Bottling video

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LeBreton

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I made a video of a bottling run at work the other day. We went through about 425 gallons that day, which is on the lighter side of what we usually do. I know some of you already saw it the other day, but I figured I'd share it with the rest of you.

 
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It's actually not cider, but a sparkling Riesling we're bottling on contract for a local winery. We've been doing a lot of that over the past year with the rise in popularity of Proseccos and Cavas in the wine world. Most wineries don't have the equipment to carbonate and bottle sparkling products, and it's not cost effective for them to invest either, so they bring the still wine over to us in bulk and pick up sparkling bottles a few days later.
 
Mmmmmmm Finger Lakes sparkling reisling. Is it done with a cork and a cage or capped?

It didn't look like cider. Thanks for the clarification.

You have an interesting life there at Bellwether! Thanks again for sharing!!!
 
Just a basic crown cap, a mushroom cork and cage costs almost $1.50 per bottle as opposed to ~$0.01 for a crown. I think these retail for around $15, so the consumer saves around 10% on packaging. On top of that crowns are 100% seals, unlike corks, which can be surprisingly air permeable. Which makes crowns a better choice for the cider/winemaker who knows how to balance the reduction/oxidation potential in their product.
 
Yeah, I have looked into using corks for my cider but there is no way to justify the additional expense (looking cool isn't worth it).

Thanks again for letting us take a peek 'behind the curtain' of a very good commercial 'cidery'(.com). Really interesting stuff.
 
I've been to Bellwether. Had a friend from Ithaca who got married there and we toured a few winery's and your place. Good cider. Do you guys add sugar to make the apple wine or reduce the juice to a higher concentrate to up the OG?
 
I've been to Bellwether. Had a friend from Ithaca who got married there and we toured a few winery's and your place. Good cider. Do you guys add sugar to make the apple wine or reduce the juice to a higher concentrate to up the OG?

Thanks! We do occasionally chapetalize the juice to maintain consistent ABV from batch to batch and season to season, but it's typically pretty minimal since 'hard cider' has to legally be below 7%.
 
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