SC - Apples for Cider

[Angus]

>As I've never had trouble with meads, I haven't bothered to learn how to
>use the hydrometer and have judged mostly by the rate or bubbling and
>time span.
I'd guess that tyhat's your problem right there then.
Most meads ferment a lot slower than meads.  I've had beer batches ferment out in 48 hrs and mead of the same volume needing 2 months to reach completion.

 The main thing I've heard from others on the exploding bottles is that if the bottles are too close together you can get an chain reaction. 

Maybe if they aren't properly sealed ie you get a cross contamination  of yeast from bottle to bottle, otherwise it's just the amount of sugar in each bottle determining the amount of CO2.  Part of my problem with brewing at all, is that my house is
>totally carpetted except for part of one bathroom and inside the
>cabinets. The closets are carpetted. So once I got married and "lost"
>use of the second bathroom my inside controlled temp space has been
>limited. 

No wardrobes to spare or fit a jug into ?  My wardrobe consistantly  holds 12C, but I live at thebottom floor above the cellars.....

If I try again, I guess I will get some big plastic basins.
Nah, Id say iit depends on what you'd like to do...
just check the S.G with a hydrometer before you leave the bottles in the fridge for a month


>There has been a lot of useful information given here recently about cider brewing. Thanks to everyone who posted some. I may yet try cider and meads again. I was totally unaware of this double fermentation of cider, for instance.
Stefan
>-- 
>Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
>Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
>**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****


No worries, I'm just glad I could help....
....remember, it's OK to make mistakes as long as you learn anything from them.

Angus.

==
There is only one good -- knowledge;
and only one evil -- ignorance.
   -- Socrates

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