Carbing and Bottling Cider

[Gunther]

I have a 5 gal batch of cider using bottled apple juice with some added sugars.
Starting Gravity 1.06 +/-
Last Reading 1.012 +/-
Using Nottingham Ale Yeast.

At what gravity could you bottle and get a good carbonation rather than let it ferment all the way out and add corn sugar?

 

[thejudge]

I have a 5 gal batch of cider using bottled apple juice with some added sugars.
Starting Gravity 1.06 +/-
Last Reading 1.012 +/-
Using Nottingham Ale Yeast.

At what gravity could you bottle and get a good carbonation rather than let it ferment all the way out and add corn sugar?

Honestly I'd let it ferment out. That way there is no hassle of figuring out where to try to bottle. Take it to .999 and let it clear, add your priming sugar which is only gonna be like 1/2-3/4 cup to your bottling bucket and do it that way. Just fill a Plastic soda bottle to check carbonation and pasteurize them.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Let it ferment dry, then prime as you would with beer. Much safer and less finicky than trying to time the bottling with the remaining sugar.

The last 10 points or so of gravity will take several more weeks to ferment out. I'd say wait a minimum of 1 month before even thinking of bottling. It ferments a lot slower than beer, but it has more sugar to chew through, so be patient. Attached is the gravity of my cider (also using Nottingham yeast) that I did recently.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/simple-cider-nottingham-fermentation-schedule-398792/

It's quite good, but you need to leave it be for several more weeks so it can ferment out completely.

 

[Gunther]

I did this in the past (2 yrs ago) and it never really carbonated. The bottles hissed on opening but no bubbles. This batch I used 4 Tsp of yeast energizer figuring the yeast might be a little more lively and get me to the 1.0 number quicker and still be active for carbonation.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I used no energizer, but did put a 1/4 cup of chopped raisins in for nutrient and mouthfeel. Nottingham had no problem getting through the ferment and carbed everything up very nicely, but it does take time. It was over a month before I bottled and nearly a month more before I opened the first one, but it was excellent at that point. They continue to improve with age too. I have one now and again and they improve perceptibly week to week.

I primed for about 3 volumes of CO2 as cider apparently doesn't hold onto dissolved CO2 as well as beer does, so that may explain why your batch was a bit flat.

 

[Gunther]

Are you adding three times the sugar to the bottling batch? 2.25 cups of corn sugar?

 

[Yooper]

Are you adding three times the sugar to the bottling batch? 2.25 cups of corn sugar?

Ouch! No. That will really hurt when the bottles blow up!

Some people use "priming calculators" to get to a desired volume of co2. I don't like those calculators as a rule, but if you're looking for a specific volume of co2, it can be helpful.

To get to three volumes of c02 in a 5 gallon batch that has fermented at 68 degrees, use 5.5 ounces of table sugar. I don't know how many "cups" that is- as it's important to use a little kitchen scale and measure sugar. I'd guess that it's around 3/4 of a cup or so, though.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I use the Northern Brewer priming sugar calculator. The number of volumes of CO2 (and hence the amount of sugar) depends on the style (how *fizzy* you want your beer or cider to be). If you are not sure there are recommended ranges for different beer styles.

For 3 volumes of CO2 in cider I add 30 grams of table sugar per gallon (I just find it easier to work with grams as the number synchs with the volumes ~ 30 grams/gallon for 3 volumes, ~20 grams/gallon ~ 2 volumes, etc..). It doesn't work the same way in beer as there tends to be a certain volume of gas dissolved in fermented beer; cider tends to be flatter and needs more additional carbonation.

As Yooper said it really is just a guideline and lets you estimate a safe and appropriate amount of sugar to add for priming, but you might have slightly over or under carbonated beverages, so you'll have to fine tune the amounts with experience with your brewing.

 

[Gunther]

Sorry for the lack of knowledge. It did seem out of whack..... So after checking out the northernbrewer it indicated .79 cup of corn sugar. I used .75 cups previousy and there was virtually no carbonation. 3/4 cup is standard for beer and it works ok.

 

[Yooper]

Sorry for the lack of knowledge. It did seem out of whack..... So after checking out the northernbrewer it indicated .79 cup of corn sugar. I used .75 cups previousy and there was virtually no carbonation. 3/4 cup is standard for beer and it works ok.

Well, if you used .75 cups before, and there was virtually no carbonation, I'd strongly suggest a $10 kitchen scale. That would prevent bottle bombs, ensure accuraty, and give you a way to measure sugar and hops without guesswork.

An ounce of sugar (really, a tiny bit) can make a huge difference. A "cup" of sugar can vary a huge amount, due to the size of the granules, the humidity, how it packs down, etc- while a little scale can't vary at all. It's really worth the $10.

 

[Sewer_Urchen]

My general priming that has always given cider a good carb is 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar per 12 oz bottle and a heaping teaspoon for a 750 mL bottle. That's always given me a decent carb and never blown a bottle up...and yes, it often take a month to a month and a half to be good and fizzy, not the two weeks you often see with beer.