priming sugar

[AwesomeBill]

I did an experimental batch of cider, using fresh apple juice (no preservatives, etc). I let it ferment for 5 or 6 days and then racked it to a secondary about a week ago. I want to bottle it next week, should i use priming sugar for carbonation? I've heard its not necessary, but I'm not positive. Thanks in advance.

 

[kvess]

What is your gravity reading. If it is low like 1.012 then yes. If its still high then you probably have enough sugar to get you the desired results.

 

[Golddiggie]

You WAIT until the batch has finished fermenting BEFORE you bottle/keg it up. Otherwise, if you bottle, you'll run a very real risk of 'bottle bombs'... These are bottles that either pop their tops, or literally shatter like bombs would. NOT a good thing no matter who you are. Use one of the priming calculation sites to figure out how much priming sugar to use (by weight) and prime it in the bottling bucket as you should.

IF you're kegging the batch, then wait until it's finished and ready for drinking (other than not carbonated). Then transfer to serving keg and carbonate at serving temperature, at the pressure to reach the carbonation level you desire (there's a chart available)...

Don't be fooled, you need some kind of sugar for the yeast to eat IF you're bottle carbonating, or not using a forced carbonation method. You can use a variety of different sugars from corn sugar to cane sugar to honey or DME... How much you use depends on not only the type of sugar, but the desired CO2 volumes level and temperature of the finished beer.

 

[Run3minman]

I've heard that you can just add a can of concentrated apple juice and it works just as well as priming sugar is this true?

 

[fbangie]

Apple concentrate will work very nicely. Any fermentable sugar will work.

My first batch I had a OG of 1.062 and a FG of 1.008 when I bottled. I back sweetened with apple concentrate and carmel syrup made from brown sugar. I bottled (in beer bottles) and let it sit for 7 days. I Popped the cap off one bottle to check carbonation. It was good for me so I stove top pasteurized the remaining bottles (see the pasteurizing sticky). Back sweetening served a dual purpose in my process. Added flavor and aided in carbing.

 

[divi2323]

I've heard that you can just add a can of concentrated apple juice and it works just as well as priming sugar is this true?

This is how I prime my batches. It gives it some appley flavour in the process . If you count the grams of sugar on the label, it should be something like 24-30g per serving. One serving being about an ounce, the cans are usually 6 servings. So somewhere in the neighborhoods of 5-6 oz sugar. That just happens to be about 3/4 cup, or what most people prime with.

Long story short , yes, It's an excellent way to prime .

 

[AwesomeBill]

I only made 2 gallons of cider. How much concentrated apple juice should I use, and do I need to add anything else?

 

[cyberlord]

I only made 2 gallons of cider. How much concentrated apple juice should I use, and do I need to add anything else?

2/5 of the concentrate can or about 2oz priming sugar.

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html

 

[AwesomeBill]

Yeah I got that part down, thanks to you lol. Ok I'll give a go then.

 

[candlejack]

nice, im gonna do the can method as well tonight.