Grandma's Apple Jack

[derien]

I've got some hard cider in the fridge which has gotten really kickass in the past week, and it's inspired me.  I'm going to attempt to make apple jack the way my grandmother actually instructed me: A handful of raisins, two or three cinnamon sticks, a few cloves, and a shot of rum to get it started in the right direction, then stick it behind the woodstove for a week or two.  Only, I don't have a woodstove so I've put it in the oven - it's a gas oven, so the pilot light keeps it warm.  I just have to remember to not turn on the oven without taking the cider out, first, as it's a plastic jug. 

Now, my question for all you bright people out there:  How do I stop the fermentation process when I judge it 'done'?  Or do I not get that option?  Does it just go until it feels like being done?

Comments

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

I don't know for certain but I think that there's no way of stopping the fermentation process. I've made homebrew before and it keeps fermenting (albeit slowly) when it's taken out of the bucket and sealed in a keg or bottles. But I'm not sure about the technicalities or even if I'm right at all!

There's a lot of learned homebrew heads on this board if you'd like to ask them:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=598
Or I could ask for you if you don't want to go to the bother of joining?

[derien.livejournal.com]

That would be really lovely of you and most welcome, because you're right - I don't really want to join to ask just this one question. I don't think I'm going to be doing lots of homebrewing, I just wanted to try this one thing. Have been wanting to for years, but the time of year when you can get cider with no preservatives is so short.

[derien.livejournal.com]

It had crossed my mind that if it came out good I might try to bottle some and send it to my brother (in Seattle), but if it's going to continue to ferment and blow up on the mail, that would be a bad idea.