Brew Number 64

• 4 buckets Kalangadoo Organics "Jonagold" apples (~16kg)
• 4L Kalangadoo Organics "Gala" apple juice (they ran out of apples)
• 1.5kg strawberries
• 1.2kg sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 vanilla beans
• Dry champagne yeast (Grumpys, unknown mfg) (1st generation starter - 29/3/08)

• Juiced the apples, got 12L juice and about 3L of foam. Measured 15% brix.
• Juiced the strawberries, got ~1.5L of juice/slush (were partly frozen, probably should have used a blender). Measured 7% brix.
• After a good stir there was about 18L of juice & 4 of foam (not sure how that adds up TBH). Measured 14% brix.
• Boiled ~1L of water with the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods & vanilla beans for ~10 mins.
• Removed 2 of the cinnamon sticks & seeded the vanilla beans.
• Measured brix over 32% (hardly surprising since it should be 120% or so I think)
• Boiled for a further few minutes then added to the fermenter.
• Final brix now 18%, SG 1073.
• Added 400mL of starter.
• Put in temperature controller set at 15C, reset to 18C, and then 21C.

• Fermentables split into 3 layers even after vigorous stirring.
• Rang Grumpys and they recommended 18C so I switched (about 15hours after starting).
• Got an email from stillbrewing.com.au which is what Grumpy's brewshop has now become and they recommend 21-24C (23:30 2/4/08).
• Strained the cider through a sieve to remove the chunky bits. Gave around 17L. Squeezed the pulp through muslin wrap to get 19L.
• Taste tested to determine amount of sugar. Decided on 67.7g/L. Used ~1.25kg of lactose (~65g/L).
• Used 160g of priming sugar.
• Got 55 375mL bottles, reserved 6 without lactose.

• Stratified fermentables:
  

• Temperature log: