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My first batch is also still in primary, so don't think I am an expert, but here's some opinions, for what they may be worth. If something I say makes no sense, I apologize, and feel free to correct me!

> I plan on cold crashing in my chilly Illinois garage. It’s attached, so it never really drops below 45 or so, but do temperature fluctuations influence the process?

Funny, I posted a cold crashing thread earlier today. That and this cold crashing FAQ have led me to believe that fluctuations after primary fermentation is complete are not a huge deal, as long as they are not extreme. If your garage stays above freezing (especially if it stays above 45), it should be good.

> I see people talk about semi-sweet or sweet ciders. My wife prefers a dry, while I prefer a sweet, so I planned on doing something in between for my first batch. What sort of FG should I be looking at, after I’ve back sweetened?

(All theory, rather than experience) To be honest, I would be more worried about it tasting to my liking than going for a specific FG here. The FG prior to bottling is important for carbonation. Obviously, you need some sugar to produce CO2 in the bottle. According to a book I've been using:

> 3. Bottling. Bottle up the batch, sugaring each bottle with two teaspoons of sugar, or, more efficiently, adding enough sugar to the dry bulk cider to bring the specific gravity up to 1.010, and then bottling. This amount of sugar will add 1 percent of alcohol to the finished batch of cider.

Of course, without pasteurization, the whole sugar will be turned to alcohol and CO2, and you'll still end with a dry cider. If you add potassium metabisulfite and keep it still, then it won't ferment and it will stay sweet. But yeah, if you don't carbonate, don't worry about the FG, let your taste buds be the judge.

> I plan on using natural ingredients (frozen juice, sugar) to sweeten since I’ve never really liked artificial sweeteners like splenda.

Splenda is used as it's non-fermentable. Even without pasteurization / potassium metabisulfite, it won't turn to alcohol/CO2, which is why it's so popular among homebrewers. Natural ingredients are not a problem, just consider the previous point about carbonation. You don't want exploding bottles.

> As a first timer, I’m a little hesitant to do a carbonated batch. Other than the fizziness, will I be missing out on anything with a still batch? Would it be possible to split off a gallon after the secondary fermentation to try carbonating a small batch?

Never had a still cider, so I won't give you advice on the taste, but I can't imagine it being significantly worse. As long as the yeast is healthy (i.e. you didn't kill it with KMS), I don't see why you couldn't carbonate only one gallon. Just separate it, make sure it has an appropriate FG and kill the yeast in the rest.

Good luck!

I would be interested to see what comes out without pitching any additional yeast. Wild yeast can make some great cider, but being wild it will be unpredictable. If you do plan on just using the wild yeast make sure you add some yeast nutrients. Apple juice is very poor in nutrients that yeast needs to thrive. I recommend Wyeast brand nutriants but any nutriants made for wine will work well with cider. For wild yeast add 24 hours after pressing or if your pitching you want to add it 24 hours prior.

You also want to make sure you are monitoring your free SO2 levels. You can buy test kits online. Accuvin is pretty accurate and a kit will run you $35. Keeping SO2 levels will discourage any bad bacteria from infecting your cider and give your yeast a good chance at achieving an optimal fermentation.

Once your cider goes dry, rack it into a sterile vessel. Make sure you fill it to the top to keep oxygen off of the cider. This will discourage acetic acid bacteria from turning your cider to vinegar. Stopper the vessel with an air trap. I like to fill traps with a little white spirts as it's sterile vs. tap water. Give it a taste and if it's tasting good, give it a few months to mature. Rack as needed it you see a build up of particulates on the bottom.

If you need more technical information there is a great book called the New Cidermakers Handbook that covers the art and science of making great cider.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1603584730?pc_redir=1411309332&robot_redir=1

I hope it works out! Make sure to report back on how it tastes.

S-04 has great reviews on this sub and other places when it comes to cider, even the top Amazon review mentions it.

But I haven't personally tried it. I started making cider this year and I was cheap and got 10 packs of Cotes Des Blancs on Amazon for $8.

