Bottle my apfelwein?

[Matteo57]

So i made a batch of 4 gallons of this stuff back in July. Then 4 months later, I added 3lbs of cherries I pureed. Never really saw second fermentation take off. Maybe the yeast was old? Along with the cherries, I added a new packet of us-05, but since the beverage was already around 7% alc not sure if the yeast was really able to take off from that either. Shame on me, I didn't a gravity reading at this time before adding the cherries.
Anyways, I just took a gravity reading ay and it was 1.003-1.004. I'm guessing it's done but I know this stuff can get down to .998-.999 or so....
I want to bottle this with carb. level of about 2.5. Should I bottle this with only light sugar expecting it to drop a point more or two in the bottle than extra or should I just bottle as usual?
Thanks!

 

[Dynachrome]

Matteo57 583 posts.......

What you have done here - is make something so far off the beaten path that very few will feel qualified to ta a shot at answering.

I'd bottle it and place the bottles inn Rubbermaid containers for a few weeks till they condition.

 

[Dynachrome]

...also - I'm not big on adjuncts, but the pureed cherrys probably upped your specific gravity.

 

[Matteo57]

Yeah, I was leaning towards bottling them and just putting them in a beer cardboard case to separate them all from each other in case one blows up and then put them in something like a rubbermaid or my chest freezer maybe inside a big trash bag.... just in case.
Thanks for info, much appreciate it

 

[JimRausch]

Matt: If you haven't been on the cider area of this forum, do so. The cider experts are there.
Based on 1 cider last year and 1 Graf this year(so admittedly a small sample size), here's my input:
1. You're done. Fermentation is complete so you don't have to worry in the slightish about bottle bombs. Both of my ciders/grafs have finished in the range that you have. And yes I did bottle carbonate them without any problems.
2. The US-05 has only been in there 1 month or so, so it should be live and able to carbonate.
So, use an online priming guide, add your priming sugar(or 1 can of apple juice concentrate) and bottle away. She'll be fine.