Pasteurization methods to stabilize bottled fermented apple cider - Page 2

**PintOfBitter** · 11-19-2010, 02:02 PM

I wouldn't try the oven due to the uneven heating that will happen. You'll end up with some bottles that explode and some that don't get pasteurized. Submerging in water keeps everything nice and equal, as well as increases heat transfer. In pasteurization, temperature rise time and fall time play an important role in killing baddies.

And bottles must be capped or CO2 will be driven out.

pokee · 11-30-2010, 12:27 AM

I'm getting ready to try my first cider batch. Some of it is going to be given away in bottles and it's going to need to be both carbonated and back-sweetened. Is this the best method to do this?

What do I do, ferment it out, transfer to secondary for clarification, back-sweeten/bottle carbonate and then when the desired carbon level is hit after a few test openings pasteurize to stop the process? I've seen discussions on sweetening and carbing but they don't usually seem to work together.

**PintOfBitter** · 11-30-2010, 04:31 PM

Just be aware that you need to take a lot of care in order for this to work. I would suggest shooting for a lower carbonation level and having a safe way to heat the bottles. Again, I hafta recommend the pressure cooker with the removed seal. Make sure you're measuring temperatures. There's a fine line between bottle bombs due to inadequate pasteurization and bottle bombs due to overheating.

I personally would not feel comfortable doing this with a bottle conditioned beer or drink, due to the fact that there could be thousands of times more yeast in those bottles than beergun filled bottles. Leaves you with a lot less margin for error. That being said, it *should* work as long as you're diligent.

40oz2freedom · 03-03-2012, 01:02 AM

I wanna use champagne bottles to back sweeten and carbonate then pasteurize. Are there any alterations you would make?