When to pasturize a small batch.

Trader Joe's had Cinnamon Pear Cider on sale for $.99, So guess what I'm making some cider.

I added some brown sugar (didn't use white cause the brown will go good with the cinnamon) and got the gravity to .070.

I am going to use some fleischmann's rapid rise yeast. (cause this is a spur of the moment thing and there is a post out there where the guy say's it's his second best to use.


This will be fermenting in a half gallon growler. I want to keep this some what sweet so when I get down to around 25% of O.G. I will bottle in some 22oz bottles.

Since this is such a small batch I can't taste the bottles as they carb.


So how long should I wait until I give them a heat bath in the dish washer?

I've been doing a lot of gallon/half-gallon experiments lately and regretting not doing larger batches, but I'd say, as much as you can, don't bottle til it tastes good, and I don't think much research has been done on fermentations with Fleischmans, but from what I'm seeing, it won't typically ferment above 14%, so use that as a factor in figuring residual fermentable sugars.

My past english teachers hate me for that last sentence, but for the most part, I'd suggest letting fermentation run to it's full extent, then back-sweeten with lactose and a predictable amount of priming sugar (if you think the yeast is still viable). If you don't know where this mead will finish, it's best to let it run it's full extent before bottling or risk exploding the whole batch in your girlfriend's closet (and believe me, she'll never forgive you for that).