A lot of apples + first cider brew

[Inthehills]

First time poster, long time stalker

Have only ever made a few coopers kits that worked out well, now looking into cider.

Have a big old apple tree that I gave a massive prune last season and it has heaved with apples this season. Now I have a heap of apples and there is onlly so much apple sauce and flans you can stomach so it's cider time.

Have done a trial batch but still have a heap of apples so wanted some advice before I commit the rest of them to my untested recipe.

A few questions:

Can I dilute the fresh apple juice with water to bulk it out, and to make sure it isn't too sickly sweet / rich? If I do so what is the maximum ratio and do I need to add more sugar to compensate?

If I don't dilute it, do I need to add more sugar? I would assume not because of the natural sugars?

Do I need to heat / cook the juice?

Is 2 weeks sufficient for the first fermentation?

Should I add more sugar to the 2nd fermentation process than say a normal beer brew? I.e. more fizz or will the natural sugars make this happen?

Any advice or general comments would be appreciated

Cheers

 

[givemeamash]

why not balance the sweet with different apples that re more tart ratheR than diluting with water.
I would not boil and I would not add sugar or des either. you got apples let em shine

 

[Greg.L]

All the sweetness goes when you ferment the juice. If you add water and sugar you will lose flavour. Cider is a very simple drink, just fermented juice. The main thing is to keep air out once the fermentation finishes, if you want it a bit sweeter when it is finished add some juice while drinking it.

 

[punkin]

Use your beer hydrometer to take an OG after juicing. Apple juice will ferment down to 1000 or lower depending on the yeast, could well get 990 out of it, so do a alcohol conversion and see what your projected abv is going to be. If over 5% then the juice should have enough sugars (and subsequent alcohol) to protect itself over the long fermentation period.
No need to add sugar.
If under, then sugar can be added to get it up to your preffered abv.

 

[Inthehills]

Thanks all, off to get a hydrometer now in preparation for the next batch tonight