Cotes Des Blancs is known to be drier but it also produces fruity tasting esters which add to the flavor and it does sometimes stop at 1.002 in my experience so still a bit of leftover sweetness.

I'm interested in trying the S-04 next but the Cotes Des Blancs is just so cheap lol.

Honestly when you look up Cotes Des Blancs it's regarded as keeping the apple flavor or at least making esters that go well with the apple flavor, so it might be good for you too.

In fact the description on midwestsupplies.com is:

> Cote des Blancs is also known as Epernay II. It is recommended for Chardonnay, Riesling, mead and cider, as well as fruit wines, particularly apple. it imparts a fruity aroma in both red and white wines. A slow fermenter that works best between 50 and 80 degrees. This strain will not ferment to a dryness at the low end of the range, leaving residual sugar resulting in a sweeter wine.

I think they mean leaving residual sweetness when it's used for making wine (higher abv so the yeast will die faster?) but in my experience it's stopped fermenting at 1.002 a couple times and when I calibrated my hydrometer it might have even been more like 1.004.

In my experience it's not a slow fermenter though, I ferment at about 78F (can't get any colder yet I live in the South) and it's done in about 7-8 days.

Agreed. Get them to cold place (outside?) and open/drink them ASAP. If you had a hydrometer you would be able to know how much has continued to ferment since bottling and calculate the volumes of pressure and know if you're safe or not with the bottle you used. Buy a good quality hydrometer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALLA-CIDER-HYDROMETER-/380567137311?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589b91ac1f

Hint: In the future use high quality champagne bottles (you can cap with a crown) to allow more pressure / sparkling more safely.

Hint 2: This book is the only book you'll need to make great cider. http://www.amazon.com/New-Cider-Makers-Handbook-Comprehensive/dp/1603584730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420595963&sr=8-1&keywords=cider

I'm sure everyone will frown upon this...but I've been experimenting with store bought juice ciders and have found the best results with Cider House cider....http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N2WGUPW/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1458092462&sr=1&keywords=cider+house+cider

I'm still producing ciders that are a bit more sour than I like, but I get the sweetest results from this brand.

Note: have tried Nottingham and K1-V1116...but still like Cider House better. Just my two cents ;)

The New Cider Maker's Handbook is an amazing resource. It may be overkill if you are just starting out. It covers the cider making process but also covers apple growing as well.

My wife and I purchased an orchard last year and hope to start a small cidery in the future. This book has been an incredible amount of help. It is basically a textbook for cider making.

What growing zone are you? Slovenia ranges from 6b-9a + probably has microclimates. This is the same as England but perhaps with more sun and less rain?

Buy:
The New Cider Maker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Producers

https://www.amazon.com/New-Cider-Makers-Handbook-Comprehensive/dp/1603584730/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541706360&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cider+makers&dpPl=1&dpID=61Zf0oSwl-L&ref=plSrch

There is an excellent section on apple choices.

If you want faster production buy pre-grafted, well feathered bare root trees on the rootstock of your choice. This is usually hard to find.

If you can lose 3 years then but the rootstock of your choice and buy the scion wood/bud wood of the varieties you want and graft them yourself.

Focus on the bitter-sweets and the bitter-sharps. You can probably buy the sweets and sharps locally and then just blend.

No clue how it will turn out, but I appreciate the sense of adventure you have - it is what makes home-brewing so badass. Yeah, it might not taste so great, but what the hell - it cost three bucks to make!

My only thought is that I am surprised it doesn't have any of the yeast-killing preservatives in it, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate and the like. That would be one of those insurmountable stumbling blocks.

If you are looking to add more flavor back in later on in the process, there are options abound, such as Natural Apple Extract. It comes in a variety of flavors - I can't wait to do more experimenting with different kinds.

Best of luck!

Does the shop stock any cider books? Seems like a win-win if they'd let you borrow a book or two.

Start at the top of this list and work your way down. Reading a few of these books will be a far superior learning experience to browsing online and trying to piece information together.

