Easy Stove-Top Pasteurizing - With Pics

[eigua]

So I'm planning a carbonated hard lemonade. Can the pasteurization be done in a wine bottle? What would be the best type of closure for the bottle? The plastic cork with wire cage?

Don't store carbonated drinks in wine bottles. They're not made for pressure. You should use champagne bottles or large flip tops.

 

[katzgirl]

Very new to the carbonation process. Is the yeast nutrient and Lalvin EC1118 champagne yeast two different yeasts? One comes in a small packet and the other in a pound bag. It would take alot of packets to get 7 tsp. Thanks!

 

[TandemTails]

I'm bottle carbing a 1 gallon test batch that I added 1 can of FAJC to. The SG at bottling was 1.021.

I sanitized a 20oz sprite bottle and filled that, leaving the same headroom in the bottle as I did the glass ones. I then squeezed it until the cider came to the top and twisted the cap on tight. I'm using this as my 'pressure gauge'.

3 days later the sprite bottle is almost fully expanded so I'll probably be pasteurizing tomorrow. I'm planning on pasteurizing a little lower than 190 just to play it safe. I'll probably aim for 175 or 180 for 15 minutes.

I used Lalvin D-47 yeast for the initial fermentation, so we'll see how this goes

 

[eigua]

Very new to the carbonation process. Is the yeast nutrient and Lalvin EC1118 champagne yeast two different yeasts? One comes in a small packet and the other in a pound bag. It would take alot of packets to get 7 tsp. Thanks!

Yeast nutrient is not yeast. It's food for the yeast to help it grow and survive while it's fermenting. It's not always necessary, but it can help when you're fermenting something that doesn't naturally contain the necessary nutrients for the yeast (for example, sugar water).

Why do you need 7 tsp of yeast? Each packet of champagne yeast is enough for 5 gallons of wine. Check the back of the packet for instructions.

 

[katzgirl]

Kevin, yes, there is always sediment in the bottles.

Is there anyway to get past the sediment or even decrease it? I use Lalvin EC 1118 yesst. There is alot if sediment and doesnt look very appealing in the bottles. I did a hard lemonade and bottled in champagne bottles.

 

[TandemTails]

Is there anyway to get past the sediment or even decrease it? I use Lalvin EC 1118 yesst. There is alot if sediment and doesnt look very appealing in the bottles. I did a hard lemonade and bottled in champagne bottles.

As long as you're carbonating in the bottle you'll get sediment. That's the yeast dying off after converting the remaining sugar to alcohol/co2.

The only way to get a sediment free bottle is to either bottle it still (after a lot of aging or using clarifying agents) or to use a keg and bottle from there with co2 forced in.

 

[chevalcider]

As long as you're carbonating in the bottle you'll get sediment. That's the yeast dying off after converting the remaining sugar to alcohol/co2.

The only way to get a sediment free bottle is to either bottle it still (after a lot of aging or using clarifying agents) or to use a keg and bottle from there with co2 forced in.

I toured Sociables Cider Werks in Minneapolis in April and started talking technical with the tour guide (one of the company founders) after the rest of the tour group moved on. When I mentioned bottle carbing and sediment he suggested filtering to remove yeast and inoculating with another variety that has a minimal amount of sediment. I can't remember the yeast he mentioned.

 

[Pappers_]

I toured Sociables Cider Werks in Minneapolis in April and started talking technical with the tour guide (one of the company founders) after the rest of the tour group moved on. When I mentioned bottle carbing and sediment he suggested filtering to remove yeast and inoculating with another variety that has a minimal amount of sediment. I can't remember the yeast he mentioned.

If you're going to the bother of filtering, its easier to just keg carbonate it - at the homebrew scale.

 

[siderluver]

I'll be more careful next time, jeez.

 

[Aushunter]

I know I'm digging up an old thread but oldmate suggested I read this. Fantastic advise, planning on doing it myself. Pappers, was your cider clear before you bottled it? My cider is still cloudy, but has been fermenting 8 days has is bubbling very slow now, but I don't want it to ferment all the sugar and become too dry just because I was waiting for it to clear. So could I bottle and carb now, and will it clear up in the bottle? Another question also haha if I leave all the sediment behind in the carboy when I bottle, does that mean there's no yeast in the bottles to "eat" my carb drops? Sorry might be a dumb question but this is my very fist time haha.

 

[buMbLeB]

I've not pasteurized before, but I can say with confidence that sediment does not equal yeast - there are still microsopic yeast cells left behind after racking that you can't see, but which can absolutely restart. But if you pasteurize them this will kill them and stop further activity.

 

[globell]

I understand why pasteurization works, but in killing the yeast, and letting it sit in the bottle, will it clear?

 

[treacheroustexan]

I brewed 3 gallons of cider using notty. I kegged it, back sweetened with apple juice concentrate, carbed it in the keg, and bottled it with my beer gun. I just pasteurized the bottles using this method. Worked great.

 

[Ike]

I brewed 3 gallons of cider using notty. I kegged it, back sweetened with apple juice concentrate, carbed it in the keg, and bottled it with my beer gun. I just pasteurized the bottles using this method. Worked great.

