Oxidation of still cider

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BWRIGHT

BWRIGHT

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I'm planning on bottle pasteurizing for the first time using a backsweetened cider. The plan is to let it ferment completely, backsweeten with more AJ, bottle, and then pasteurize. I'm not going for any carbonation on this one. I wondering if anyone has had/would have a problem with oxidation? There won't be any CO2 production to fill the headspace, yet the exposure would seem limited. I've never bottle anything still before so I just don't know.
 
Although I don't pasturize, I don't see any oxidation problem in your method. Unless you leave an excessive ammout of headspace in the bottles, you won't have any more oxidation than a bottle of wine has. :)
 
Or your could bottle it, and wait a day. Not long enough for carbonation to occur, but just so the yeast will kick off again, and create CO2 blanket effect.
 
With commercial wine, when they bottle, I think they inject nitrogen in there to fill the headspace. Of course home wine makers don't usually do this, so I guess it's not necessary.

I like Colby's idea of giving it a day or two to form some CO2 before pasteurizing. But I think whatever oxygen that is in the bottle...will still be in the bottle just not in contact with the cider??? I think even camden is used as an anti-oxident. Maybe someone could weigh in on that aspect.
 
Pickled_Pepper said:
With commercial wine, when they bottle, I think they inject nitrogen in there to fill the headspace. Of course home wine makers don't usually do this, so I guess it's not necessary.

I like Colby's idea of giving it a day or two to form some CO2 before pasteurizing. But I think whatever oxygen that is in the bottle...will still be in the bottle just not in contact with the cider??? I think even camden is used as an anti-oxident. Maybe someone could weigh in on that aspect.
Click to expand...

Correct, nitrogen, or more commonly CO2 is often injected into the neck of wine bottles prior to filling & corking. While some wines do benefit from the effect of oxygen diffusion through the cork, many (most) are better off drunk 'young' and are negatively effected by exposure to oxygen. Adding Campden, which is an anti-oxidant, will also help protect cider, both still and sparkling, especially of you plan to hold onto the bottles long term.
 

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