Back sweetening and bottle conditioning/carbing Cider

I have a batch of cider that I would like to back sweeten before bottling, but would also like to carb in the bottle. My thought is to sweeten to taste and then add priming sugar on top of the sweetening sugar. Then bottling into glass bottles and at least 1 PET bottle. When the PET gets good and hard, pasturize all the glass bottles by submerging, and holding them in 170* water.

Has anyone done anything like this? I don't want bottle bombs, and I am worried about the bottles being able to withstand the pressure while also being heated. Any thoughts?

Kirkwooder said:

I have a batch of cider that I would like to back sweeten before bottling, but would also like to carb in the bottle. My thought is to sweeten to taste and then add priming sugar on top of the sweetening sugar. Then bottling into glass bottles and at least 1 PET bottle. When the PET gets good and hard, pasturize all the glass bottles by submerging, and holding them in 170* water.

Has anyone done anything like this? I don't want bottle bombs, and I am worried about the bottles being able to withstand the pressure while also being heated. Any thoughts?

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I have done this a few times for a hard lemonade I make--back sweeten, bottle carb, and pasteurize. The bottles hold up fine with some precautions.

I always pre-heat my bottles before putting them in the high temp water. My water heater is set high, so I get 135 degree water out of my tap. I fill a tub with hot tap water and let the bottles warm up in that first. I got this idea from someone in the wine making forum...I don't know their name or I would give them the credit. There's some good info on bottle pasteurization in the wine making forum.

I've only had bottle bombs once, and it was my mistake. I bottled too early when the yeast was still active. In less than 24 hours my bottles were over carbonated and 2 of them exploded while pasteurizing. Other than that I've never had a bottle bomb.

Also, your back sweetening should act as your priming sugar (as long as you are sweetening with a sugar the yeast will eat). No need to back sweeten and add priming sugar.