Trying to determine when to age/backsweeten a cider.

Hi guys,

I have a batch of cider in primary and have a few questions about when certain things should happen to make my cider turn out how I would like.

Recipe: 5 gallons apple juice (no preservatives), 2 lb corn sugar, 1 packet dry wine yeast, OG 1.062

Primary is currently a pinlock keg with an airlock running off of the gas quick disconnect (bubbling is occurring).

My plan is currently to rack off of the keg into a temporary better bottle, clean and sanatize the keg again and retransfer the cider back to the keg for secondary (because of equipment/space concerns). While I know I won't be able to check the clearing visually, I will just plan to rack off in the same process 2 times at 2 months apart and cold crash the last time.

In this plan, I want to end up with a carbonated sweet cider. I have a kegging set up so I will force carb the batch. When should I kill the yeast (with sorbates) and backsweeten? I ask because I am unsure if the cider will still age if the yeast is dead. The once I have achieved the sweetness I want I will keg, force carb, and bottle it using the DIY bottle filler on these forums (capping on foam and all that). Once in the bottle and resweetened will the cider still age? I would prefer to get the batch into bottles quickly and let them age that way, but am unsure if the aging is a product of yeast, or simply time for flavors to mellow.

Thanks for any help and let me know if I need to clarify anything.

I've done this a dozen times. Here is what I do:

1) Ferment 4 gallons of cider at what an OG of your choice. I use a better bottle. Ferment out all the way and allow some time to condition in the primary fermenter. I give it at least 3 to 4 weeks.
2) Purchase 1 gallon of unfermented juice/cider
3) Heat unfermented juice/cider to a boil to drive off oxygen to sanitize (this step might be optional; but I do it anyway). During this step you can add/steep any spices if you want to make it spiced.
4) Rack chilled unfermented juice/cider into a keg
5) Rack fermented cider into keg
6) Add potassium sorbate to prevent re fermentation. (otherwise it won't be 'sweet')
7) Force carbonate and allow some time for all of the flavors to blend together.

Hope this helps,

Mike