Another first time cider maker needing help

[cherylaw60]

First time I have done anything like this. I am starting with the Brigalow Home Brew cider and it seems to be going okay. On day 6 I tested it and the SG had gone from 1.4 to 1.1 if I am reading it right and it was very fissy. I was told by someone that I had to wait until it had stopped fissing before bottling. I tested it again today day 10 and it is down to 1.0 and it is even more fissy than before. What should I be doing do I bottle it or do I wait.

Also do you sterilize the caps before bottling

 

[Mutaneer]

Is there still activity through the airlock and visible bubbling..?

And yes, sterilise everything.
my tip is to use a no-rinse food area sanitiser, you just go nuts and spray everything within range, and your hands from time to time

 

[Airgead]

It will be fizzy because it will have dissolved CO2 in it from the fermentation (technically it will be saturated with CO2) so fizzyness is not a good indicator of done-ness. The hydrometer reading of 1.000 is a good indicator. It could go down below 1.000 if its a high alcohol thing but it will never get below 0.996.

What you want is a hydrometer reading that stays stable over several days. That's the best indication that its really finished.

Cheers
dave

 

[cherylaw60]

I am yet to see any bubbles go through the airlock. It has not moved. It is filled on both sides to the line is the right. Tastes good.

 

[Airgead]

It may be clogged with kittens (sorry... old in joke)

Airlocks don't bubble for many reasons. Most likely because you have a leak somewhere else so the pressure is coming out there rather than the airlock.

Its the gravity dropping that's the real sign of fermentation.