First cider...to carb or not to carb??

I made my first cider a few weeks ago, just a simple experiment with a gallon of cider, some cinnamon, and some leftover ale yeast (not sure which yeast). The OG was 1.060 and I have yet to take a hydrometer reading, as I'm trying to be patient!!

What I'm wondering is should I carbonate this cider? I know it's a matter of preference but what would you all suggest? I'd like to carbonate it but I'm not sure if the process is the same as beer. Do I need to pasteurize it? Please help! Thanks!

If you let it ferment to completion (dry), yes. If you want it sweet you need to back sweeten and then pasteurize.

Yes. You should carb it. In my time doing cider and using ale yeast, if you don't carb it taste like flat beer.

It has fermented from 1.060 to 1.000. The sample tasted really hot with alcohol so I may backsweeten it.

However I'm not sure how to backsweeten it. Help?!

And would carbonating it be the same as beer?

However I'm not sure how to do that. Help?!

Also, would carbing it be the same as with beer?

I'm new at this but I think carb it.... I tried one at the brew store that was not carbed and like the last guy said.... Was like flat beer.... Carbed is better I would bet

So for one gallon of cider, how much corn sugar should use? Since I'm back sweetening it? What should I use to backsweeten?

I just backsweeten with more cider.

I usually add about 1/4 of what I've fermented.

I keg, but if you're bottling you will need to let it sit a day or so after you bottle so that it will begin to carb using the sugar in the added cider. Test a bottle every day and when it is fully carbed, pasturize it using hot water. Pasturization will prevent further carbonation and possible bottle bombs. There are links on this site for how to do that.

Okay. So I don't use corn sugar? Just the sugar from added cider?

Also the search feature on the iPhone is terrible...can you post a good link to the pasteurization thread?

You can use a lot of things to backsweeten. I use cider and I've had good results so far. I'll try to find a link for pasturization.

Thanks b-boy! That's a super helpful thread. I was confused as to how you pasteurized, and that helped a lot!!

That being said, since it's fermented from 1.060 to about 1.000, should I bottle, then pasteurize?

Yes -

• add the backsweetener and mix
• bottle
• wait a day or so
• test a bottle every day until it is properly carbed (not overcarbed)
• pasturize bottles

I keg, so I just add the back-sweetener, let it sit for a day, then crash cool in the kegerator. I don't pasturize since I keep it cold all the time.

Okay awesome. What is the estimated time of carbonation? I only have a gallon so I think I'll check it every other day?

question: how can still cider taste like flat beer? since when does flat beer taste of apple's lmfao.

went to cider festival the summer just gone , ALL of ciders were still and none tasted of flat beer.
well made still cider is proper nice if not too nice ,very easy to get legless , lets just say I made it home somehow?

w1dow said:

question: how can still cider taste like flat beer? since when does flat beer taste of apple's lmfao.

went to cider festival the summer just gone , ALL of ciders were still and none tasted of flat beer.
well made still cider is proper nice if not too nice ,very easy to get legless , lets just say I made it home somehow?

Click to expand...

I like cider both ways, but I think carbed is easier if you like it sweet and you don't want to add unfermentable sweetners - and you keg. I drink it still while it carbs, then finish the keg when it get fully carbed. Best of both worlds.

luke_d said:

Okay awesome. What is the estimated time of carbonation? I only have a gallon so I think I'll check it every other day?

Click to expand...

Just be careful. If it overcarbs don't try to pasturize It without releasing pressure. You don't want your bottles to blow up. I use Flip-top grolsch-style bottles.

I added about 2oz of concentrated frozen apple juice to the one gallon of cider I just made. Half of that went right into bottles and the other half went into a half gl jug. The bottles had a low carb after about 3 days( it was pretty cold and I had them stored outside) and all where drank by the 5th day as for the half gl it went another five days before bottling and after 4 days no carb but a nice taste. It was my first so no gravity readings but a 22oz bottle gave me a nice buzz.