Paging Ed Wort... one more question please

Before it is said. I did search - multiple times. I found too many answers and would appreciate a definite answer.

I know that your cider is carbed as you have it on tap. BUT- if I want to bottle and carb, how much dextrose should I use? Also, May 1st will be 4weeks. It is now starting to clear. I just want to be sure as I am waiting patiently and want it to be good.

I tasted it a few times during the process as fermentation started to stop and if it is half as good later as it was then - I can't wait until it is truly finished and ready to drink.

I know you have heard it before but Thanks again for the awesome recipe.

I think Ed is building a Brew Hut...So I'll answer.

To bottle carb, use 1oz per gallon, or 3/4 cup for 5 gallons (JUST LIKE BEER)

Good luck.

Oh..Ya...Did you start your next batch yet?

Yep, what BK said.

Although you can use more, I used about 9 ounces in 6 gallons. The bottles are fine. I recommend you add yeast just before you bottle (I didn't in my first batch and it took 3 months to carb, second one I did and it took 2 weeks to carb). I would also recommend you wait at least another 2 weeks. If not, just be really sure the gravity is stable.

mrfocus said:

Although you can use more, I used about 9 ounces in 6 gallons. The bottles are fine. I recommend you add yeast just before you bottle (I didn't in my first batch and it took 3 months to carb, second one I did and it took 2 weeks to carb). I would also recommend you wait at least another 2 weeks. If not, just be really sure the gravity is stable.

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No prob on the wait. It's just now clearing. BTW - how much yeast - another pack?

Oh, 1/4 to 1/2 pack of the same type of yeast is fine. You can cool the priming solution, and add the yeast to it and stir gently. As the others said, just make sure it is completely done before bottling and priming. You can bottle in beer bottles or soda bottles.

YooperBrew said:

Oh, 1/4 to 1/2 pack of the same type of yeast is fine. You can cool the priming solution, and add the yeast to it and stir gently. As the others said, just make sure it is completely done before bottling and priming. You can bottle in beer bottles or soda bottles.

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Interesting that this thread came up. I am going to be bottling my 1-gallon trial soon, and was planning on carbing half. Since it is such a small amount, I figured carb tabs would be the best route.

Do you think I could just drop a grain or two of yeast in each of these bottles?

I've never carbed this way, so I'm glad you folks are jumping in and helping.

I would have a hard time adding more yeast. If you are using Montrichet...It has a lot of usable capacity left at the 8 or 9% in apfelwein. IF you are really worried about not carbing, (Never had a problem in 4 batches) drag your racking cane on the bottom to stir up a bit of the sediment. I would sure be unhappy to have all the gunk that would inevitably end up in your bottle, because when you open it, ESPECIALLY with 9 ounces, you are going to hav ZERO chance of leaving sediment in the bottle. It will bubble it all back into suspension, then you have a cloudy glass to drink.

Good point!!! I have never had a problem with bottle carbing.

Mine usually goes about 12-16 weeks at 58-62F. It carbs at a slow steady pace. This drink ages well. After you get bottled carbed forget about it for the time being. The flavor at ~3 months is quite different at 6, 9, & 12 months. I make it often enough that it can let sit for a while.

I also brew often so I'm not drinking the cider stash real quickly either. Right now I have about 4 cases dating back to 7 months & 10 months.

If you drink it fast you'll kick yourself if you manage to hold back the last sixer.

Its best to have a dedicated carboy & a stash of bottles for this stuff. Not to mention the space!!!

So far it seems to be a mixed bag. I think that the best thing so far with this method is to not add yeast but add 3/4 cup dextrose and leave it alone for the long haul carb and taste. My only concern is clarity and not having bottle bombs.

Bottle bombs will not occurr if you use 5 oz of corn sugar or 1oz/gal. The FG needs to 1.000 before adding the sugar. As for clearing, time alone will do this.

YooperBrew said:

You can bottle in beer bottles or soda bottles.

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Sorry to hijack the thread, but when bottling in soda bottles, should I follow the conventions of root beer making? The directions I got for making root beer led me to let the bottles sit at room temp for 4 to 7 days or whenever the bottles got really hard to squeeze ( kinda like if you drop a Sprite ) and immediately refridgerate for 1 to 2 weeks. So, should I do the same for the cider or would it be better to let it sit for longer at room temp? Thanks.

rsava423 said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but when bottling in soda bottles, should I follow the conventions of root beer making? The directions I got for making root beer led me to let the bottles sit at room temp for 4 to 7 days or whenever the bottles got really hard to squeeze ( kinda like if you drop a Sprite ) and immediately refridgerate for 1 to 2 weeks. So, should I do the same for the cider or would it be better to let it sit for longer at room temp? Thanks.

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The reason you do that with root beer is different than for the apfelwein. In root beer, you have tons of sugar (because it's sweet) and the way you control carbonation is to add some yeast and let it ferment only a little- just until carbonation takes place. Then you stick them in the fridge to stop fermentation, or else the bottles would explode.

With apfelwein (or any carbonated fermented beverage like beer, mead, etc), you are introducing ONLY enough additional fermentables to carbonate. You have a controlled mini-fermentation so that you can carbonate your batch. You can leave them at room temperature indefinitely- as long as fermentation was indeed finished when you bottled. If someone bottles too early though (before fermentation is finished), they have a risk of bottle bombs.

So, if you wait until fermentation is finished, and then bottle, you can leave them at room temperature about 3 weeks to carbonate, and then store them at whatever temperature you prefer. I like cellar temperature.

Does anyone see a problem with using 1cup corn sugar for five gallons (to try and get a sparkling wein) and then bottle half in champagne bottles and the other half in beer bottles?