Aging carbed cider, will my bottles blow?

[stanzela]

Hi all,

A little over a month ago I brewed up a mini batch of cider, using a grocery-store (but nice quality), fresh-pressed cider. I made 2 gallons, and to this I added 4 cups of brown sugar (boiled some with a small bit of cider to clean it up). I pitched lavlin's EC-1118 champagne, and waited it out.

A couple of days ago I decided I wanted my mini carboys back, so I decided it was time to bottle. Typically, I like a carbed cider, so I decided to prime the mixture in a bottling bucket, with the right amount of corn sugar to give me about 2.6 volumes of CO2.

I'm sure that fermentation was done, as clarity/airlock activity and grav readings all pointed to yes.

A few of the bottles are bigger swing-top bottles (750ml -1.14l), one is a standard 500ml swing-top, and I had to put the remainder in 500ml, pop-tops, that I capped with my capper.

I am just wondering about the viability of these vessels in the long run. I'd like to save at least a bit of this stuff to age over the coming year, but I am worried about the bottles standing up to the pressure for that long. I am assuming that there should only be as much CO2 as the priming sugar will allow, but a year is a long time.

Should I be cautious with these? Especially the capped ones? Any need to be concerned? I suppose this will actually be more of a sparkling apple wine, as it's about 12%abv.

Thanks!

 

[ajbram]

I would recommend bottle pasteurizing these unless you are very sure that the amount of sugar was just right and the fermentation was FINISHED!

 

[stanzela]

Hey, Cornwall! I know that neck of the woods.

In any case, it seems like pasteurizing is a pretty safe bet, although I kind of worry about the same thing (bottle explosion) happening if I submerge those bottles in 160 water for too long.

Anyway, thanks for the input, ajbram!

 

[smh]

You're probably right to be leery. I'm sure you have, but read through the sticky on pasteurization by CvilleKevin. There are tips on knowing when there's enough carbonation.

Pop a bottle, and if it gushes out on you then you don't want to heat it and you're running the risk of bombs. You want to pasteurize before it gets to this point.

I'm not sure how well each bottle type will keep in the carbonation. Assuming they're properly sealed, it shouldn't go too far in a year.

 

[stanzela]

Another Ontarian, how intriguing! In any case, yes, I've read the sticky and it was certainly helpful. I wanted to avoid cracking a bottle to 'test' as I only have 2 gallons worth, but if I have to sacrifice one to save the rest, then I suppose it will have been worth it. I guess I can always drink that sacrificial bottle as well....

Thanks, smh.

 

[ajbram]

I like that this is an all Ontarian thread so far.... Yes definitely drink the test bottle! I followed the instructions in the sticky for a 2 gallon batch recently. IT did sting a bit to sacrifice a plastic coke bottle worth, but it was already pretty tasty. The plastic coke bottle method does work well though, and I would suggest getting bottle of pop that you like the carbonation level of, and then filling that same bottle and feeling it until it gets back the the same firmness. If you pasteurize at the right time, you won't get bombs.

 

[stanzela]

. The plastic coke bottle method does work well though, and I would suggest getting bottle of pop that you like the carbonation level of, and then filling that same bottle and feeling it until it gets back the the same firmness.

That's another good idea, although I was planning on aging this so would really prefer glass. I like the pop-bottle idea though, and I've seen people fill, leave some space and squeeze all of the air out until the liquid is to the brim, seal it, and then you'll get a bit more carbonation, as there is space for the gas to fill as the bottle expands, and then more as it firms up.

 

[ajbram]

i wouldn't age in plastic either. I just fill one coke bottle so that I can gauge the carbonation without having to open bottles to check it. As far as squeezing airspace out, you just create a vacuum and the carbonation has somewhere to go other than into your cider. If you fil normally, the pressure builds faster since all the bottle volume is taken up by something...then they carb up quicker.

 

[stanzela]

Right, okay, that makes sense to me. I was actually thinking about that this aft. after making my comment. I was unsure if I was actually correct in stating "you'll get a bit more carbonation". In any case, again, thanks for all of the great advice.

 

[Yooper]

If fermentation was finished before you bottled (stable FG reading at .990-.996) and you only primed to 2.6 volumes, there is no possible way to have bottle bombs; unless there is an infection or something else "weird". I've never had a bottle bomb, and I've made over 2000 gallons of beer/cider/mead/wine. If fermentation was done (not stuck), then there will be no problem.