Cider Appreciation and History
World's Best Cider: Taste, Tradition and Terroir, from Somerset to Seattle
The Naked Guide to Cider
Cider - CAMRA
Ciderland
Golden Fire: The Story of Cider

I also enjoy Alan Stone's cider books, but the best one is currently sold out.

Apples and Cider Making
Haynes Cider Enthusiasts' Manual: The Practical Guide to Growing Apples and Making Cider
Craft Cider Making
How to Grow Apples and Make Cider
The Apple Orchard: The Story of Our Most English Fruit

ordinarily id say safale s04 , nottinghams or one of the other ale yeasts, but this relatively new cider yeast has been getting great reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/Cider-House-Select-Premium-Yeast-3/dp/B00N2WGUPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482339812&sr=8-1&keywords=cider+yeast
I havent tried it personally yet, Ive got a batch going in soon with it and Im looking forward to the outcome.

check out the yeast experimentation thread on homebrewforums by cvillekevin. lots of good yeasts to try there too.
here it is
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=83060
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=83060&page=84#post5710045

For mead "the compleat meadmaker" by Schramm is considered the bible and IMO is just an awesome all around brewing guide. This guy

https://www.amazon.com/Cider-Hard-Sweet-History-Traditions/dp/1581572077

Is an excellent cider primer. The sidebar also has some good links.

> Any help would be appreciated, even a book or website with information.

The sidebar...

As for a book, The New Cider Maker's Handbook

Making Craft Cider - A Ciderist Guide (Simon McKie, 2011)

Craft Cider Making (Andrew Lea, 2008)

Cider - Making, Using and Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider (Proulx & Nichols, 2003)

I used a bench capper (Super Agata?) with 26mm crown caps initially..that look something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Caps-Oxy-Liner-Case-Black/dp/B07L6NXSFB

Then we happened to use a handheld two-hand capper after disgorgement.

Since you seem pretty confident you have the right caps and capper....I'm thinking you might have a compatibility issue with the exact bottle you are using. In the past, I ran into an issue with an entire pallet of punted glass bottles with supposedly 26mm neck size. The two-hand capper really had a problem due to the size and shape of the bottle neck, and some did not hold carbonation.

I use tree top apple juice (SG 1.045) and munich wheat beer yeast plus half can of apple juice concentrate. Let ferment at 20 c for 30 days then bottle, Has some carbonation and taste great.

As for my hydrometer, It's been sitting in the cubbert for 2 + years unused.

I have that one too and really like it.

http://smile.amazon.com/Cider-Hard-Sweet-History-Traditions/dp/1581572077/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1457138715&sr=8-4&keywords=cider

That's a good one

The book Everything Hard Cider does a great job covering tons of different options and only $16 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1440566186/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521755902&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=everything+hard+cider&dpPl=1&dpID=51GMaGAyTAL&ref=plSrch

Fermtech Mini Auto-Siphon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064ODL1G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pmjzDbV80QZA9

This will fit a 1 gallon growler jug. Haven't seen anything smaller. That looks to be bigger than a gallon so check measurements to make sure it can reach bottom.

http://www.ciderworkshop.com/links.html

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/cider-workshop

and the book, or should I say The Book https://www.amazon.com/New-Cider-Makers-Handbook-Comprehensive/dp/1603584730 by Claude Jolicoeur

The book written by Andrew Lew is also worth mentioning
https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Cider-Making-Andrew-Lea/dp/1785000152/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CVG59HK1FJPH45NP3A6N

Both guys are active at mentioned google forum.

• 4 ½ gal Costco apple juice
  
• 30 oz frozen apple juice concentrate
  
• 5 campden tablets
  
• 5 tsp yeast nutrient
  
• 9 grams Cider House Select Premium Cider Yeast-3 Count
  
• SG: 1.068
  
  Probably somewhat unrealistic but I'm hoping to have this done by Christmas to give out as presents. Holy cow 5 gallons is a lot of liquid.

