom yet, and none of them have exploded.  I’ve had 3 batches in these 1 litre bottles from Christmas tree shop and before this batch the only thing that exploded was actual cider bottles.  Now I have to ask myself if there’s something about the ones out in the garage, in a fridge that’s keeping them at around 50 degrees all day long that’s causing them to explode when the ones here in my house where its closer to 70+ all the time haven’t gone kerbang?

Time for more forum reading, and maybe a trip to Elkhart for some bottles. At least if I break these up into 16 ounce bottles it will increase the chances a bottle will survive till Thankgiving.  Wish me luck!