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Unfortunately, we are working with commercial drinking cider this year, although it is unpasturized and untreated so that is good. Concept for New England Cider came from many sources but initially, and predominately, BYO. Recipe design was from head and working with BeerSmith calculations of final ABV. OG is low, but BeerSmith predicts good attenuation and certainly a high enough ABV. I do not want to get carried away with the additional molasses or raisins. 2022-10-20: Put raisins into large glass fermenter. Poured 5 of 6 G cider into large glass fermenter. Fermenter at 58°F. Pour half of last 1G of cider into pot, added molasses to pot. Rinsed molasses container with remaining 1/2 G and returned to pot. Brought pot to boil using electric burner. Added nutrient. Reduced volume by 1/5 to apply Mailard effect and added to fermenterafter cooling some. Resulting temp was 70°F. Added yeast at 1830 hours. Aeration via violent rocking just before adding yeast. Taste from refractometer sample was very good. Not excessive molasses but it is discernable. OG includes molasses obviously. OG does not account for sugar in raisins. If you are getting a buzz, obviously it is the raisins. :-) Last year we held temps around 68°F for the first week or so, plus or minus a couple of degrees, so that is what we are doing today. Ambient room temp is set to 68°F and the cider is on the lowest bench so not on the floor. I will adjust as needed. 2100 hours and the yeast has not yet completed wetted and is still sitting atop the foam from shaking. We will let it hydrate slowly. The temp has dropped a degree or so and that is excellent - I won't bother logging it though and will wait for moring for that. 2022-10-21: Bubbling started overnight but it looks a little funny with the yeast still floating on top. Temp is 68.2°F - perfect. Bubbling is slow and steady.krausen is mottled with yeast and only about an inch thick. Looks fine. 202-10-22: That floating pancake of yeast has fully submerged to be replaced by larger cell foam of krausen and most of the rasins. All good. Temp is fine at 69°F. I will continue to keep it in the 68-69 range for a week or two while active fermentation continues and then lower it for ageing. 2022-12-23: Temps are high hitting 70°F so I have lowered ambient temp 2 degress to 66°F. Will check back tomorrow as slowing fermentation will get it back under control. 2022-10-28: Bubbling has stopped and subsequently it's temp has dropped. I have increased the ambient temp two degrees back to 68°F. 2022-10-29: Gravity has already dropped to 1.004 (refractometer reading was very soft but I called it 5.8). Taste is a bit alcohol harsh. It could use a long rest. Celina suggests getting new raisins for when I transfer it to secondary and that sounds like a good idea. 2022-11-06: Racking to secondary on top of one container of Sunmaid Organic Raisins. The original raisins were standard Sunmaid Raisins and apparantly contain two more ounces per container. Temp is 69.4°F and I will try to get it down a bit just by placing it back on the lowest bench. It is currently on the HLT table to settle and rack to secondary. Refractometer more clearly reads 6 Brix. Taste is fine- still very apple - tart. No molasses flavor. I captured 5.5G in secondary so I have an extra 1/2G in a 1G fermenter without raisins. Tasting the difference should be interesting. 2022-11-08: The raisins are all floating and active fermentation has restarted in the 5G fermenter. The 1/2G fermenter is idle. Temp around 68°F as desired. 2022-11-09: Active bubbling, a little krausen in the neck, and temp is steady at 68°F. I will start lowering the room temp a degree a day until we leave. 2022-11-11: Bubbling has slowed but is still steady at bubble every 6 s. I have been lowering the room temp and therefore the fermenter temp. I may need to continune this remotely as we leave for AZ on Monday. 2022-11-13: Room temp is now down to 62°F and fermentation continues with bubbles clearly risng through the foating raisins. Not much coming through the airlock though. I am going out in the RV for 5 months starting tomorrow but will try to remember to drop the temp one degree a day down to 55°F while I am out. I am updating the data as though I actually remember to do that. 2023-05-03: Racking to keg #14. Refractometer reads 6.0 for FG of 1.006. Temp has remained at 55 since leaving for winter. Taste is fine. Neither raisins nor molases are obvious. Carbonating at 18 PSI and 55°F for 2.3 volumes CO2 (based on carbonation tool). Note that total volume was 5.5 G as a half gallon was fermented n a 1G fermenter w/o 2nd raisins addition and is being consumed flat. Taste of this one is not as good, funkier, sharper.