Back Sweetening WITHOUT dosing K-sorbate when KEGGING???

[Sugarshroom]

I'm new to cider and had a disaster using K-metabisulphate on a previous batch and I would like to avoid using anything that's not needed in the process...

Has anybody had success with back-sweetening w/o use of K-sorbate when kegging a batch? My cider is about 38 deg F now and I'm ready to keg and keep chilled. I want to rack into the corny keg over some biofine > drop some apple juice concentrate to sweeten and carbonate without dosing K-sorbate beforehand. It had about 3 weeks to ferment at 68 deg F before I cold crashed it - the batch is pretty dry. I haven't taken a FG, but I would guess it's down around 1.000 or lower.

I understand the risk in doing this with bottles at fermentation temps, but what could happen in the keg when it is kept cold (+/- 38 deg F)?

 

[HopSong]

Should be no problem using a keg. You will get some more fermentation with the backsweetener if it's sugar based. However, at 38*.. you should retain some residual sweetness depending on how fast it's consumed.

BTW.. what was the disaster using sorbate? IMWTK.

 

[Sugarshroom]

Thanks for the reassurance... I think I'll give it a go w/o the K-Sorbate and see how it goes. Knowing my household it'll be gone in no time anyway!

I should clarify that the K-metabisulphate was a MISTAKE more than anything. I misread the directions and overdosed by a factor of 5x and put 5 gallons of delicious Julian, CA apple cider to sleep for 3 weeks before the sulphates offgassed and somehow fermentation started. It never lost the apple-fart smell/taste and I'm assuming was infected and oxidized from all the shaking and stirring.... I was heartbroken I thought it was necessary because it was straight from the press... I've learned ale yeast from leftover yeast cakes is the way to go. Off and bubbling overnight - maybe next harvest!

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I don't like to use anything artificial in my cider... So I don't use artificial sweeteners. Have a look at my simple cider recipe.

MC

 

[BostonianBrewer]

You will be fine 38 is way to cold for ale yeast to metabolize and cause any problems

 

[Sugarshroom]

Wow... pretty comparable methods I would say, and that's some clear cider. You have some good stuff there! Soooo glad I joined this forum - very helpful.

Thanks all!

 

[RPCidery]

You will be fine 38 is way to cold for ale yeast to metabolize and cause any problems

I dunno about that. I was 'lagering' a berry cider in a cooler full of ice, fermometer showing between 36-38 degrees, and the SG continued to drop the whole time (2 weeks). It dropped about .012 during that time. Nottingham yeast.