Headspace a bad thing???

[BadgerBrigade]

I just racked my cider into a secondary carboy... I realize that my carboys are different by 1 gallon so now I have quite a bit of airspace or headspace... I'm very new and learning. My question is if I only have it in this carboy for two weeks and then bottle it is it going to mess anything up? And is airspace or headspace a bad thing in cider as well as beer?

 

[DWavs]

As long as co2 creates a blanket in the headspace, then there are no worries. Was it fully fermented when you racked it or are you seeing some fermentation activity? If you are, the co2 will build up again.

 

[gregbathurst]

You should be fine for 2 weeks, long term ageing would be a problem.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

I think it was fully fermented, then I racked... Been in for a week so I think I'm just gonna bottle it now.... I doubt it has a good co2 blanket so that worries me...

I think I'll need to pasteurize just in case but I've never done it.... Do I just boil wate and add the bottles? How long do they need to sit in the water?

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Badger, you can find the pasteurization thread at:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

 

[liquidavalon]

I think it was fully fermented, then I racked... Been in for a week so I think I'm just gonna bottle it now.... I doubt it has a good co2 blanket so that worries me...

I think I'll need to pasteurize just in case but I've never done it.... Do I just boil wate and add the bottles? How long do they need to sit in the water?

I am not sure who on the forum suggested this as a way to pasteurize bottles but I tried it and it worked. I placed my bottles in the dishwasher ( by themselves ) turned on the rinse/sanitize cycle for 10-15 min...bingo, worked for me.

Edit: Below is the thread that we discussed "dishwasher" pasteurization...it is at the bottom of the first page where it was recommended to me by UpstateMike.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/first-batch-need-help-292782/