[benbeck1990]

Is it OK to open my carboy and test my s.g. at anytime? Wait a full week? This is for cider purposes, I'm in day 3 of fermentation.

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[Joe Sr.]

As long as your sanitation is good, it shouldn't be an issue.

Personally, I would wait until signs of active fermentation have stopped.

[HoosierBrew]

I don't know what method you use to make cider, but I let it ferment dry and then backsweeten -  I don't even check for FG until ~ 3 weeks. 

[JT]

I assume you're sampling by pulling a sample out and not returning it.  For me, each sample I pull is half a beer I don't drink, so that is a decent enough deterrence to avoid sampling until I think it is likely to be done. 

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[dmtaylor]

For cider, I check the gravity often.  If it ferments too fast and gets too dry, I don't like to backsweeten.  I'd rather rack the cider once a week and add gelatin before it quits fermenting then fermenting down to 0.992-0.994 (which is very very common) and backsweetening.  Keep the natural sugars in there that way.

Check gravity as often as you want.  Rack more often than you think you should.  That's my mantra for great ciders.

[JT]

For cider, I check the gravity often.  If it ferments too fast and gets too dry, I don't like to backsweeten.  I'd rather rack the cider once a week and add gelatin before it quits fermenting then fermenting down to 0.992-0.994 (which is very very common) and backsweetening.  Keep the natural sugars in there that way.

Check gravity as often as you want.  Rack more often than you think you should.  That's my mantra for great ciders.

Also: I'd definitely listen to Dave over me.  I'm speaking from a beer perspective and have not ventured in to ciders (yet).  Dave, how do you stop the continued fermentation from blowing up your bottles?  I'm assuming gelatin doesn't strip everything out. 

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[BrewHalla]

Old style ciders are still ciders (not carbonated). But one way to get carbonation in a sweeter cider without creating bombs or having to use potassium sorbate then force carbonating in a keg is to pasteurize it in your dish washer once you hit your desired carbonation. The amount of time in the bottle all depends on the yeast,storage temp, and carb level you want so it will take some guessing/testing by opening a bottle now and again. One thing is if you don't have the greatest dish washer you may not be able to use it to pasteurize.

[dmtaylor]

Dave, how do you stop the continued fermentation from blowing up your bottles?  I'm assuming gelatin doesn't strip everything out. 

Time and temperature.  Chill your cider in the refrigerator and leave it there for a couple of months.  Then bottle.  Even with priming sugar it usually turns out still/uncarbonated.  And who cares.  Yummy.

Gelatin takes out probably 95% of the yeast every time you use it.  Very effective.

[Frankenbrew]

For cider, I check the gravity often.  If it ferments too fast and gets too dry, I don't like to backsweeten.  I'd rather rack the cider once a week and add gelatin before it quits fermenting then fermenting down to 0.992-0.994 (which is very very common) and backsweetening.  Keep the natural sugars in there that way.

Check gravity as often as you want.  Rack more often than you think you should.  That's my mantra for great ciders.

Also: I'd definitely listen to Dave over me.  I'm speaking from a beer perspective and have not ventured in to ciders (yet).  Dave, how do you stop the continued fermentation from blowing up your bottles?  I'm assuming gelatin doesn't strip everything out. 

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+1 on listening to Dave. I got some of his cider for the forum beer swap, and it was great.