Regarding carbonation

[seanyfaetheshire]

Ive recently started brewing cider cos i hate beer and ive got right into it. my first batch was from a kit and had a bit too much sediment when i bottled it so when you crack a bottle the bubbles drag up all the sediment and then it goes flat. To sort this i bought a pressure barrel and a pear cider kit which i barrelled a few days ago. whilst checking my final gravity i had a taste i noticed its quite tart and i would prefer it to be sweeter. ive decided to try another batch using apple juice and not a kit to see if it helps with the taste with the thought that the kits are meant to taste like that cos not everyone wants sweet cider. so im fermenting 23L and have two 25L barrels.
So heres the question, do i use a stabilizer after initial fermentation and then add some more sugar to taste and then get a co2 injection lid to carbonate it?
if so how many capsules do i use? ive also heard that i could use splenda to sweeten as it doesnt ferment? i also wanted to try making strawberry cider, what can i use to flavour it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Randzor]

1. I don't really follow your first question, but I think your not used to a dry cider... All home cider will be dry unless you stop fermentation and back sweeten/pasteurize. for your second, if you use capsules, are those just premeasured sugar? if so look at northern brewers carbonation guide. Its usually easier and safer to add it to the whole batch.

 

[seanyfaetheshire]

yeah i dont really like dry cider which is what im trying to avoid i prefer sweeter types like rekorderlig or kopparberg. what i meant was to kill off the yeast like is done with wine (or that was my understanding anyway) and sweeten with sugar.the capsules that im refering to are co2 capsules. but then like i said before there may also be the option of splenda, but i dont know how well it would work

 

[Jkalotai]

Splenda works fine and measures like sugar. Just make sure before hand to make sure you're not sensitive to it. I can trigger migraines and other untoward reactions in individuals who are sensitive to it.

I have used Splenda but found I like my cider on the drier side. I carbonate in bottle with sugar and that gives me fine bubbles, light carbonation with slight sweet taste. I'm using EC1118 yeast.


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[richl025]

Splenda works fine and measures like sugar....

I have used Splenda but found I like my cider on the drier side. I carbonate in bottle with sugar and that gives me fine bubbles, light carbonation with slight sweet taste....

Splenda is not metabolized by the yeast, correct?

Also, how much priming sugar do you use? What volume of CO2 are you shooting for?

 

[Agnt92]

You may want to try an ale yeast instead of the 1118. I use safale s04 or Nottingham. Doesn't dry the cider as much as the 1118 and leaves behind more apple taste.

 

[Jkalotai]

Splenda is not metabolized by the yeast, correct?



Also, how much priming sugar do you use? What volume of CO2 are you shooting for?

If I remember correctly, Splenda is sucralose and yeast don't eat if. I use 5gm of carbohydrate per 12oz (355ml). Not sure how to quantify the carbonation amount.


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