Hard cider adventure: bottling

Nearly three months after we got our bucket of juice and started this adventure, the cider is ready!

This past weekend, we divided the cider into 2 batches: one still and slightly sweet, one sparkling and dry. Very dry. Sahara desert dry. Perhaps too dry for you but that's fine because it means more for me.

The sparkling bottles need to sit for about another 2-3 weeks to carbonate fully but the still batch is ready to drink right now.

However...

You may recall we're in the middle of a little somethin' we call Detox January. Remember what the number one rule of Detox January is? Yep: no liquor.

Really, really poor planning on my part.

I now have four gallons worth of yummy, strong  hard cider staring me down and I've got two more teetotaling weeks to go.

Damn.

PS: Thanks to the nice folks at Vermont Homebrew Supply in Winooski for walking me through this process and sharing so much of their time and advice with me.