Cider has started producing CO₂ again, probably from the 1/2 gallon of fresh juice I added yesterday.

Batch #2 has fermented to about 0.999, so I racked it into a clean carboy and topped it off with about 1/2 gallon of Gizdich Ranch apple juice -- it was smart to buy four gallons instead of three while I was there! I finally got some batteries for my TDS tester, and the reading from the sample was 770 ppm. I'm not sure if TDS is going to be helpful or not, but it's easy to measure. What would really be great is a pH meter...

The cider tastes dry and much better than the first batch at the same point. It's hard to describe, but it seems like there is more apple character to it. Heather says that this batch, unaged and with no carbonation, already tastes better than the first batch, which is done, so that's a plus!

Cider has gotten lighter and more yellowish over the past couple of days. Fermentation is going like gangbusters. Measured SG of 1.032; not sure if the original measurement or this one is incorrect. Maybe there is some breakdown of complex carbs into simpler sugars. Who knows? Tastes very sweet with a little bit of alcohol.

Starting cider batch #2 today! I'm stoked about this batch because I'm starting with freshly-pressed apple juice from Gizdich Ranch. I picked up four gallons of juice that were pressed this morning, though I don't know what apple varieties they are doing right now. Oh well...

Started this batch the same way as the last by filling a sanitized 3 gallon carboy with juice. Yeast was prepped by dissolving 1 packet Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast (BB JUL 2012 9150) in about 1/2 cup warm water. Pitched at 5:15 pm, temperature is 68 F and weather is clear.

SG is 1.016. Batteries are dead on the TDS tester, so I'll do that later. The must is a rich brown and tastes very sweet.

BOTTLING! Going to carbonate two ways:

1. 1/2 C cane sugar in 1 pint water plus a smidge of lemon juice as per Ben Watson's book, boiled to invert the sugar. 3/4 cup in 1.5 gallons cider.
2. about 1/4 C orange California honey (Meeks Honey) in 1/2 pint water, heated almost to boiling to dissolve. 1 cup in 1.5 gallons cider.

siphoned about half the batch into a sanitized bucket, added sweetener as above, mixed thoroughly with a wooden stirrer, and poured through a funnel into bottles. Caps were sanitized and immersed in just-boiled water to soften the seals. The twist-cap bottles didn't cap as cleanly as the others, but everything looks ok. Put the bottles in a tub and covered, will let sit for a while.