can i sweeten when i bottle and carbonate?

marisa_arrr · 01-22-2008, 12:16 AM

I have a 5 gal. batch of apelwein that has been fermenting for about 5 weeks now in the primary. I'd say its bubbling once every 2-4 minutes and it has cleared out quite a bit so I'm planning to bottle later this week. I have made cider before with a similar recipe and it was very dry, which I liked. But nonetheless i'm thinking that a little bit of sweetness would be nice, especially because other people aren't used to the dry taste.
I saw from other posts that you can add lactose or splenda. Can I add these w/ the dextrose while I am bottling? I tried to figure it out from other posts but got mixed ideas. If so, would just a couple of ounces do the trick?
Thanks

-marisa

homebrewer_99 · 01-22-2008, 12:35 AM

Actually, no. If you add more sugar it'll start fermenting again. You do not want to bottle something still fermenting. You'll get bottle grenades (they'll start exploding).

BTW, what was the OG and what's the gravity of the appelwine now?

Sean · 01-22-2008, 03:11 AM

I used a cup of splenda, and I thought it was too sweet. It kinda lost its crispness. if I do this again it will probably be half a cup.

I just added it with the priming sugar and got a carbinated apple wine cooler. Not what I was thinking.

Luck

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-22-2008, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebrewer_99

Actually, no. If you add more sugar it'll start fermenting again. You do not want to bottle something still fermenting. You'll get bottle grenades (they'll start exploding).

Bill, ya gotta read the whole question...she's talking about adding lactose or Splenda.

Marisa, you can add either of those sweeteners without worry of bottle bombs (assuming fermentation is complete). I recommend pulling a sample and sweetening with measured amounts until it meets your liking, then add a proportional amount of sweetener to the entire batch. Dissolve the sweetener in hot water, cool it, then add it to the cider and stir well, avoiding aeration. Prime and bottle as usual.

**shafferpilot** · 01-22-2008, 03:42 AM

Yuri's right. Splenda or Lactose won't ferment so they have nothing to do with bombs. However, if your fermenter is still bubbling, I'd take a hydro reading before doing anything. Apfelwine should have an FG of around 0.998 or so. If it's still above 1.000, give it more time.

sirsloop · 01-22-2008, 02:39 PM

I use splenda in mine too... although I like it on the sweeter side so I use 1.5 cups per ~6 gallons...

**cd2448** · 01-22-2008, 02:59 PM

mine fermented out to just under 1.000 and it was brutally dry, so i added 8oz of lactose at bottling time. i took 2 cups of water, dissolved the lactose and 5oz of dextrose (corn sugar) and boiled for a couple of minutes. put this in the bottling bucket before the apfelwein and bottled like anything else. it turned out great - mellowing slowly but surely into a taste like commercial british cider, though not as carbonated

**Bobby_M** · 01-22-2008, 03:32 PM

You'll eventually ween yourself off the sweets. My first batch used 2 cups of splenda. It was just right for me at first but then it began to taste a bit cloying and I could pick up on the artificial sweetner a bit. My next batch used 1 cup. Again, perfect at first but then I wished it was a little drier. I'm going to leave my next batch alone and "suffer" through the first couple pints.

homebrewer_99 · 01-22-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

Bill, ya gotta read the whole question...she's talking about adding lactose or Splenda.

Marisa, you can add either of those sweeteners without worry of bottle bombs (assuming fermentation is complete). I recommend pulling a sample and sweetening with measured amounts until it meets your liking, then add a proportional amount of sweetener to the entire batch. Dissolve the sweetener in hot water, cool it, then add it to the cider and stir well, avoiding aeration. Prime and bottle as usual.

MY BAD!!! You're right I didn't read all that...

...alcohol got in the way of my better judgement that time too...

sirsloop · 01-22-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

You'll eventually ween yourself off the sweets. My first batch used 2 cups of splenda. It was just right for me at first but then it began to taste a bit cloying and I could pick up on the artificial sweetner a bit. My next batch used 1 cup. Again, perfect at first but then I wished it was a little drier. I'm going to leave my next batch alone and "suffer" through the first couple pints.

True! My first batch was 2 cups... I'm down to 1.5 cups... now I'm starting to think 1 cup. I was also thinking about not using splenda... instead hitting it with potassium sorbate and campden, then putting some sugar back in. Maybe putting honey back in...sounds good