Kegging cider.

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Bender

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I've decided to break down and get a kegging setup. I'd like to back sweeten some cider for SWMBO. How do I kill the residual yeast so it doesn't eat up the sugar?
 
Potassium sorbate.

I'd just recommend just sweetening it in the glass prior to serving as opposed to potentially destroying a great batch of cider.
 
Maybe I'm just lazy, but sweetening each serving sounds like way too much work. Backsweetening the keg is easier and will be more consistent. I would suggest sweetening it in increments until you get the desired flavor.

Most people use a combination of Potassium Metabisulfite (Camden tablets) and Potassium Sorbate to stabilize their mead, cider, or wine prior to backsweetening.
 
I use a Tap-a-Draft to force-carb my ciders. I add Potassium Sorbate when I bottle and let the bottles age in the fridge a couple months. Then I simply add concentrate to sweeten just before carbonating / serving. Follow the directions on the camden and sorbate - too much can leave a funny aftertaste.
 
Cold crash to stop the yeast from fermenting all of the sugar. That way, the sweetener is the original apple sugars. Backsweetening is sometimes necessary if you let it dry out so far and I sometimes have to do it, but not if I can help it. Cider that is stopped at the right sg always tastes better than adding sugar.
 
Cold crash to stop the yeast from fermenting all of the sugar.

I would be very careful of this method. CvilleKevin...I'm not bashing your methodology, or anything negative! Hanging said that: A chemical stabilization like Pot-sorbate is really the only safe way to do this. I've had bottle bombs...and they SUCK! I'll never recommend just cold crashing to stop fermentation. Partially because it's a real tough thing to stop! But also because There is a very good chance that this method will fail. It takes a very skilled and patient brewer to achieve a complete precipitation of all viable yeast, and even then, the chances of disturbing it during racking are pretty high.

Also can use non fermentable sweetener...think Splenda.
 
I'm in the campden/sorbate camp. After fermentation is finished, rack the cider into a carboy with 1 dissolved campden tablet per gallon, and 2/3 tsp sorbate per gallon. (But, if you're doing 5 gallons, don't go over 1.5 tsp total on the sorbate). Let that sit about three days, then sweeten to taste and rack to the keg.

When I sweeten, I like to sweeten the sample I have to taste. Then, take the SG of that sample, and then sweeten the whole batch to that SG reading. I have some free software (winecalc) that tells you if the FG of the batch is 1.000, it'll take 18 ounces of sugar to bring it to 1.010, for example. That way it's easier to sweeten the batch to a good, not too sweet, level.
 
Thanks for the ideas. I want to sweeten the entire batch. SWMBO will not be interested in doctoring each glass. I know what she is looking for so I'll know when the sweetness is right. We both hate artificial sweeteners so I'm going to try the campden idea. I'm guessing adding a simple syrup is the best way to bring the sweetness up afterwards.
 
Thanks for the ideas. I want to sweeten the entire batch. SWMBO will not be interested in doctoring each glass. I know what she is looking for so I'll know when the sweetness is right. We both hate artificial sweeteners so I'm going to try the campden idea. I'm guessing adding a simple syrup is the best way to bring the sweetness up afterwards.

Don't forget- it's campden + sorbate. You really need both.

A simple syrup works great for sweetening. You can use a little of the cider to dissolve the sugar, so you're not diluting the cider.
 
Sorbate alone will work as long as aging is done. The yeast won't be able to reproduce and the remaining viable cells will eventually die out. Campden + sorbate is definitely preferred for a quick turnaround.
 
I prefer my cider dry AND bottle so I've never tried this.

For arguments sake:

You want your cider at 1.010. Could you just put in the campden + sorbate when it hits this level? Or is it just easy to kill off everything once fermentation is complete then backsweeten? I would expect this would be too risky if bottling.
 
I prefer my cider dry AND bottle so I've never tried this.

For arguments sake:

You want your cider at 1.010. Could you just put in the campden + sorbate when it hits this level? Or is it just easy to kill off everything once fermentation is complete then backsweeten? I would expect this would be too risky if bottling.

Never tried that either, but from what I've read from the vino guys, it won't work. So much campden is needed to knock down an active fermentation that the taste is ruined.
 
I tried to stop an active fermentation with Camden once. The yeast didn't even flinch.

I've never tried it, but to stop a ferment at 1.010, I'd try putting the carboy in the refrigerator for a week or two. Then, rack off the yeast. Then, camden+sorbate. It's just a theory.
 
This old thread seems like the appropriate place for me to ask.... I am going to keg some cider that will sit at 1.02. I do not want to carb in the keg--I want to force-carb.

The question is... how do I stop the fermentation before I keg? I see campden and sorbate only stop further fermentation and do not halt already ongoing fermentation. I also don't want to alter the flavor of the cider.

