Cider, head space bad? Dry Ice?

I just racked my first cider to secondary and I have quite a bit of head space in my carboy as it is 6.5 gallon and I have about 4.5 gal of cider in there. Primary fermentation was nearly done before I racked it over, I was hoping to do it just before primary fermentation completed to get a bit of co2 to build up a blanket. Since I racked it the air lock bubbled once and I think that is all. Should I be worrying about oxidation? My friend told me to drop a small chunk of dry ice in it to build up co2 blanket. I hadn't thought of that but still weiry of dropping chunks of anything into my cider. Besides my friend knows less about home brewing than I. any thoughts or insite would be appreciated.

Ben

your friend sounds like he gives alot of advise without actually knowing anything at alll, let em know if I am right. Your cider will be fine, a bubble means that air is being pushed out and even if there were no bubble you would be fine. Ethanol is hearty protector of your cider... Dry ice.. really

Well if you are going to use dry ice that really isn't the way to do it. One way is to put the dry ice in a container. Do not seal the container as that will create a dry ice bomb. Have some way of letting the gaseous co2 come out of the bottle and control it, so that you can pour it into the carboy. You can do this with a squirt water bottle. When the dry ice sublimates, it goes from solid to gas state co2, just squeeze the squirt bottle and out comes co2, just squeeze it into the carboy to blanket your must.

Or you can rack it into a more appropriate sized carboy, top off with water/juice/ wine but that really isn't an option with 2 gallons of headspace.

dry ice sound extreme

wouldn't it be alot easier to buy a aeresol can of wine preservative. They contain CO2, or like the one I use, nitrogen. It lays a blanket of inert gas across the cider. Stick the tube in the carboy and give it a squirt. Any restaurant suply store should have it. I use it all the time.

Good point, I've gotten wine preservatives at a local wine store. Was just giving advice on the use of dry ice.

It has never occured to me use dry ice. Your method does make more sense than just dropping in it the cider.

Dry ice is kept in -70 degree freezers. Dropping that into your wine IMO is pure stupidity.

Edit: looks like I'm the stupid one.

I found this paper on the use of inert gas in wine making.

The use of inert gas in winemaking

I guess using dry ice is a viable option.

A cheap & easy way to blanket your must/wort with CO2 (and I've done this) is to use a plastic sports bottle that has a pull type spout. Place a piece of proper sized plastic tubing (about a foot long piece will do nicely) over the opened spout; it doesn't have to be real tight, just tight enough to direct the flow of CO2. Next place a small chunk of dry ice into the sports bottle, add about a cup of warm tap water & put the lid on. Now wait for the fog to start coming out, direct the end of the tubing into the carbouy & watch the fog (CO2) spill into it, blanketing your must/wort. CO2 is heavier than air, so you don't have to fill it all the way, but you certainly can if you want to. When finished, empty the sports bottle; use any leftover dry ice in drinks for a fun & semi-spooky bubbling & smoking cold drink, be careful not to touch the dry ice with your lips or tongue, you will regret it. Regerds, GF.

Or, just use a smaller carboy. That's what I do.

Well, I decited to do nothing with it and leave it alone, I botteled it yesterday and It tasts pretty good, a little bitter thou. I think thats from the acids in the apple. Im sure a month or two in the bottle will melow it out. I added 1/2 gal more juice at bottleling and 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming. I have high hopes for this batch.

you do as Gratus and tusch say, OR you can use a CO2 paintball tank with a remote hose (about 50 dollars for the equipment and 5 dollars per 20 ounce fill) to add an inert gas blanket at racking time (I do this rather than "puff" it in with a sports bottle.