Recent content by Freki

When I racked off my last 5 gallon batch of cider, I had a bit left, tossed it in a gallon carboy and topped with apple juice to see what would happen. I have a crystal clear juice that's now been fermenting for a week! It started fermenting the next morning, and not just a little bit...

So it seems like I should be fine leaving them uncovered, as they would get a bit of ambient light, rather than direct sunlight. That was my main concern, and they remain in the proper temp range for my yeast.

Never actually posted in here, because all my questions had been answered in other postings. My first mead in several years has been a success due to all the information here. Got the exact result I was aiming for, and will be upscaling it soon. The first glass was AMAZING even still being...

That's exactly what I needed! Thanks! I use them on 1 gallon carboys that I bottle into for "quick" ferments that I don't intend to age and will be gone fast. The cardboard liner in the new lids I got keep falling out or sticking to the carboy itself and are just annoying to deal with for this...

I have a few one gallons I use for various experiments and whatnot, but lost some of the lids during a recent move, and trying to find replacements. The problem I am having is I cannot find the metal caps with the rubber seal. I have found some with more of a wax/cardboard seal, they work, but I...

Adding sugar into a fermented product without yeast = more fermentation, it will wake up the yeast by giving them more food, UNLESS the alcohol content is already at or above the yeast tolerance level. Adding sugar AND yeast, will ferment more alcohol and create an even dryer taste. If...

I would imagine both were done. Natural carbonation probably was seen in the fancier stuff, and the low end stuff may have just been ever so slightly bubbly-mostly flat due to barrels not remaining air tight once tapped.

I know sunlight can affect the hops and cause problems with beers, which got me to thinking, will sunlight harm a cider that is in secondary in a clear container? If so, what would it do?

Wish I knew that when I was up that way! It's an idea I've been playing around with, not sure if I would even be able to afford to do it at the moment. That's why I was asking here, I haven't got a clue what to even look for. The only stills I have dealt with were commercial ones during a behind...

What would you suggest as an inexpensive stove top still for someone with little to no experience with distilling? I'm not sure I would be confident enough in my DIY skills for such a thing without ever having experience with one.

I'm curious how y'all store your auto siphons. Been looking at reorganizing and trying to find ideas on a way to store them without moisture sitting in the siphon or tubing until I need it again.

Picked up a second 6 gallon for primary, this one came in a box which gave me the inspiration of way to keep out the light. Going to pop some holes in the side that would face away from the light for air flow around the carboy. Photo5026190911733868601 by Freki posted Oct 5, 2018 at 1:54 PM...

Interesting, but a bit out of my price range. Temp control isn't my main concern here, just light. Temp stays the same there as it was in the closet a couple feet away.

it's about 160 years too new. Good read though! Thanks for that one.

It's a bear with a honey pot. What's more fitting to cover 2 gallons of mead and 5 gallons of cider?