Never done this before.

[crash568]

So after looking around a lot and trying to gather info on making hard cider I did this. 1 gal of pasteurized cider from a local orchard with a gravity of around 1.45 I put in a 1 gal fermenter with a packet of us-05 ale yeast. Now it's just fermenting away, is this going to work or am I making vinegar?

 

[Mozart]

You're making a cider. Congratulations!

 

[crash568]

Great thanks! So I messed up the og was about 1.045 not 1.45 and my next question is after two weeks fermenting can I bottle carb like I do all my home brew and if so how do I approach priming sugar amounts?

 

[hallerobin]

Keep an eye on the bubbles in the airlock--it might take significantly less than 2 weeks. (I was shocked when the bubbles in my first batch stopped after only 4 or 5 days.) Of course, not a big deal to have it sitting in the carboy after it's done, but you don't want to leave it sitting on the lees *too* long.

What kind of priming sugar are you planning to use?

 

[Mozart]

1.045 sounds right. 1.45 is way too heavy for any fermented beverage I've ever heard of.

Yes, you can bottle carbonate this using the exact same methods with which you bottle carbonate your beer. As far as how to approach the amount of priming sugar, I'd think it a personal preference, as some people like more carbonation than others. You might try using the same amount of sugar you use for most of your beer, and then adjust up or down by small increments to suit your particular taste.

I agree with the previous poster that cider can ferment pretty quickly. The sugars are simpler than many of the sugars that exist in our beers enabling the yeast to make quicker work of them. Two weeks should be sufficient, in either case, and I don't see how leaving the cider on the lees for that period of time could cause any issues.

Of course the best practice is to take gravity readings with a hydrometer and when they remained unchanged after three days, you're good to go.

 

[crash568]

I'm just nervous about bottle bombs lol everyone seems to say bottle carbing can be dangerous but I figure is I prime and condition for 4-5 days then refrigerate I should be fine right?

 

[Mozart]

I'm just nervous about bottle bombs lol everyone seems to say bottle carbing can be dangerous but I figure is I prime and condition for 4-5 days then refrigerate I should be fine right?

I have a very healthy respect for bottle bombs myself, but I bottle carbonate regularly and have yet to have a glass grenade on my hands.

In fact, I think bottle carbonating is perfectly safe, you just have to keep your eye on a few important things.

Rule #1: Be certain primary fermentation is done! Best practice: use a hydrometer and measure specific gravity. When it's unchanged for three days, you're ready to bottle.

Rule #2: Refer to rule #1!!!! Seriously, rushing bottling before primary fermentation is complete is likely the cause of most bottle bombs. Get this part right, and you should be fine.

Rule #3: Measure your priming sugar accurately. A weight measurements via a scale are far more accurate than volume measurements.

Rule #4: Mix your priming sugar evenly. There are several methods people use, and you want to be a little careful not to oxygenate your beer (or cider) at this point in the process. If you don't mix quite well enough, it's probably not a major issue, and will most likely lead to some bottles being overcarbonated and some undercarbonated as opposed to glass grenades.

Again, if you ensure primary fermentation is complete, bottle carbonating should be perfectly safe.

Cheers!

 

[rocketsan]

So what's the best way to mix in priming sugar without oxygenating cider? Gentle steady stirring with a paddle?

 

[Mozart]

So what's the best way to mix in priming sugar without oxygenating cider? Gentle steady stirring with a paddle?

That is one method people use, yes.

If I'm bottling a larger batch, when I transfer to my bottling bucket I will coil the transfer hose in the bottom of the bottling bucket. Then, when transferring the beer, the liquid swirls in the bottling bucket and helps to mix the sugar solution gently.

Some people will also use this method putting half of their sugar solution in first, start the transfer, and when about half of the batch is transferred, add the other half of the sugar solution.

There are lots of methods, but gently stirring with a paddle (one that reaches the bottom of the bottling bucket) is a perfectly viable method.

 

[hallerobin]

I'm just nervous about bottle bombs lol everyone seems to say bottle carbing can be dangerous but I figure is I prime and condition for 4-5 days then refrigerate I should be fine right?

Yes, but with the caveat that if you take them out of the fridge, fermentation can restart. Personally, I pasteurize when I'm satisfied with the level of carbonation, just to be on the safe side.

 

[oljimmy]

Quick note: I don't know if it's too late, but I've found that primary fermentation temperature can really affect the taste. Try to stay in the 60-68F range and you don't risk generating nasty fusel alcohol tastes. Keep it cool!

Second: depending on the variety of apples used in the juice, you may get a lot of sulfur and acid tastes/smells at the end of primary. With cider, they key is to put it in secondary fermentation for at least 4 weeks until those aromas and tastes mellow. Cheers, and good luck!

 

[crash568]

Ok so first off thanks all that replied it helps a lot. So as of right now I'll be at one week fermenting on Saturday and the batch is still bubbling away now, so a week from Saturday I plan to add my priming sugar and bottl. Since I only have one gallon of cider I plan on only having 4-5 bottles when I'm done. At this point I think I'll let it carb for 4 days check one and go from there after that I'll refrigerate the remaining bottles till I drink them and should be fine correct? I do not want to pasteurize these as I'm scared of the process and the yeast will remain inactive when in the fridge so I should have to worry about bottle bombs one they get cold

 

[Mozart]

In two weeks, fermentation should be complete, but again, the best practice is to take hydrometer readings three days apart and if they're stable, it's safe to bottle.

With a gallon of cider, you might want to have more than 4-5 bottles on hand. A gallon is about ten 12 oz. bottles. You may lose a little to the lees, but you might add just a little volume with your priming sugar solution.

Generally, most people carbonate for more than four days. This isn't a high gravity cider, so it should carbonate rather quickly, but were it my cider, I'd probably give it at least a week at room temperature. If you chill it too early, you may impede the carbonation process leaving the cider undercarbonated.

If you wait until primary fermentation is complete and then measure your priming sugar accurately, there is no need to pasteurize at all. People pasteurize in order to stop fermentation before it has finished. This is often done to halt the fermentation before the yeast have consumed all of the fermentable sugar as the brewer wants to leave some residual sweetness behind. If you let your cider completely ferment, making a dry cider, there's nothing left for the yeast to consume and therefore no need to halt the fermentation process.

I understand the healthy respect for bottle bombs, as I share it, but so long as you're sure primary fermentation is complete and use the correct amount of priming sugar and mix it in relatively well, you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[crash568]

Awesome thanks for the help! And as far as bottling I'm prob going to have 4-5 bottles only because I'll be using 22oz bottles not 12