I came here to recommend the same book! Here's a link to it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cider-Makers-Handbook-Comprehensive/dp/1603584730/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1P8SN20X1P4XJRWMP1SD

Wait it gets better I found you the same brand but in bigger sizes on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Gallon-Basket-Berries-Making/dp/B0777VKQPK

Try using the honey chrome extension for coupons too.

This one's my recommendation: http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Hard-Cider-Book-making/dp/1440566186/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1449552939&sr=8-3&keywords=cider+making

Plus, the author is in this sub all the time :)

The New Cider Maker's Handbook is a good start.

Oooo I want to try this. How many grams of yeast for six gallons? Do I need to buy a special sanitizer?

This is what I have in my cart right now:

[Airlock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A6TRKO4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?
smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1)

Yeast

6 gallon carboy

Anything I'm missing beside the juice?

There's a million of them.
something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Brewers-Elite-Hydrometer-Kombucha-Hardcase/dp/B01CITP03W

This appears to be the same crusher under a different name. Reviews are mixed, though Fakespot says they're mostly-real. Anyway, lots of the 1- and 2-star reviews seem to indicate other folks have the same issue. Maybe flip through the 4- and 5-star reviews and see if anyone has suggestions for improvement? One I saw said adding more rows of "teeth" using screws made it more functional.

If it's a 1 gallon batch get the mini siphon:
https://www.amazon.com/Fermtech-Mini-Auto-Siphon-3-8-inch/dp/B0064ODL1G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498080342&sr=8-2&keywords=brew+siphon

if its 3-6 gallons get the big one:
https://www.amazon.com/Regular-Auto-Siphon-feet-Tubing/dp/B00AYHS7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498080342&sr=8-1&keywords=brew+siphon

They all work fine.

If you have amazon prime then get a gallon of juice $9 and not only do you get the juice but a 1 gallon glass jug. Buy a airlock and a hydrometer

I have this:
https://www.amazon.ca/New-Cider-Makers-Handbook-Comprehensive/dp/1603584730
And this:
https://www.amazon.ca/Craft-Cider-Making-Andrew-Lea/dp/1904871984

The basic keys to avoid bad batches (I found out by making bad batches) are:

• Avoid contamination... get sulphite into it asap, keep everything hospital-clean.
  -Keep primary fermentation temps low, like 12-15 deg. celcius
  
  I didn't use any splenda, so mine is very dry, pretty tart... but no vinegar or off-flavors....
  
  Honestly, I didn't even check the spec. gravity when I racked... But I think cleanliness and temps are way more important than most other factors.

Probably more than you want to spend, but this would do it- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XB5UHE/ref=asc_df_B000XB5UHE5192541/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B000XB5UHE&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167124686369&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5708612962213490304&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030456&hvtargid=pla-273475308682

This is still the book I refer back to for all things cider: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1580175201/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51odcvsVbwL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C100_&refRID=0X1YNTJ7A7G4W6D4RHEA

one book I borrowed from rev Nats library in the tap room

another local portland cidery's book on homebrewing cider

I use this yeast ferments to 1.010 +- and I ferment at 68°.

This is all I use also white sugar,brown sugar,turbinado sugar and Corn Sugar all provide a different taste so have a try.

Noob here:Why do you need tannins in Cider, And have a go at using MUNICH WHEAT BEER DRY YEAST Takes 3-4 weeks to ferment out and I usually rack to secondary for 4 weeks.

4.75 Gallon Fruit Wine Press - 100% Nature/Healthy Apple&Grape&Berries Crusher Manual Juice Maker for Kitchen, Solid Wood Basket with 2 Blocks Cider Wine Making Press (LFGB Certified,Heavy Duty) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777VKQPK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0r2LDb36TZ12C

You can make your own apple concentrate. Applejuice in a container in the freezer, let freeze solid. Remove and let melt, the sugars will melt first, collect and toss the remaining ice block.

Alternatively Apple Extract though Ive got to say Ive just kegged my first batch experimenting with this, so I can't personally attest to how it will turn out. I know that most of the big cider producers buy bulk apple concentrate and in the concentration process they remove the essence and it is purchased seperately.