carbonation tablets?
- Thread starter jackfrost
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jackfrost said:
They are basically just compacted sugar and work fine. I usually use 2 per 500mL bottle when the brew has fermented dry. Had better results with beer, in my experience, ciders take a bit more to carb than beer.
They have no effect on flavour.
They alone will not cause bottle bombs, active yeast with plenty of sugar to eat cause bottle bombs. The carb drops are just the priming sugar, any form of sugar used for priming can aid bombs.
I used them for all of my bottled batches until I ran out and became comfortable with priming. Worked great every time. No taste change just well carbed cider.
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This definitely work well in cider. Some also contain maltodextrin for head retention, which you probably don't care for in a cider. Tablets are convenient because they are pre-measured doses but if you have a scale, you can add dextrose to prime your entire batch before bottling -- cheaper and easier than pill counting.
Only bottle bombs I ever had were from before I realized that cider can finish below 1.000 gravity.
bigego236
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I know the answer will probably be yes, but is there still a need to pasteurize when using these?
reverendj1
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If you plan on a sweet cider, yes you would still need to pasteurize.
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I'm not sure what prompted you to ask this question but I think it may be predicated on the underlying misconception that since carb tabs are made of sugar, they count as backsweetening (they don't). The need to pasteurize is not related to using carb tablets. You need to pasteurize if you backsweeten regardless of carb tablet usage, but you never need to pasteurize because of carb tabs. Hope that clears something up and sorry if I'm telling you something you already know.
bigego236
Active Member
alexroussos said:
I'm under the assumption that if you carb that you need to pasteurize to stop the fermentation process to avoid bottle bombs.
reverendj1
Well-Known Member
If your cider is fully fermented out when you add sugar or carb drops to carbonate (and use the appropriate amount to just carbonate), then pasteurization is not needed. If you bottle before fermentation is complete to have a sweet cider, or back sweeten, then you will need to pasteurize.
BadgerBrigade
Well-Known Member
jackfrost said:
I tried them with my first batch.... And I got some kind of funny taste but i think it was the maltodextrin type but I'm not hundred percent sure..
I think priming sugar is the way to go for you...
It's not quite as easy as just dropping a tablet into the bottom of a bottle but I think you might be happier if your at all like me
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That is not the case. The amount of sugar in the carb tabs (assuming you follow the directions) is just the right amount so that, in a couple weeks, you're left with a good level of carbonation and no residual sugar. Fermentation will stop due to lack of sugar to ferment -- no pasteurization necessary.
bigego236
Active Member
alexroussos said:
Thanks. I too had seen these and thought about using them but the packaging doesn't say much, and the guy at the hbs had never used them. Still think ill stick to using priming sugar, just because I think I've got it down and don't want to mess with the process. I like what I've been producing
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