Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale

Hi Folks - I'm headed back out to the orchard next Tuesday for cider. Mix will likely be 50/50 Stayman and Pink Lady, maybe with a bit of Granny Smith if they have any. Cost is 2.85/gal to fill carboys, 3.50/gal if you want to get some singles

Send me email at (klynch at cstone dot net) to let me know if you're interested and how many carboys/singles. Please get sanitized carboys to me the night before or before  7:30am on Tuesday. If glass, please put them in a milk crate or some other container that can get wet (filling process is sticky, so I hose the truck down when done). Also, put some tape or something with your name so you can ID your carboy. I'll be back by noon, will put the carboys on the front porch and will send and email to everyone as soon as I get back

Cheers - Kevin

My cider seems to be going SSSLLLLOOOOWWWWW.   I measured this latest batch Saturday night and the SG was 1.035.  Started at 1.068 with 2 lbs sugar for 5.5 gal.  Still bubbling.  Fermometer says is 64-66F.  Seem right? - Safale SO4      Additional 6 gallons with nothing added and brewed with WLP570 (golden Belgian ale) started slow but seems to be fermenting at same pace as SO4 now.  

Are these where they need to be?  I'm heading out of town Saturday morning for two weeks.  Are they going to ferment out by the time I get back?   I could put them in the basement that stays slightly colder to try and slow the fermentation even more to keep them from going too dry.  Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

If you weren't leaving in a few days, I'd say warm them up a little and shake up the carboys, to rouse the yeast, too.

That mid-60s range seems a bit cold to me but, as you mentioned, that might be helpful for the cider to keep it from drying out too much.  I'd have concern about the yeast quitting a little bit early though.

This is a good question for Kevin.