Any Flaws in my Plan?

[criggs85]

Hey All,

I'm still pretty new to this and am currently in secondary and wanted to see if what I plan on doing is flawed at all. I have had it in secondary for only a week but in about another week testing it and if it is clear and tastes good go to bottle it. It was on the dry side when I transferred it to secondary so I was going to back sweeten slightly to taste, bottle it, let it carbonate for a little bit and then heat pasteurize to kill the yeast. Am I missing anything here? Also what type of juice can I backsweeten with? I am guessing anything without preservatives in it?

Thanks!

 

[D.B.Moody]

You are setting yourself for possible bottle bombs. I think it would be better to bottle this without messing with it. See how you like it, and then brew the next batch based on that.

 

[ManSkills]

After blowing up a few bottles during pasteurization, I don't do it anymore. The mess is just too much to risk and imho not worth it. I'm also not patient enough to do it. I just developed a taste for dry cider. Good luck to you.

 

[D.B.Moody]

After blowing up a few bottles during pasteurization, I don't do it anymore. The mess is just too much to risk and imho not worth it. I'm also not patient enough to do it. I just developed a taste for dry cider. Good luck to you.

I loved your answer.
Some years ago my wife and I were on the west coast in a restaurant owned by Clint Eastwood. All the entrees came with peas. I asked the waitress why, and she said, "Because Mr Eastwood wants you to eat them." And now here you are taking his more famous advise: "A man's got to know his limitations"

 

[criggs85]

I have definitely read a lot of stories regarding bottle bombs and it doesn't sound fun. I can see not backsweetening and good point to try it as is this batch but if I am wanting a slight carbonation and I stuck either pasteurizing or kegging? I have heard about cold crashing once carbed and it's tempting for the ones I'm keeping and drinking myself but if cold crashing them giving a bottle to a friend is there a chance they will get a bottle bomb if they leave it out and it warms?

 

[D.B.Moody]

Take a look a a recent thread "Bottle Conditioning Curve." It's under Bottling and Kegging if it has dropped down too far on the latest posts list. These guys are into what you're thinking about.

Also, I think you're misunderstanding the "cold crash" term. I don't do it, but some do it before bottling or kegging to clarify. This is before bottles carbonate.

Another thread just popped up: "Truvia" on General Home-brew Discussion info on latest posts lists

 

[TheBluePhantom]

I loved your answer.
Some years ago my wife and I were on the west coast in a restaurant owned by Clint Eastwood. All the entrees came with peas. I asked the waitress why, and she said, "Because Mr Eastwood wants you to eat them." And now here you are taking his more famous advise: "A man's got to know his limitations"

GIve peas a chance!

 

[ManSkills]

I loved your answer.
Some years ago my wife and I were on the west coast in a restaurant owned by Clint Eastwood. All the entrees came with peas. I asked the waitress why, and she said, "Because Mr Eastwood wants you to eat them." And now here you are taking his more famous advise: "A man's got to know his limitations"

Ha.. I just five minutes ago quoted that same Eastwood quote to someone on Reddit who was considering snaking his main drain line and couldn't find his cleanout, etc.

 

[Rick Stephens]

I have definitely read a lot of stories regarding bottle bombs and it doesn't sound fun. I can see not backsweetening and good point to try it as is this batch but if I am wanting a slight carbonation and I stuck either pasteurizing or kegging? I have heard about cold crashing once carbed and it's tempting for the ones I'm keeping and drinking myself but if cold crashing them giving a bottle to a friend is there a chance they will get a bottle bomb if they leave it out and it warms?

For quite some time I have been fermenting to finish, then sweetening with xylitol, which won't ferment, also adding roughly an ounce of sugar per gallon as a primer for carbonation. And then immediately bottling, letting it carbonate in the bottle and using up the prime sugar in the process. Very controlled.

I can raise or lower the prime sugar to suit desire for how much carbonation. An ounce per gallon is a great place to start though, very safe and while not sparkling, definitely a good amount of carbonation.

Using Xylitol as a natural sugar substitute isn't all bad either. No after taste. Is 'natural' since made from birch bark - as much as any highly processed junk is these days. Also not digestible by humans, so good low sugar dietary usage. My one issue doing this was the cost is a lot higher.

 

[TheBluePhantom]

Using Xylitol as a natural sugar substitute isn't all bad either.

Full disclosure, this is toxic to dogs and causes diarrhea in people intolerant of it. If you are going to use it, know what you are using,