RE: Bottle conditioning cider?

Hey all!

Does anyone out there know the nest way to bottle condition a cider? Specifically, is there a good ratio of cider to extra sugar that can ensure good carbonation?

I follow the same as when bottle carbing a beer

I use the same mix as when making beer

I use one can of apple juice concentrate for every 5 gallons.

1 or 2 raisins (soaked in rum, vodka, gin, or whatever) in each bottle.
My favorite is dark rum.

prince4118 said:

I follow the same as when bottle carbing a beer

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Thanks! Good to know!

What kind of beer are we talking about, if I might ask? Doesn't the amount of sugar vary depending on the type of brew you're making?

I like my cider dry and highly carbonated. Saison is the style I choose when using a calculator.

.8 cups sugar to 5gal cider

rtogio said:

Thanks! Good to know!

What kind of beer are we talking about, if I might ask? Doesn't the amount of sugar vary depending on the type of brew you're making?

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Some people do, but I don't.

Bottled beer you buy in the store almost always is about 2.4 volumes of co2. The problem with "priming to style" means flat beer in some cases (1.8 volumes is flat, as an example), or bottle bombs (some styles claim over 4 volumes is "to style"). I hate those calculators for that reason!

For beer, I use .75 ounces of corn sugar per gallon for a lower carbonation level, and 1 ounce of corn sugar for everything else. It works great.

I will do the same for cider- 1 ounce corn sugar per finished gallon of cider. That's a nice "beerlike" carb level.

Thanks!

do you recommend using corn sugar over any other forms? If there an advantage to using corn sugar over say demerrara or turbinado?

Also, those ounce measurements are in weight, not volume, right?

I don't really carb beer to the style I'm not super fussed on the exact amount of carb to by beer as log as ya not flat and as long as it's not a gusher I'm fine with it

And I'll honestly use whatever sugar is handy table sugar, corn sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar even

icanbenchurcat said:

I like my cider dry and highly carbonated. Saison is the style I choose when using a calculator.

.8 cups sugar to 5gal cider

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How long until it gets carbonated the way you like it?

I wasn't patient long enough to let it fully carbonate. Too damn good.

kukubau said:

How long until it gets carbonated the way you like it? I wasn't patient long enough to let it fully carbonate. Too damn good.

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I give it at least 2 weeks before I sample. 4 weeks is usually the sweet spot for me.

Aging much longer can really change the profile of the cider, some people age around 6 months, though I doubt I could be that patient.

brewkinger said:

1 or 2 raisins (soaked in rum, vodka, gin, or whatever) in each bottle.
My favorite is dark rum.

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So... does this mean I can add 2 raisins soaked in dark rum to each bottle and it adds carbonation to the cider?

What size bottles? 12oz. bottles then that means 1 raisin for every 6oz?

How much carbonation?

Im getting ready to bottle my first cider and was wondering my about carbing them in bottles. Hate to have Bombs!

I'm a total noob, but I just bottled my first batch of cider a few days ago. I added 1/8 cup of brown sugar to a gallon of cider. plan on checking a bottle in a week to see where it's at. Will let you know what I find.

I prime my ciders with apple juice as per this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/sams-choice-sparkling-cider-99923/ Actually, for my last batch I primed it with raspberry/strawberry juice (100% juice). Just a touch of raspberry/strawberry tartness.

DaveRob said:

So... does this mean I can add 2 raisins soaked in dark rum to each bottle and it adds carbonation to the cider? What size bottles? 12oz. bottles then that means 1 raisin for every 6oz? How much carbonation? Im getting ready to bottle my first cider and was wondering my about carbing them in bottles. Hate to have Bombs!

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Yes, the raisins produce CO2 and that carbs the cider. I do not like a lot of carb in my cider. Just enough pressure to bubble for about 4-5 minutes. Certainly not an exact science.