Carbonating Cider

[moonedchild]

Hi! So im a new brewer, im now onto my second batch, i let it ferment for 3 weeks, and have transferred it to a secondary carboy. I have the proper bottles for bottling, but want it turn into a rather carbonated cider. I want carbonate it using sugar,
what sugar is best to use? i was thinking of using brown as its all i have in my house.. also how much do i add and when during the process is the proper time?!
this is just a 1 gallon batch.
any sort of help will be great thanks!

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

This is a good tool for calculating your priming sugar measurements. Try to measure in weight if at all possible. It will keep things more consistent. I don't believe that they list Brown Sugar as a priming method, but "Table Sugar" or "Dextrose" will be close if you use weight instead of volume.

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

 

[ericbw]

Hi! So im a new brewer, im now onto my second batch, i let it ferment for 3 weeks, and have transferred it to a secondary carboy. I have the proper bottles for bottling, but want it turn into a rather carbonated cider. I want carbonate it using sugar,
what sugar is best to use? i was thinking of using brown as its all i have in my house.. also how much do i add and when during the process is the proper time?!
this is just a 1 gallon batch.
any sort of help will be great thanks!

What was your first batch?

A basic rule of thumb is 1 oz of sugar per gallon, although brown sugar will require a little more. You need to weigh it to be accurate, because it can pack down a lot or a little. (In other words, one man's cup of brown sugar is another man's cup-and-a-half.)

As for when to add it, are you familiar with priming it in a batch and then bottling it? That's when you add it - right at bottling.

 

[moonedchild]

thank you two! i anxious and bottled before referring back to this post after browsing the forums :s but did some calculations using one of those online calculators, dont think i ended up adding enough sugar to get the carbonation i want... but all in all learnt my lesson.
and my first batch was just a dry cider, this one is a sort of ginger apple cider im trying out

we'll see how it comes out

 

[moonedchild]

should i keep it bottled sitting for atleast 2 weeks for the carbonation to be done? also if i open the bottles will it effect the carbonation

 

[ericbw]

should i keep it bottled sitting for atleast 2 weeks for the carbonation to be done? also if i open the bottles will it effect the carbonation

I would let it sit for 2 weeks at 70 degrees or longer at a lower temp. If you open the bottles, it will let the carbonation out, so it will be less carbed. Basically, the yeast eats the priming sugar, creating a little carbon dioxide, which is trapped in the bottle. With nowhere to go, it eventually is absorbed into solution in the liquid.

If you open it too early, you will get a hiss or pop, but it will quickly come out of solution leaving it flat. If you wait long enough, then the CO2 is in solution and comes out slowly as you drink the beverage, which is the fizzy bubbles in a carbonated drink.

One trick for cider is to use one plastic bottle (it can even be a water bottle, as long as the cap is tight) along with the rest glass. When the plastic bottle is firm, then you have carbonation. It needs to then go into solution.

If there is too much sugar, then the yeast makes too much CO2, and it explodes. So make SURE that the cider is fermented out before you add sugar, and only add the right amount. When in doubt, refrigerate and drink quickly. Or bottle pasteurize after it's carbonated. Then you still need to let it sit to condition and let the CO2 go into solution.

Again, yes, opening bottles will let the gas out. Put it in an out of the way place and pretend it doesn't exist!

 

[moonedchild]

!! awesome thank you for clearing all that up for me

 

[MendoBrew]

Right now I have 5 gallons in primary fermentation. Its been there quite a while (2 months) and smells like it could use some sweetening. I was planning to bottle soon, but would like a semi sweet cider... Is there any way I can sweeten it now and have sparkling cider???

 

[ericbw]

Right now I have 5 gallons in primary fermentation. Its been there quite a while (2 months) and smells like it could use some sweetening. I was planning to bottle soon, but would like a semi sweet cider... Is there any way I can sweeten it now and have sparkling cider???

You can back sweeten, carbonate in the bottle, THEN PASTEURIZE. if you don't pasteurize it will explode.

 

[MendoBrew]

Right on! Thanks! I was thinking of trying that, and doing a cold crash, but definitely don't want bottle bombs. Oh, and Last time I tried sweetening with a simple sugar syrup, which worked pretty good... but and have been told Apple Juice Concentrate is ideal. Any suggestions on that?

 

[rocketsan]

I would let it sit for 2 weeks at 70 degrees or longer at a lower temp. If you open the bottles, it will let the carbonation out, so it will be less carbed. Basically, the yeast eats the priming sugar, creating a little carbon dioxide, which is trapped in the bottle. With nowhere to go, it eventually is absorbed into solution in the liquid.



If you open it too early, you will get a hiss or pop, but it will quickly come out of solution leaving it flat. If you wait long enough, then the CO2 is in solution and comes out slowly as you drink the beverage, which is the fizzy bubbles in a carbonated drink.



One trick for cider is to use one plastic bottle (it can even be a water bottle, as long as the cap is tight) along with the rest glass. When the plastic bottle is firm, then you have carbonation. It needs to then go into solution.



If there is too much sugar, then the yeast makes too much CO2, and it explodes. So make SURE that the cider is fermented out before you add sugar, and only add the right amount. When in doubt, refrigerate and drink quickly. Or bottle pasteurize after it's carbonated. Then you still need to let it sit to condition and let the CO2 go into solution.



Again, yes, opening bottles will let the gas out. Put it in an out of the way place and pretend it doesn't exist!

Water bottles will not work as they aren't meant to hold carbonation. Use a pet bottle or old pop bottle.