Priming Cider, Muntons carb tabs?

[Ottis]

I'm new to Ciders and am working on my first batches now, so please forgive me if I ask some dumb questions.

I picked up some Muntons Carb Tabs today to carb a 1gal batch of Johnny Jump Up hard cider I was experimenting with.

I didn't notice till I left the store that these Carb Tabs used Malt Extract and Heading Powder (?) as well as dextrose. (I was in a hurry to go watch Shrek 4 and grabbed them on a whim)

Will the Malt Extract change the flavor of the cider any?

And what is "Heading Powder (PGA)"?

I have an extra 5oz bag of priming sugar, if I use that, how much would I use per 12oz bottle?

Thanks in advance!

 

[oldmate]

Apparantly Heading Powder just helps with the head formation and retention.

http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item497.htm

I'm also new to the world of ciders, and I'm a bit scared of carbonating, so I'll be checking back on this thread!

 

[HBCF-Kevin]

I have used these in ciders in the past. They did carbonate some, seemed to take longer to carbonate and did not carbonate to the level that I would have liked. I have found that adding 3/4 teaspoon of dextrose or brown sugar to each bottle at bottling time works best.

 

[quickly]

I bottled 4gallons of fresh press cider in nov of 2009 after a week in a primary and 4 weeks in a secondary. I pitched the wyeast smack pack 4766. I used the carb tabs as directed by the package. I think its 2 tabs per 22oz. I opened one 2 weeks after I bottled with little to no carbonation. I remember because it was thanksgiving weekend. It tasted awful I don't think it had anything to do with the carb tabs just an observation.

Around mid January 2010 I opened another and it was sparkling. I'm not sure how long it took but it took a while for the carbonation. Tasted better but not great.

This week I opened another and it was fully carbonated and tasted pretty damn good. I can't wait till this fall I will be bringing it everywhere.

I think it took a while because most of the yeast had fallen out when I bottle. But to answer your question the carb tabs worked for me... just took a little longer then an ale.

 

[Ottis]

I think the instructions on the bag said; 3 tabs for low carbonation, 4 for normal and 5 for high. I don't have access to the bag right now but I think that's how it went...

As it turns out the 1gal recipe (cider) I was experimenting with turned into an apple wine(?), the yeast died so there wont be any carbing... But on the bright side, at less then two weeks from mixing day it's purdy durn tasty and has a good kick! So I'm just going to bottle it as-is and put it under the kitchen sink for a month or so and see what happens.

 

[RudraPalmer]

Hard cider can be viewed as an apple wine. I have never heard of all of the yeast in a brew dying inadvertently.You would have to use something chemically to stop the yeast. Yeast goes dormant when either the sugars have all been consumed (add more to carb) or the alcohol is too high (attenuation). It is still there though.. Waiting...... Muahahahaaaaa!