Heat is not an option, right? Cold crashing risks reactivation of cider... What are my options? Do I have any???
 
Kegging cider is easy-peasy. You don't stop the fermentation, you let it go all the way, until the yeasties are done. Then you add the campden and sorbate, wait a few days, then backsweeten with more juice or cider, back up to 1.02 or whatever level you want. Then keg and force carb.
 
Pappers... I hadn't thought of letting it go all the way out and then backsweetening it... Now I guess it is just a matter of how much campden and sorbate to add. Curious, why do you wait a few days? Just for absorption?
 
fermenting the cider out and backsweetening seems to be a popular method, but IMHO its not as good as retaining the original apple sugars. That last 1.005 to 1.010 of residual sugars contains a lot of the apple flavors.

If you used an ale yeast, you should not have a problem with cold crashing, especially if you keep your keg cold afterwards.

as Yooper said in earlier post, campden and sorbate will work, but you have to add the campden first, let it mix for about an hour, then add the sorbate. I have used this method to stop active fermentations up to 1.010. It is very reliable, and easier than cold crashing, but I dont much care for the aftertaste.

Cold crashing is not difficult, but it takes a little practice. If you use ale yeast and keg, the risks are minimal.
 
I'll probably be looking at doing the cold crash method as well. I'd like to do a single 5 gallon batch instead of the single 1 gallons. However, even if cold crashing doesn't work out, or the fermentation keeps going, ideally the keg will have a working multi use relief valve. You'll just hear random muffled hisses coming from your fridge and the cat/dog may be a bit spooked, but nothing major.
I had an active fermentation going on in a keg and didn't connect a spunding valve correctly. I had wondered what was going on, sounded like a hissing cat then realized that it was just the keg and the relief valve. (The lager still turned out pretty good, though I said next time, I'd get a variable relief/spunding valve for a pressurized active fermentation.)
 
I have a cider in the carboy that is done fermenting. Can I just rack to a keg with campden/sorbate for a couple days and then back sweeten with some apple juice concentrate? Or do I need to rack to another carboy and then transfer to the keg later? I'm trying to transfer as little as possible.
 
Lots of people do that. I am sensitive to sulfur smells and avoid using campden/sorbate.

FWIW, I did get the keg pasteurization to work. I built a harness to go under the keg and used a hoist to lift it into a keggle on my brew rig. I heat a hot water bath to about 180º and heat the cider to 160º. It's enough of a pain I've only done it a couple of times.
 
Lots of people do that. I am sensitive to sulfur smells and avoid using campden/sorbate.

FWIW, I did get the keg pasteurization to work. I built a harness to go under the keg and used a hoist to lift it into a keggle on my brew rig. I heat a hot water bath to about 180º and heat the cider to 160º. It's enough of a pain I've only done it a couple of times.

Ouch.

If sulfites bother you, consider sweetening with an organic non-fermentable sugar like Xylitol. Tastes like sugar, and no aftertaste like artificial sweeteners. Kinda expensive, but painless compared to hoisting a keg. :mug:
 
Ouch.

If sulfites bother you, consider sweetening with an organic non-fermentable sugar like Xylitol. Tastes like sugar, and no aftertaste like artificial sweeteners. Kinda expensive, but painless compared to hoisting a keg. :mug:

I backsweeten my cider with concentrated apple juice.
 
Super newbie question here. How do I even get started with kegging? What do I need to buy, and where can I learn how to do it?
 
Ouch.



If sulfites bother you, consider sweetening with an organic non-fermentable sugar like Xylitol. Tastes like sugar, and no aftertaste like artificial sweeteners. Kinda expensive, but painless compared to hoisting a keg. :mug:


That's what I use. First time I used 1/2 cup for 5 gal. No sweetness. Second time 1 cup for 5 gal. A little sweet. Last time 1-1/2 cups for 5 gal. Tastes weird like fake sugar.

I know some people use a can of FAJC to prime and flavor. Might try that in the keg get a little natural carb. Is 1 can right for 5 gal.?
 
That's what I use. First time I used 1/2 cup for 5 gal. No sweetness. Second time 1 cup for 5 gal. A little sweet. Last time 1-1/2 cups for 5 gal. Tastes weird like fake sugar.

I know some people use a can of FAJC to prime and flavor. Might try that in the keg get a little natural carb. Is 1 can right for 5 gal.?

It depends on personal taste as well. We did a 3 gallon batch that had some fresh juice and FAJC to backweeten, and I thought we went too far with the FAJC. 1 can in 5 gallons should be ok for getting it sweet.

Are you making sweet, still cider, or hoping to carbonate?
 
I've been making dry carbed cider. Just want a little more apple flavor and a little less dry. Like 1.004ish
 
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