Half-carbed Cider Conundrum

[Sarah315]

Hello Friends,
My first post, but long time lurker (learner) I have made my first cider, My intention is to back sweeten and pasteurize. Well, I leave for a weeks vacation on Saturday and, as of today, my cider is very weak in the carbonation department.

Here are the details: OG= 1.060, yeast is Safcider. Ferment temp is 64F. Degassed at 1.000 FG and back sweetened+ priming sugar to 1.008 to semi-dry. April 10, bottled into carb safe, flip top bottles and resting in a 64F room. I’m on day 10 of carbonation and its lackluster. What do I do if it’s not bubbly enough on Friday, my last chance to pasteuriz? Can I put it in the fridge until we get back, then let it come back to 64 degrees and continue carbing??

HALP ME!!

 

[Chalkyt]

I guess from your numbers that you were looking to pasteurise around SG 1.004 which would give you about two volumes of CO2 carbonation (say, 1.008 down to pasteurise and finish at 1.004) leaving about SG 0.004 of unfermented sugar to have a touch of sweetness. This would be a bit like 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in a glass of dry cider.

So, how bubbly do you want it? Take a hydrometer reading to see where it is at present, extrapolate that to Friday and see where it might be by then. I prefer my cider with just a touch of carbonation, so 1.5 to 2 volumes suits my tastes. Very roughly, fermenting SG 0.001 will give you 0.5 volume.

Leaving it in the fridge will slow the fermentation but not stop it so you might get back to find you have 4 volumes of CO2 (about 60psi) which shouldn't cause bottle bombs but is close to where flip tops start to leak (limiting the carbonation but maybe getting a bit of fizzy spillage).

If this is your first time it probably doesn't matter if you pasteurise before you go or wait until you come back and learn something (good or bad) about what carbonation and sweetness you get. I would expect reasonable carbonation after about two weeks so maybe move the bottles to a slightly warmer room temperature (70-75F) for a few days to see if that speeds things up a bit in time to pasteurise on Friday. Alternatively of course, throw them in the fridge now and hope for the best. In any case you will get some sort of result.

Good luck!

 

[Sarah315]

Yes, I did plan for 2 volumes of CO2 and just a light touch of sweet to taste apple-y. I’ll try warming the room to say, 74 and see if that helps. That’s a great idea!