Secondary for cider?

Other Fermentables
1

The AHA cider tutorial describes using a secondary:

And from the former wiki, so does this recipe:

https://web.archive.org/web/20171105040811/http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/WestsideCider

If I’m moving the cider from fermenter (in a temp-controlled fridge) to a keg, is the secondary necessary? (From this recipe, the answer would appear to be “no”: https://web.archive.org/web/20171105064511/http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/AppleCider)

2

I keg my ciders and have found absolutely no difference whether using a secondary of only primary. All of my ciders are made with processed apple juice that is clear from the start.

3

I don’t use a secondary either.  My cider is also made from processed apple juice and is a little cloudy when I bottle, but clears after I pasteurize and cold crash for a few days.  While I’m not the most experienced at making ciders, I can tell you my ciders are crystal clear when finished without the use of a secondary vessel of any kind.

4

I make cider from apples I press myself from my own trees.  In that situation, I have found a secondary helps.

5

Thanks – I may be buying locally-pressed juice, so this scenario may apply.

6

I ended up using 2 gallons of locally-pressed Gravenstein apple juice (and used Fresco yeast) but did not do a secondary. I was like “ehhhhhhh, who is this for, except me” and I’m now using floating dip tubes in my kegs. It turned out the cider cleared up quite a bit anyway. It was absolutely delicious and very pretty as well. I loved the combo of Gravenstein flavor, dryness, and carbonation, and did not backsweeten.

I meant to get Pink Lady cider to make a subsequent (and possibly even prettier) batch, but I was traveling for work and then evacuating due to the Kincade fire and then catching up afterwards… gather ye ciders why you may! The orchard I purchased this from freezes its pressings so I may yet be able to make another batch this fall.

After brewing beer for over a decade, my overall experience of making cider was “wait, I’m done?”

7

Yeah, cider is pretty much “set and forget”.