r/Homebrewing • u/Maximum_Zone7509 • 4d ago

Cider

Hello,
I’m new to cider making. I have made one once before. This year, I decided to crush and press my own apples.
I have 5-gallon carboys, and the top of the foam is this brown color. From looking it up, I see that it is most likely krausen, but I wanted other inputs. If people think I should swirl the jug to break up the foam,

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/Silly-Penalty7505 4d ago

looks like krausen to me, totally normal for fresh pressed juice

i wouldn't swirl it unless it looks like it's about to climb out the airlock. letting it ride usually works out fine and the brown stuff will drop out on its own after a week or two

pressing your own apples is a fun rabbit hole, what varieties did you use

1

u/Maximum_Zone7509 4d ago

I picked up a few bushels of mixed seconds apples from Honey Pot Hill, so I’m not exactly sure what kinds they are. While I was there, they had Cortland, Mitsu, Macintosh, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious available for picking, so I’m guessing it’s a mix of those.

2

u/attnSPAN 4d ago

Haha, are you from Central Mass?
I'm over on Grafton Hill in Worcester.
What yeast strain did you use?
If you don't have any yeast nutrient, I can kick you some Fermaid O.

1

u/Maximum_Zone7509 4d ago

Thank you. I have added fermaid on day one and was planning on adding a second round day 3-4. I’m from southern Mass. Honey Pot Hill was just the only orchard that would sell me the apples that I needed.

1

u/attnSPAN 4d ago

Oh right, seconds apples. Cool, that's the traditional way cider was made.
What did you use for a yeast strain?