SeaDuds

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I had a batch of cider that I had all but given up on. It sat in my 3 gallon carboy for months in the back of my closet, and a few weeks ago I decided to give it a taste. To my surprise, it wasn't half bad, but could use some sweetening.

So, since I've never let cider sit that long before, I have a few questions. I plan on adding apple juice to sweeten it back up, or maybe some dextrose I have lying around. Is there any way for me to bottle carb this? Will carb tabs work? I assume the yeast is long long gone and won't act back up.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, I just don't want to let this batch die and I'd enjoy it much more if I got it carbed.

dinnerstick

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it should carb up fine but if you sweeten and carb the bottles will explode since the yeast will eat all of the carbing sugar and all of the sweetening sugar

Calder

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Dinnerstick is correct.

It will carb fine. There is still plenty of yeast in suspension.

Adding apple juice or dextrose will not sweeten it, as the yeast will convert all the sugar to alcohol.

drkaeppel

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I have heard you can sweeten it but if you bottle, then you will have to pasteurize your cider to prevent bottle bombs. I plan on doing this with my current batch of cider...possibly going to use the dishwasher's "sanitize" cycle to pasteurize. It should have enough heat to kill the yeast. My only worry is the heat from the dishwasher will create too much pressure inside the bottles.

__________________
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"Give a man a beer, he'll drink for the day.Teach a man to brew, he'll be drunk the rest of his life." -Anonymous

dinnerstick

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the consensus here is, and my own experience also generally supports this although i use lower temps, that if you open a bottle and it is 'normally' carbed, then the bottles will hold during pasteurization. if they are gushing when you open them before pasteurization they will indeed be shards of glass after pasteurization. it is recommended to read through the whole sticky on bottle pasteurizing at the top of the cider page before deciding what to do, and using caution no matter how carbed they are (although the dishwasher should protect you!), as there is always the possibility that some are more carbed up than your test bottle.

SeaDuds

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Huh, I didn't realize yeast could survive that long! Some of it was put into a jug and put in the fridge for drinking for about a month, would the yest be able to survive that too? If not, I still have the majority to try and carb. I'm probably going to add priming sugar and pasteurize. I totally read that sticky a long time ago and had somehow forgotten about it.

Thanks for the responses, I'll make sure to be careful.

whatdoyameanman

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How long should i let the bottled cider sit for in order for it to be fully carbed and yet avoid making bottle bombs? At this point ill cold crash it..

Whats the general rule of thumb with this... Thanks

whatdoyameanman

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I did some research and I think I found atleast a week but still not sure.

mcwilcr

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I start checking at 4 days but have never (only done this 4 times) waited past day 6 to put them in the fridge or immediately pasteurize. I am not trying to heavily carb them with this method though because I still am somewhat fearful of bottles exploding during the process.