Cider already carbonated after 2 weeks in fermenter?

Two weeks ago I did a cider. Pure apple juice, dextrose and a bit of brown sugar. OG = 1.064. I took a gravity reading yesterday in preparation of bottling tomorrow and it was fizzing and bubbling. This is my first cider and I'm just not sure what to expect. In terms of bottling, where should I go from here? I was planning on bottling for 3 days then heat crashing in the stove to kill the yeast and prevent bottle bombs. Any help is appreciated

What was the second gravity reading? I'd leave it another fortnight before doing anything at all.

I think I would heat it up before bottling. I wouldn't bottle anything that was actively fermenting.

It sounds like there is still active fermentation going on. With cider (especially if you don't add yeast nutrient) it often starts much more slowly than beer, and it can still be fermenting 2 weeks later. If there is still CO2 being released, it means that either you jostled it before looked or it's not done.

Sorry, I should have mentioned, I used Mangrove Jacks M-02 cider yeast, probably more than was required: 9.5g in a 2.5 gallon batch.

And the gravity reading I took yesterday was 1.014

It's perfectly fine to bottle at any point in the fermentation provided you have a means for pasteurizing them. If you are looking for sparkling cider using this method you'll need to gauge the amount of carbonation before you heat them.

When you bottle, bottle one PET screw-top soda bottle and keep that bottle with all the others. Give it a squeeze now and then ( I'd do every 12 hours or so-it can go quickly).

When it's good and hard like a full soda, pasteurize your glass bottles and drink the PET bottle as a reward for a job well-done..

Easy-peasy.

Check the stickies for the stove top pasteurization method. Its better than direct heat in the oven and you don't want to take chances.

Yeah that's what I was planning on doing, stovetop pasteurisation. So what is the bubbling of the cider in its current state mean? I am going for a sparkling by the way and planning on back sweetening with caramel.

durbo said:

So what is the bubbling of the cider in its current state mean? I am going for a sparkling by the way and planning on back sweetening with caramel.

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That's normal. The yeast release CO2 and alcohol when they eat the sugars. When you bottle carbonate (as opposed to forced carbing in a keg) that's where the carbonation comes from.

durbo said:

Yeah that's what I was planning on doing, stovetop pasteurisation. So what is the bubbling of the cider in its current state mean? I am going for a sparkling by the way and planning on back sweetening with caramel.

Click to expand...

Not to over-state the obvious but; CO2 is being produced continuously as part of the fermentation. At atmospheric pressure most of it flashes out of the liquid. The colder the temperature, the higher the solubility of CO2 in it becomes, therefore at colder fermenting temps you will notice higher amounts of dissolved
CO2 in the cider. It's always there but you may
Not always notice it at lower levels (warmer temps).

Is that what your seeing? If you've made beer before it really shouldn't be anything surprising.

How do you plan to carb AND backsweeten your cider?

Thanks guys, I've done plenty of beer brews before, so I have the very basics of co2 production down but you're level of detail was great. I was just surprised with the level of bubbles it created when I poured some out of the carboy (wine-like). Pleased to hear that it's normal.

And kdog, perhaps I used the wrong term but I'm just following upstate mikes recipe. So I'll be adding concentrate and caramel sauce to bottling bucket and stovetop pasteurising after a few days. So it will get a sufficient level of carbing but won't totally ferment out the sweetness