How does my plan look? Cold crash, stabilize, sweeten, keg...

[moldmaker]

I am working on my 3rd batch of cider, the first two having been still and not backsweetened. A literal ferment-and-bottle deal. Now, I have a keg and a spare fridge and I'm making sweet, sparkling cider.

I have fermented down to 1.000 over the last 5 weeks. My plan right now:

1. Put the whole carboy in the fridge for a week
2. Add 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite and 1 1/4 tsp potassium sorbate
3. Let sit a few more days
4. Rack into bucket
5. Sweeten to taste
6. Rack into the keg
7. Apply 30psi
8. Back into fridge for a few days
9. Turn down the pressure and serve

Can one of you experienced folks look this over and see what you think?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Rack off the yeast before adding the stabilizing agents.

 

[CKuhns]

30 psi is going to be too high. You will get lots of foam and all of your carbonation will come out during your pour. Consider 12 to 15 for 2 to 2.5 volumes CO2.

 

[RPh_Guy]

30 psi is going to be too high. You will get lots of foam and all of your carbonation will come out during your pour. Consider 12 to 15 for 2 to 2.5 volumes CO2.

The method he's using is called "burst carbonation". High pressure for a short time to carbonate quickly before reducing to serving pressure.

 

[moldmaker]

I didn't know I was using an actual method to carbonate! I'm in no hurry, so I will try 12-15 instead. Will also rack off of the yeast. Thanks.

 

[bracconiere]

I didn't know I was using an actual method to carbonate! I'm in no hurry, so I will try 12-15 instead. Will also rack off of the yeast. Thanks.

If you do, wait a couple weeks, instead of a couple days...And if you burst carb at 30psi, shake the keg at that pressure for a few minutes, then reduce to serving pressure...

 

[Blacksmith1]

Carb it when cold, warm won't accept the CO2 as well.

 

[CKuhns]

Had not heard of that technique. Might have to give it a try.

I just set mine at 15 psi and as Blacksmith mentioned cold does seem to take it better. Do shake the keg every hour for 5 to 6 hours and it typically does carb in 3 to 4 days vs. 1 to 2 weeks

I didn't know I was using an actual method to carbonate! I'm in no hurry, so I will try 12-15 instead. Will also rack off of the yeast. Thanks.

 

[Sessionz]

Had not heard of that technique. Might have to give it a try.

I just set mine at 15 psi and as Blacksmith mentioned cold does seem to take it better. Do shake the keg every hour for 5 to 6 hours and it typically does carb in 3 to 4 days vs. 1 to 2 weeks

Check out Brulosophy for the article on burst carbonation. I only use this method and it works great. I chill my 5 gal keg to 38 degrees, then hit it with 40-50psi of Co2 for 24 hours. No shaking, just let it sit in the fridge and do its thing. The carbonation level is perfect for ciders.

 

[moldmaker]

So far, my plan has gone well. I added the chemicals last week and just got the backsweetening and kegging done tonight. We ended up with 3 cans of Langer's concentrate. It's sitting in the fridge on 15psi. I gave it a good shake and will shake it some more periodically this week.

Something I found odd; I started with 5 gallons of juice. I seem to have lost a gallon somewhere along the way, as I only have 4 gallons in the keg. I didn't lose THAT much to the siphon and the hydrometer readings. I did get quite a lot of sediment settling out. Hmm.

 

[moldmaker]

The cider sat at 15psi for about 6 days now. I turned it down to 8psi and lo and behold, I've got hard cider on tap! The only problem is that we need more carbonation. Do I turn the gas up or give it more time?

 

[CKuhns]

Turn it back up to 12 to 15 psi. Give it a week.

 

[theinterneti]

Welcome to the club!

I've been making cider for a year now. You won't be disappointed. Trust me, you don't need to sweat the details too much.

Every two weeks I fill another keg with my generic cheap juice cider. I don't even bother to wash my bucket and pitch new yeast but every 4 or so batches. No complaints yet.

Making basic cider is EASY, why on earth aren't more people doing it? I didn't see you mention that you had a ferm chamber. Worth it! I'm using a spare fridge with a cheap bayite temperature controller from amazon. The only significant problem I've had is my pear ciders getting nasty rhino farts, ferm chamber fixed that.

 

[ten80]

Since you are cold-crashing the keg, how about using gelatine to help settle out the yeast, then rack straight to the keg once the cider is clear? Same gelatine method as described on the Brulosophy page, with the addition of SMB and potassium sorbate, plus your sweetener in the keg. Skip the bucket step!

I like to serve my cider on tap around 18 PSI for a "sparkling" level of bubbles, much like champagne. Cider doesn't really foam much due to lack of proteins (unlike beer), so serving at this pressure isn't difficult if you have reasonably long lines (~10 ft of small diameter tubing).