Bottling Cider in Wine Bottles

[g00nt3r]

I am new to bottling (and brewing in general). I have 5 gallons of hard cider I plan on bottling in Bordeaux style wine bottles.

I have read that bottling carbonated beer/cider/mead/etc in wine bottles can be dangerous because wine bottles aren't made to handle whatever level of carbonation (or any at all, I'm not sure) and can turn into bottle bombs.

I am wondering if the danger is from extra fermentation that could occur in the bottle or if any carbonation at all is bad. If possible I would like to bottle the hard cider with some carbonation into the wine bottles. My plan, currently, is to stop fermentation with campden tablets, transfer to a keg, force carbonate it to some CO2 level, and bottle into the wine bottles from there.

My thoughts are that if the wine bottle can handle a certain CO2 level and I kill off the yeast, no extra fermentation should occur in the bottle and the bottle should be fine. Is my thinking correct?

Otherwise, if that isn't correct, is it correct to say that wine bottles can not handle any carbonation and that should I just bottle the cider it uncarbed or in a different bottle?

I still have a week or so before I attempt this. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Only still cider should be bottled in wine bottles, because they are not designed to hold pressure. It may break (explode) the bottles or push out the cork.

If you want carbonation (natural or forced), you need to use champagne bottles or beer bottles. Crown cap or cork & cage.

If you are force carbonating, you need to make sure additional fermentation will not occur. If you are naturally carbonating, you need to either use an appropriate amount of priming sugar, or be prepared to bottle pasteurize at the right time.

FYI you can't "stop fermentation" with campden tablets.
It's difficult to stop an active fermentation; the yeast needs to flocculate well and be temperature sensitive. You must cold crash until clear, rack, and then stabilize with sulfite and sorbate.

Hope this helps

 

[g00nt3r]

Only still cider should be bottled in wine bottles, because they are not designed to hold pressure. It may break (explode) the bottles or push out the cork.

If you want carbonation (natural or forced), you need to use champagne bottles or beer bottles. Crown cap or cork & cage.

If you are force carbonating, you need to make sure additional fermentation will not occur. If you are naturally carbonating, you need to either use an appropriate amount of priming sugar, or be prepared to bottle pasteurize at the right time.

FYI you can't "stop fermentation" with campden tablets.
It's difficult to stop an active fermentation; the yeast needs to flocculate well and be temperature sensitive. You must cold crash until clear, rack, and then stabilize with sulfite and sorbate.

Hope this helps

That does help indeed! Thanks!

 

[bleme]

I've heard that Martinelli's Sparkling Cider bottles will work.

 

[ten80]

I've heard that Martinelli's Sparkling Cider bottles will work.

Yep, I've used them for up to about 3.5 volumes of CO2 with no issues. The glass seems a little thin for any carbonation above that.