Carbonation question

[brewman551]

If you are an experienced carbonated hard cider maker, I really could use some advice here. I have about 40 or so 12 ounce hard cider bottles that have been in the bottles for 5 weeks now - two in room temp, followed by 3 in the fridge. I have drunk 3 or 4 now in the last few days, and here are a few things that I've noticed:
1. Some bottles are relatively flat - if there is a psssst when you open them, it doesn't translate to bubbles in the glass once decanted.
2. Other bottles have a nice pop to them when opened, and the light carbonation carries over to the glass with nice bubbles that hang around until the last sip.
3. Some bottles, (the flat ones) taste like sweet water (I backsweetened with Splenda), while others have a hint of apple taste
4. All bottles, even the fizzy ones, have a slight rhino fart smell to them, even when decanted.

Can anyone offer insight or advice? When I put them in the fridge three weeks ago to cold crash, I thought they were done carbing. Three weeks after, I opened a few and they were all flat, so I really thought about opening up all of them, putting back in the fermenter with some FAJC and new yeast, waiting a few weeks, and re-bottling with more priming sugar, but tonight I got one that was carbed and decent tasting, except for the smell.

Could I bring them all back to room temp for a while, and would that insure that all of them would carb up and taste better, or would it really ruin the flavor? Or, will patience payoff- should I just leave them the heck alone for another month in the fridge, and will that improve flavor?

PLEASE help. Thanks!!

 

[icanbenchurcat]

The rhino fart smell means it needed more time in primary, maybe someone else can say whether more bottle aging will help but I thinks it's sulfur that needs to get out.

The inconsistent carbonation means the priming sugar was not mixed well.

How did you add the priming solution? I usually transfer to a bottling bucket, dissolve sugar in warm water, then mix in slowly.

I've never used Splenda to backsweeten, but only because I like my cider dry. I assume that the super sweet ones have more Splenda and the tart/sour ones have very little Splenda.

 

[icanbenchurcat]

Also, don't try to re carb - learn and do better next batch.

I let my ciders primary 1 month, bottle condition 3-4 weeks.

If you really don't like it... applejack?

 

[brewman551]

SWMBO doesn't like the smell, but I drank three last night and it didn't bother me. I told her she could drink them out of a Tervis Tumbler with a lid and straw. I don't guess the rhino smell will hurt me, right? I was alive today, as far as I can tell

 

[brewman551]

Also I put the priming sugar water (that had been boiled for five minutes) into the bottom of the bottling bucket and racked from the fermenter on top of it. It should have mixed it up well enough. As long as the sulphur doesn't kill me I'll live and learn.

 

[icanbenchurcat]

Also I put the priming sugar water (that had been boiled for five minutes) into the bottom of the bottling bucket and racked from the fermenter on top of it. It should have mixed it up well enough. As long as the sulphur doesn't kill me I'll live and learn.

Yeah the sulphur is totally safe.

I used to do what you said and have gotten inconsistent carbonation for 2-3 batches, now I add it at the end and stir slowly for a minute or two.

Now I'm getting the itch to do a cider after a long summer of beer brews.

 

[brewman551]

Do it! This cider, which was my first, was with fresh pressed apples done by hand and a pain in the butt. I may do another batch for her after Halloween using some good store bought juice.