Questions about Cider

OK so Ive never made Cider. Tomorrow I am going to some apple orchards and Im gonna grab some fresh cider. I have a couple questions.

  1. If I have the opportunity to request a blend of pressed apples, what is a good blend?

  2. How much Campden do I need and how do I introduce them to the Cider? Just drop the tab in?

  3. Once fermentation is done, do I need to use potassium sorbate to stop fermentation? I do not have kegging capabilities, and I am not looking to carbonate it.

  4. If I bottle the cider, will it keep fermenting and explode?

ANy information would b e great.

  1. So far my favorite blend has been 50% sweet apples, 35% acidic apples, and 15% astringent apples.
    2)One per gallon. Crush them before adding. Allow to rest for 24hrs before pitching yeast.
    3)No. Let it finish and stabilize if you plan on backsweetening or use an nonfermentable.
    4)Not if you let it finish.

Thanks!

After you treat the juice with campden wait the 24 hours and then add 2.5 teaspoons of pectic enzyme per 5 gallons of juice which will cleave the pectin and help to clear the cider. Then wait another 24 hours and pitch the yeast.

I would add the pectic enzyme and all other ingredients (except the yeast) when adding the campden. Wait 24hrs and pitch yeast.

Why is it necessarry to pitch the campden before adding yest. Does it kill off the other organisms in the juice first?

It kills off any wild yeast.

It kills certain bacteria and inhibits the growth of most wild yeast. You will need to wait 24hrs after adding the campden to pitch your yeast. Let it vent for a full 24hrs.

Cool thanks. I did that. Just out of curiosity though. Lets say I had run out of Campden and was feeling impatient so I went ahead and sanitized a carby, poured in my cider and pitched yeast. The yeast I pitch is mostly likely going to be the one that wins out and dominates the flavor profile due to the larger number of cells anyways right?