Backsweeting vs carbonizing

Hello,
Am I correct in saying that you can do one or the other, not both?

Thanks,
Tom

carbonating, the natural way, requires the addition of fermentable sugars to a still beverage where live healthy yeast are present at bottling

backsweetening is essentially sweetening up a beverage to taste. this can be done by removing the yeast (lots of ways...chemical, filtration, cold shocking or pastuerization) and adding fermentable sugars OR by adding non-fermentable sugars.

so...

if you want to carb up and backsweeten a beverage, add non-fermentable sugars to it for taste and add fermentable sugars for gas. bottle and enjoy!

BoatmanTom said:

Hello,
Am I correct in saying that you can do one or the other, not both?

Thanks,
Tom

Click to expand...

I don't think so. I just backsweetened with lactose (non fermentable sugar), and I primed for carbing with dextrose (fermentable sugar). My plastic test bottle is firming up, so that tells me that carbing is taking place.

If you add more sugar (etc) to a fermenting must and bottle it ... then after a bit more fermentation you stop the fermentation before the yeast have finished all the sugar (pasteurization or putting it in the icebox) ... then you are left with a carbonated beverage that has also been "backsweetened" (sweetened after the initial fermentation is essentially through).

Similarly, if you bottle before the *initial* ferment is done, and allow some fermentation to occur in the bottle, then stop the ferment before the yeasts have finished the sugar (the sugars from the initial juice or chaptalization )... you've again got a carbonated and "sweetened" product ... but did not actually add any backsweetening sugar or priming sugar to do it.

i've got 4 gallons of 1.001 Cider. Its quite dry and would like to back sweeten a touch for the general audience. I'm force carbing but want to bottle afterwards. I though i read that you can added juice with preservatives and it won't ferment. Is this valid or should i go with Lactose ? I want to serve this for Thanksgiving so only a few days away. I also might do gelatin tonight. Any thought on this?

fuhmon said:

i've got 4 gallons of 1.001 Cider. Its quite dry and would like to back sweeten a touch for the general audience. I'm force carbing but want to bottle afterwards. I though i read that you can added juice with preservatives and it won't ferment. Is this valid or should i go with Lactose ? I want to serve this for Thanksgiving so only a few days away. I also might do gelatin tonight. Any thought on this?

Click to expand...

i generally steer clear of gelatin in my ciders as i notice is lowers the body to much and can make it seem thin.

i don't see much happening between now and thanksgiving anyway. once force carbed, add a little sugar and bottle. i would be sure to keep it cold too! if you don't drink all this and they warm up in a few weeks you may have trouble.