This, this, so much... this. I have my first beer kegging going on TODAY, after 3+ years of bottling. But even better than having beer on tap, I'm looking forward to keg-carbing my cider, filling bottles once it's clear, and dropping them right into the pasteurizing bath. ACTUALLY, I'm really looking forward to filtering as well, and hopefully being able to quit pasteurizing all together... but we'll see about that.

 

[Maylar]

This, this, so much... this. I have my first beer kegging going on TODAY, after 3+ years of bottling. But even better than having beer on tap, I'm looking forward to keg-carbing my cider, filling bottles once it's clear, and dropping them right into the pasteurizing bath. ACTUALLY, I'm really looking forward to filtering as well, and hopefully being able to quit pasteurizing all together... but we'll see about that.

Tell ya what -

Make cider. Age in secondary for 4 months and let it drop crystal clear. Then rack to your keg with potassium sorbate and sulfite. Sweeten to whatever level you heart desires. Purge the keg, chill and carbonate. Bottle directly from the keg, cider foams very little. It's awesome and you'll never pasteurize again.

These babies are ready for the keg:

Brew hah.

 

[jonnypet]

I bottled up my cider (first attempt) yesterday. I had let the SG to drop to around 1.010, then added some sugar and bottled. I opened a bottle after one day and it is already gushing out, which makes me worry about putting them in hot water! Why are they gushing so soon?

 

[MarkKF]

Cuz you bottled them at 1.010

 

[jonnypet]

Cuz you bottled them at 1.010

Page 1 of this thread says to bottle 1.010 to 1.014 so the cider is not so dry

 

[MarkKF]

If a cider goes from 1.060 to 1.010 in a week it's gonna go to 1.000 in a day. That's a lot of fizz.

 

[jonnypet]

What would cause it to drop so quickly? I was monitoring the temp, and it was kept around 16degC, and I used a yeast specific for cider.

 

[MarkKF]

I don't know but after a week or so of active fermentation and there is still sugar present there are millions if not billions of hungry yeasties.

 

[Maylar]

Page 1 of this thread says to bottle 1.010 to 1.014 so the cider is not so dry

But you also added more sugar. The ferment was still in the active phase. It only takes 2 gravity points of sugar to make carbonation, which could go very quickly from where you were. Refrigerate them, keep them very cold and start drinking your cider. If you pasteurize with that level of carbonation the bottles will not survive.

 

[jonnypet]

yeah, but does Pappers then not say to add priming solution, so more sugar. I guess I added too much sugar? Should I just pour bottles back into demijohn and let the fermentation finish then back sweeten? I know it will make the cider stronger, but I have a lot of bottles and can't cool / drink them all!

 

[Maylar]

yeah, but does Pappers then not say to add priming solution, so more sugar. I guess I added too much sugar? Should I just pour bottles back into demijohn and let the fermentation finish then back sweeten? I know it will make the cider stronger, but I have a lot of bottles and can't cool / drink them all!

Yes, that's what I would do.

 

[buMbLeB]

My ciders generally fall from 1.070-80 to 1.003 in about 7-9 days, FYI. I thought this was normal.

 

[globell]

What is the ideal carbination level when you open a bottle to test - what's the benchmark? Just foaming up to the top of the bottle and slightly over? I popped the top on one tonight and it sounded like carbination present (hiss as I took crown cap off) and it slightly foamed. I do like my drinks very bubbly. No gusher or giesers! I've had that happen previously...

It's a sweet cider of 1.025 ish so it carbinates fast. 4-12 hours.

Started pasteurizing today (with success so far)

 

[SimonMM]

To all,

Thanks for the very informative original post and the subsequent posts.

I would like to confirm something regarding 'cold crashing'.

After letting my juice sit in the original carboy for 4-5 weeks and then adding my sugar (mixed with water) to the juice, I then syphon into individual bottles and leave them at room temp for a few weeks. Ideally, like everyone, I would like to have reasonably well-carbonated cider that doesn't explode in the bottles

I have a lot of fridge space, so I am going to opt for cold crashing.

My questions.

1- If I were to cold crash, does this kill the yeast entirely?

2- Do you have to wait until you have reached your desired level of carbonation in the bottle before you cold crash, therefore, ensuring the carbonation achieved up to this point is maintained and none further is achieved? - Is this the point of cold crashing, or indeed pasteurising?

Many thanks in advance for any feedback
Simon MM

 

[globell]

Cold crashing does not kill the yeast - puts them to sleep until they warm up

 

[globell]

Ok. So I got unlucky and lucky at the same time. I don't think the bottles were over carbonated but there's always some variability.

When I pastuerize carbonated cider and I always have the lid as a blocker between me and the bottle in case a bottle blows. Well. One fell over on the counter and I'm not sure if I touched it with the lid or it blew first but KABOOM. Louder than I can explain. My ears still hurt hours later. Blood splatter on the back of the lid. Very lucky I blocked it with the lid. Mostly. Glass flew at least 15'.

Wowzers. One laceration to the inside of the forearm.

Be careful. Be prepared. I knew it would happen eventually and came away ok.

Should I be concerned about the others?

Oh and lesson learned to put the bottles Directly into the boxes and not into counter where they can fall over.

 

[Maylar]

This is why I keg.