Final Steps for Kegging Cider

Hi, my first cider is fermenting nicely right now (5 gal batch) and I’m planning to let it ferment to dry then keg it. I want to make sure I use a good kegging process and hoping for feedback on the below. Thanks for any help!

After it’s fermented dry I plan to:
- Cold crash for 24 hours
- Fine with gelatin (may not do this as it’s crystal clear at the moment)
- Allow cider to rise to room temp (I have read here that campden and sorbate work better at warmer temps)
- Add campden & sorbate to keg then rack to keg (adding sorbate because I may want to back-sweeten after tasting)
- Purge keg with C02
- Keep keg room temp for 48 hours to allow campden and sorbate to do their thing (does 48 hours make sense?)
- Move keg to kegerator for chilling, carbing and consumption!

Thanks for your input,

Ted - Denver

Just saw the other active kegging thread after posting this one. Oh well, still looking for input on this proposed kegging process.

Thanks,

Ted

You can use sorbate and campden cold, but I don't see the need to cold crash a clear(ish) cider.

I'd just rack to the keg, without cold crashing, and not do the cold/warm/cold thing.

Are you sweetening the cider? If not, skip the sorbate.

Just rack to the keg, add campden and sorbate if using, (dissolved in a little of the cider), sweeten as desired, purge, and stick in the kegerator. That's about it.

I add the chemicals before cold crashing, I've stopped dining with gelatin, and I carb to sparkling.