Gravitation Finality & Bottling

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Eschaton_YDAU

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Hi everyone!

I've been looking through the forums here on the topic of the final gravity of cider, and there seems to be a range of possibilities.

My cider has been in the fermenter for 2 weeks, and it is sitting at 1.000 for the last two days. Airlock activity was vigorous, and mostly stopped about a week ago. I brought it up to a warm-ish room a few days ago to keep the yeasties active.

OG was 1.049. Yeast was d-47 wine yeast.

It tastes dry, looks semi-clear, a little bit tart, but quite drinkable.

I'm in a bit of a rush (which is not ideal, I understand) and would like to get some cider into bottles for Christmas. And I'd like to do it at the same time as I get some amber ale into bottles (this week) for efficiency's sake.

I figure whatever is left after Christmas can age in the bottle, and I'll still have something for friends and family, even if it's not the best/most mature product in the world.

Are a few days of readings at 1.000 good enough for bottling?

In your experience, where have your ciders finished? Do you think there's a risk that it "wants" to drop to, say, .994 (which would be enough to achieve nearly full carbonation!)?

I don't want any bottle bombs, I don't mind a small bit of extra carbonation, but I do want it in bottles ASAP :)
 
I've only had F. G. go below 1.000 with wine or champagne yeasts. If it's warm and stable at 1.000 for a few days you should be o.k. You can also stove top pasteurize to render safe.
 
I've only had F. G. go below 1.000 with wine or champagne yeasts. If it's warm and stable at 1.000 for a few days you should be o.k. You can also stove top pasteurize to render safe.

Well, this is a wine yeast - Lalvin d-47 :)

Limbo question: how low did they go?

Edit: And unfortunately, I can't kill it with pasteurization or another method, because I need it to bottle condition.
 
From my reading here, ciders take a while, not only to ferment, but to drop clear as well. From my one experience making cider, I used Red Star champagne yeast and it got it down to 0.992 (from 1.060), but IDK how that will correlate to the yeast you used.

I'd say, wait one more week. If it's still at 1.000, and you aren't worried about some cloudiness, I'd think it was safe to bottle. If it drops any, wait another week, re-test, & go from there.
 
Last edited:
From my reading here, ciders take a while, not only to ferment, but to drop clear as well. From my one experience making cider, I used Red Star champagne yeast and it got it down to 0.992 (from 1.060), but IDK how that will correlate to the yeast you used.

Add say, wait one more week. If it's still at 1.000, and you aren't worried about some cloudiness, I'd think it was safe to bottle. If it drops any, wait another week, re-test, & go from there.

And one vote for reason/caution/patience! Thank you :)
 

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