Hard cider first batch

[WarBac]

Used the Apfelwine recipe to make my first hard cider. It has reached FG and i need to move it out of the fermentation chiller so I can brew some beer. Is it ok since fermentation is complete to let it set at room temp 74-78 in my house while it ages. Plan is to back sweeten it with frozen apple concentrate in a few more weeks then keg and force carb.

 

[oldmate]

It should be fine if it has finished fermenting

 

[mikee]

Not a problem

 

[mxfuel]

This is my first post. Trying to learn. What is back sweeten?

 

[WarBac]

Awesome guys thanks. Can the same be said for beer as well. Back sweetning is adding sugar after the yeast has eaten all the fermentable sugars and you've reached FG. Since I'm kegging the temp will be to low for the yeasties to start up again.

 

[mxfuel]

And you do this to get a sweeter product?

 

[WarBac]

Yes.

 

[DodginBUIs]

And you do this to get a sweeter product?

I'm no expert, but yes. This is done because once fermentation is finished you may end up with a very dry cider. I used a chardonnay yeast and my cider is verrrry dry. I dont want it to stay that way, so I'm going to be adding apple juice concentrate little by little and taste testing until I get it where I want it. Some use sugars, some use more juice, some use concentrate.

Just do your homework on backsweetening because you dont want to add more fermentable sugar without taking the necessary steps to prevent fermentation from starting up again.

 

[mxfuel]

So, back sweeten until you get the sweetness you desire? I used EC 1118. If I back sweeten it and put it to a kegerator that should prevent fermentatio-n from starting back up again?

 

[oldmate]

Backsweetening is sweetening your product to your desired sweetness post-fermentation, but after halting fermentation either with temperature or potassium sorbate/metabisulphite. Putting it into a kegerator won't stop anything, it will keep actively fermenting, especially with that yeast. A good thread for you to read is the 'Stove top pasteurisation technique' thread by Pappers which is stickied at the top of this forum. It runs through the basics, or alternatively you could run a search for the keyword backsweeten. Another good source of information is http://www.makinghardcider.com.

 

[mxfuel]

I will look at the sources you sited. Wouldn't the kegerator temp halt fermentation?

 

[oldmate]

It may possibly, but I've never had much luck with cold-crashing my ciders.

 

[frydogbrews]

oddly enough, the one cider i cold crashed is the one cider that is still kind of cloudy in the keg. only cider i have ever it with gelatin because the haze won't go away! i stopped caring pretty quick, but i think it had something to do with the cold crashing. still tastes greast, but now with more B vitamins!