Help Please

[Irish Brewer]

I’m making a mixed berry cider and the primary fermentation is done and I’ve bottled it this evening, I’m just wondering if my bottles are gonna explode, I know I can burp them but I would like to know if there is a risk

 

[dbsmith]

Depends.. how much priming sugar did you use and for how much cider?

 

[rlmiller]

If your positive primary was finished, then what dbsmith said

 

[Irish Brewer]

Depends.. how much priming sugar did you use and for how much cider?

I made in and around 20-22 litre cider and I used carbonation drops instead, 1 drop per 370ml Aussie measurements ( I used coopers) and I used 330ml bottles so it could be a bit over but it’s only 50 over so it should be ok right?

 

[dbsmith]

I think you will be fine. If you are ever worried about it, you can just store the beer inside of a cardboard box or a thick bag while it carbonates

 

[Harleybrew32]

should be ok, How long did you let it ferment for in primary?

 

[jseyfert3]

Did you take a hydrometer reading to ensure fermentation was finished?

 

[madscientist451]

Get a cheap plastic tub with a lid and put your bottles in there and keep it in a warm place. If you don't have any bottle bombs after 3 weeks, you'll probably be fine. After 2-3 weeks, take one out, chill it down in the fridge and then open it in the sink in case its a over carbonated.

 

[Chalkyt]

Yep, cheap garbage bin with a clip-on lid serves as my "bomb cabinet". It works according to Murphy's Law... anything that I put in there never explodes.

 

[Chalkyt]

Apart from using a "bomb proof" container "just in case", as with the other replies I don't think you need to worry too much.

According to their specs, the Coopers drops have about 2.5g of sugar per drop. I haven't used them but it sounds like the right amount. This means that using one in a 330ml bottle is the equivalent of 7.5g per litre (i.e. about 1.5 to 2 teaspoons) which sounds normal for generating something around 2 volumes of CO2 if your cider has fully fermented.

Even if the cider had a bit to go and you ended up with something like 4 or 5 volumes, it might be a bit fizzy but not near the pressure that should cause any bottle issues. Carbonation of 2 volumes at room temperature is only around 20psi and 5 volumes is 70psi, whereas bottles generally handle over 100psi quite comfortably.

 

[Irish Brewer]

should be ok, How long did you let it ferment for in primary?

6 days, I’ll be re-botteling tomorrow as I did some secondary fermentation. So all together 2 weeks fermenting