Crab-apple Cider by a new guy

Campden tablets are potassium metabisulphite, just in tablet form. So you can just measure out the equivalent of 1 tablet per galon, which I will leave to yooper to inform you of since I use the tablets.

Your LHBS is correct.

Potassium Metabisulfite is the exact same thing as Campden tablets, only in powdered form, and much cheaper.

Use both, the metasulfite and the sorbate, for stabilization.

Do a search on this subject, it has been repeated many times in these forums.

Pogo

Pogo said:

Your LHBS is correct.

Potassium Metabisulfite is the exact same thing as Campden tablets, only in powdered form, and much cheaper.

Use both, the metasulfite and the sorbate, for stabilization.

Do a search on this subject, it has been repeated many times in these forums.

Pogo

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If you're planning to carbonate your cider, though, you don't want to use sorbate. Sorbate inhibits yeast reproduction, so if you use that, you can't bottle carbonate.

I forget the dosage of the potassium metabisulfite (your powder) but you should either be able to find it on the package directions, or online. It's a very small amount, I do remember that! It's like 1/8 tsp per 5 gallons or something. Again, check the dosage though- my memory really sucks. I often have to look stuff like that up.

If you find you have a ton of k-meta (and you will if it's a decent sized package!), you can even use it for a no-rinse sanitizer for cider and wine equipment. It's a stronger dosage than as a stabilizer/anti oxident in your cider, but it's probably one of the cheapest sanitizers our there.

Thanks Yoop! The HBS that I went to wasn't the one that I usually go to so I was kinda skeptical of the guy- glad I asked the question. Esp. since I do want to bottle carb a portion of this batch!

You generally use both sorbate and k-meta to stabilize a cider. This will prevent more fermentation, so it is generally done to allow for back sweetening. So if you are looking for sweet and still, but don't want to add enough sugar to overpower the yeast's alcohol tolerance, that's the way to go.

I have my first cider in my primary right now. I dont usually use a secondary, but i do keg. i want to bottle some of it to give away, but i want to use large bottles i have and i dont want too much sediment in the bottoms. would it be ok to force carbinate in a keg, and then siphon off the top to some the large bottles? i dont want it to oxidize so i wouldnt use the tap but i would think racking from the keg to other containers would work to leave the sediment in the keg instead of priming in bottles
thoughts?

Tusch said:

You generally use both sorbate and k-meta to stabilize a cider. This will prevent more fermentation, so it is generally done to allow for back sweetening. So if you are looking for sweet and still, but don't want to add enough sugar to overpower the yeast's alcohol tolerance, that's the way to go.

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Thanks Tusch- is if I use both, will this way knock out the slight carbination that I already have in the cider?

Cheers!

If you have slight carbonation, that is just dissolved co2, basically carbonated. But as it is in a fermenter still, you can get rid of it. More then likely don't worry about it, but if Yooper recommends degassing then trust in her, I always do haha. Are you talking about racking for the last time, as in is the cider completely fermented already? If it is done, go ahead and rack onto both.

Tusch said:

If you have slight carbonation, that is just dissolved co2, basically carbonated. But as it is in a fermenter still, you can get rid of it. More then likely don't worry about it, but if Yooper recommends degassing then trust in her, I always do haha. Are you talking about racking for the last time, as in is the cider completely fermented already? If it is done, go ahead and rack onto both.

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Great - that's what I'll do then- and you''re right- this is racking for the last time- seems odd to me to rack for a third time- but I need the carboy for the new brew and I don't want to bottle just yet.

It's lie I said earlier- if it wasn't for all of you guys on this board, I wouldn't be anywhere near as confident as I am now in undertaking everything that I have right now- everybody is great with the advice and the different "schools of thought" I think it's a great that so many are willing to contribute and share opinions and experiances with new guys like me and so many others!

How did people use to do this before the internet? I'm just glad that I can tap into the exeperinced people and make better beer, cider and soda than what I can buy!! The internet rocks!!!:rockin:

That might be a bit much, but ya'll get teh jist!

Here's an update on my first cider - I still have it sitting in the secondary and I have been tyring to find time to deal with it while also trying to decide what I want the final product to be. I have lactose, potassium sorbate, a can of 12 oz apple juice concentrate and campden tablets in a powder form. So I have a few options.

After tasting the product as it is now I decided that I'm going to add the concentrate and lactose to make a sweeter sparkling cider. I did all the math to figure what I needed for my ~ 3 gallon batch in both concentrate and lactose (9 oz and 4 tablespoons respectivley). I plan on botteling this weekend and thus haven't added the lactose or concentrate.

But the taste right now is pretty good, a little hard to describe but it certainly grows on a person. The first sip does seem to be a bit "sour" or maybe better described a little tart at first but then the taste turns to apple and then a dry semi-sweet finish with cinnimon apple left on the pallet. The cranberry may have contributed to the tartness but I doubt that- it seems to have contributed to more of the color than the taste.

I am thinking that I should add a little clove to the secondary since I am using the apple concentrate and lactose.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!