Kelly.

Recipes 

I am making some cider, and I would like to backsweeten it,
the guy at my lhbs, he wasnt to helpful other then telling me that i need potassium sorbate.

does potassium sorbate kill yeast?

im hoping to stir in some potassium sorbate and in a few days rack the cider out to be back sweetened.

any advice on this would be great,


thanks in advance,

CBBaron

Recipes 

The combination of potassium sorbate and potassium sulfite (campden tablets) will prevent renewed fermentation and allow for back-sweetening.
Add 1 campden tablet and 1/2 tsp sorbate per gallon on finished cider, wine or mead dissolved in a small amount of water or product. Once treated you can back sweeten. I usually leave wait to sweeten until 1 or 2 days after treating. And you should wait a week or two after treating before bottling to prevent any sulphur smells.

Craig

conpewter

Recipes 

If fermentation is done then you can transfer to secondary, add potassium sorbate and potassium metisulfate to stop the yeast. Then you'll want to wait a few days to let that dissapate and backsweeten, I know Yooper is the one in the know on this stuff.

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Kelly.

Recipes 

i only got the potassium sorbate, so it looks like i need to get some campden tablets too

ill rack it to secondary in the meantime.

monty73741

Recipes 

I put mine in secondary for like 30 days & cold crashed it.

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BeerBrods22

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I racked to secondary... And added potassium sorbate yesterday, I am planning on adding the campden tablets tonight 1 per 1/2 oz of PS.

I will give it sone time then backsweaten. I an making a cran-lemonale but not it is super dry and sour.

Thanks

oshea3333

Recipes 

do i need both or just potassium sorbate. im making a mead its 3 months in right now

flyingdoctor

Recipes 

IF you put potassium sorbate and sulphite into the cider, you will be unable to achieve natural carbonation to make it sparkling.

Patience is the key here if you make cider in cool temperatures (16-17 celcius or even a bit lower) during late autumn and winter as per tradition, the flavour will be better due to less fusel alcohol production. The cider will come bright (clear) after several months and you can rack it without needing any sulphite. If you want sweeter cider you can add Potassium sorbate. however if you want a sparkling cider as opposed to a traditional UK west country farm cider (acid, milky and still). You can add sugar syrup to 10 g/l when bottling and this will give you a sparkling cider. Try to avoid sulphite, it ruins your drinks. The alternative is good hygienic practice (or pasteurisation if you must) If you want a light sweet sparkling cider follow the french practice of Keeving (a bit involved for the beginner) and bottle just before teh fermentation has stopped. The low nitrogen will give you a small yeast load and so teh cider will carry on slowly fermenting in teh bottle but remain sweet (a bit like a late stage stuck fermentation). This type of cider is really nice. If you realy want to be professional, put it in amateur champagne bottles and remove the little bit of yeast left by "remouage". Enjoy

levon15

Recipes 

Is potassium sorbate sufficient to kill yeast in the cider before I back sweeten it for kegging? What will the Campden do? Or if I skip Campden will I be in trouble?

LeBreton

Recipes 

Add both, after racking of the lees. Neither will kill yeast, but with a reduced population they will inhibit further fermentation.

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