Confused about carbonation

[Lodger]

I have just made 4 gallons of cider from some apples that I collected locally. It has been fermenting in a big bucket for 3 weeks now and the SG has dropped from 1.064 to 1 or maybe .98.

I understand that I need to move it now. I have 4 1 gallon demijohns I was going to transfer it in to. However, I want to end up with a carbonated cider. Should I instead transfer it straight in to bottles adding sugar to each bottle? Or if I transfer it in to the demiohns can I add sugar when I bottle it later? Or could I add the sugar to the demijohns and drink a gallon at a time (with friends) pouring straight from the demiohns?

I've been reading up on this but am still confused so any help and advice would be really helpful. Cheers.

 

[AdamsCider]

You can add sugar later, that's what I do. They make Carb sugar tabs that look like cough drops. 1 drop per 12 oz bottle will give you a normal carbonation. It's the easiest/non-confusing way. If you bottle directly without knowing how much sugar there is left to ferment, you can create bottle bombs, which is not good, obviously. So fully ferment, and then bottle and add carb sugar drops and cap. in about a week or two they are ready to go.

 

[Maylar]

I like my cider to be crystal clear, so I always rack to a secondary bottle and wait for that. Even at 1.000 there's always a little more lees that will settle out.

Once clear I will siphon again to a bottling pot (a sanitized stainless soup pot works for me) and add priming sugar there. Makes it easier to mix that way. If you want to use those priming tablets then sure you can add one per bottle instead.

Can't carbonate in a demijohn, they don't hold pressure.

 

[dcmarbs]

Looking for answers I made hard cider and it was clear after fermentation I poured in glass to check clarity and to back sweetened I put into keg add d sorbate and the wine conditioner and then added CO2 when I pours my first glass from keg it was not clear will this clear up in time or did I do something wrong

 

[stella_tigre]

what "wine conditioner"?

edit, also you should rack off the yeast, add sorbate and campden, wait a bit, and then add backsweetening. Maybe the yeast woke up?

 

[Lodger]

Thanks for all of the help folks. This is my plan, does it sound about right?

I syphon the cider into sterilised demijohns. I am planning to top up last one with shop bought apple juice. Put in bungs with airlocks. Leave in the shed for 4 to 6 weeks. Then transfer to bottles dropping one of these in Coopers carbonation drops.

Leave for a week or so. Invite the lads around. Sit in the shed and sample the cider.

Only other thing I'm not sure about is how to sweeten the end product up a bit without increasing the alcohol content anymore?

Thanks again.

 

[stella_tigre]

Well, you can't really sweeten it before you bottle because you'll get bottle bombs (unless you want to go the bottle pasteurization route.) Unless you use an unfermentable sweetener like xylitol, stevia, lactose, etc etc. Those are really the only two ways I know of to have sweet, bottle conditioned (fizzy) cider.

What we usually do is let it be dry in the bottle, and then add a little sweetening at serving, either a simple syrup (1 part water to 2 parts sugar) or thawed AJ concentrate. Then everyone gets it as sweet as they like. (I like mine between bone dry and semi dry....but the kids like it sweet.)

 

[Lodger]

Thanks for the advice. I like the sweeten on demand idea. That's the route I'm going to take. Will update on how it all goes.