Campden

[mustangracer]

I put in some 1 campden tab per gallon to stop the fermentation. How long should I wait before bottling/drinking my cider?

 

[Bentpirate]

No need to wait... aging will bring out more flavors and change the flavors, but no need to wait

 

[mustangracer]

Would I be ok to backsweeten and bottle or am I asking for bottle bombs by doing that?

 

[Yooper]

Would I be ok to backsweeten and bottle or am I asking for bottle bombs by doing that?

Campden doesn't kill yeast, so you'd be having some bottle bombs if you sweeten and bottle.

If you want to sweeten, you'll either have to do that and pasteurize, or to use some sorbate which inhibits yeast reproduction. It doesn't stop a fermentation, but it can keep one that's stopped from restarting.

 

[mustangracer]

So......the campden oxidizes out pretty fast doesn't it? Did I mess up my cider? The hydro sample tasted pretty darn good so I hope not.

 

[Yooper]

So......the campden oxidizes out pretty fast doesn't it? Did I mess up my cider? The hydro sample tasted pretty darn good so I hope not.

Well, I use campden at every other racking for my wines, and even one tablet per gallon keeps it at the 50 ppm or so threshold where most people can taste it, especially after a period of time. So I'd say you're fine with the campden. It's an antioxidant and preservative, and it slowly dissipates with time.