Quick Sweet 'n' Still Cider Question

[Lucky137]

Howdy,

I have 2 gallons of cider fermenting away at the moment, a la EdWort's recipe that we love so much. In the past, I've let it dry all the way out, then bottle condition with dextrose (about 4 oz for 5 gallons). Now, I have a SWMBO who absolutely loves cider, but doesn't enjoy the dryness that this cider presents.

I know, first reaction is to get a new SWMBO. I'm hoping that there might be an easier, more amicable solution to this problem. Rather than bottle condition, I was hoping to try to "kill" (more deactivate, as my research suggests) the yeast, and then back sweeten.

I'm not here to ask how much to use or the best method of incorporating. Rather, I don't know squat about how to kill/deactivate the yeast! I have no experience with sweet mead or wine at all, so I'm at a bit of loss. I know there's some potassium meta-something involved, but that's really about it.

I'm hoping that someone might be able to tell me exactly what to buy and how to use it in this context. Also, answer some obvious questions, like: When do I add it? How do I add it (stirring, sprinkling, etc.)? Do I have to wait a certain amount of time before back-sweetening after adding it? And so on.

Thanks in advance.

 

[saramc]

Lucky,
The only way to kill the yeast is thru pasteurization or alcohol toxicity. The most common method to stabilize a batch and sweeten it up is:
Allow batch to ferment to its ultimate low SG. Since most ciders bulk age for at least 4 months you should be bone dry by then. You will serially rack the cider until it is degassed, clear and sediment free. You are looking for no sediment dropping in this clear batch for a period of sixty days, this is the indicator that 90% or so of the yeast cells have been removed. Typically takes 4-6 months, give or take. After that last racking and you determine no addl lees for at least 60 days you take a SG reading & then add potassium metabisulphite, label will say either 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons or per 6 gallons, different formulations exist. You dissolve this in a minute amount of cider or water. Add to wine. Then add 1/2 tsp potassium sorbate per gallon dissolved in minute amount of water, not wine, sometimes it will not dissolve completely in alcohol. Where sorbate goes so does k-meta, they work together. I then stir to incorporate, airlock and wait 72 hours. You can then proceed to backsweeten but take SG reading before you do so, it should be the same as the last one. And of course take a new SG after you sweeten and then resecure airlock, wait 10-14 days, monitor for signs of renewed fermentation, use hydrometer to check. Bottle only if the SG is the same, if it has decreased you need to wait this out. If SG is unchanged and if you see that sediment has dropped in that 10-14 days you will want to rack before bottling. It is quite common to have another fine layer of lees develop after backsweetening. If ferment kicked back up your sorbate may have been old, your must was not finished fermenting before you stabilized, you had not allowed wine to clear enough/rack enough, or you added the wrong dose of k-meta plus sorbate...could be a combo of these things. It is very important to always adjust your SG based on temp and hydrometer calibration, this can mean a difference in a must being at its true FG or still fermenting.

 

[Lucky137]

Lucky,
The only way to kill the yeast is thru pasteurization or alcohol toxicity. The most common method to stabilize a batch and sweeten it up is:
Allow batch to ferment to its ultimate low SG. Since most ciders bulk age for at least 4 months you should be bone dry by then. You will serially rack the cider until it is degassed, clear and sediment free. You are looking for no sediment dropping in this clear batch for a period of sixty days, this is the indicator that 90% or so of the yeast cells have been removed. Typically takes 4-6 months, give or take. After that last racking and you determine no addl lees for at least 60 days you take a SG reading & then add potassium metabisulphite, label will say either 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons or per 6 gallons, different formulations exist. You dissolve this in a minute amount of cider or water. Add to wine. Then add 1/2 tsp potassium sorbate per gallon dissolved in minute amount of water, not wine, sometimes it will not dissolve completely in alcohol. Where sorbate goes so does k-meta, they work together. I then stir to incorporate, airlock and wait 72 hours. You can then proceed to backsweeten but take SG reading before you do so, it should be the same as the last one. And of course take a new SG after you sweeten and then resecure airlock, wait 10-14 days, monitor for signs of renewed fermentation, use hydrometer to check. Bottle only if the SG is the same, if it has decreased you need to wait this out. If SG is unchanged and if you see that sediment has dropped in that 10-14 days you will want to rack before bottling. It is quite common to have another fine layer of lees develop after backsweetening. If ferment kicked back up your sorbate may have been old, your must was not finished fermenting before you stabilized, you had not allowed wine to clear enough/rack enough, or you added the wrong dose of k-meta plus sorbate...could be a combo of these things. It is very important to always adjust your SG based on temp and hydrometer calibration, this can mean a difference in a must being at its true FG or still fermenting.

Wow! Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for.

So I've been bulk aging my ciders for about a month in the past, with good results. I've been using Lalvin EC-1118 mostly, which flocculates beautifully and leaves me with a very consistent, crystal clear product. Is the 4+ month aging absolutely necessary given this? I understand trying to get 90% of the yeast out but for throwing in the additives, but does this always take 4-6 months, plus 2 months to make sure? Or can those things be added earlier on? In other words, will the potassium additives and the k-meta simply not work if more than 10% of the yeast is still in solution?

I only ask because I was hoping to have this drinkable around Thanksgiving or so. If I'm already that late to the party, then so be it, but it doesn't hurt to ask!

Again, thank you for your detailed response!

 

[boob_brewing]

Also Lucky137, you mentioned "QUICK" in your title. I have been using FERMAID K in my past couple cider batches and it is insane. On batch literally bubbled out of the carboy simply with the addition. This product is a yeast nutrient but seems to be like yeast steroids. They recommend you add @ 1/3 residual sugar but I add ~ 1/2. This will help me get a 1.098 down to ~1 in 10 days instead of 15-20. Saves you almost a week!

Have fun!
-AH

An apple a day keeps the doc away, 15 ciders a day makes a ugly woman look OK!