How much sugar to add for conditioning?

[Basilisk]

Hi guys!

I know I should read before asking these questions, so I'm off to a bad start! But I'm very very busy at the moment. So I promise I'll read about it when I have time!

Basically, I've had a batch of (very ghetto) cider fermenting for about three weeks. We tried a tiny bit and it's definitely alcoholic, and tastes fairly delicious. It is definitely mostly done fermenting, because the balloons with pinholes we put on top (I told you it was ghetto), as airlocks, have completely deflated.

So my understanding is that I now need to bottle them, but add a bit of sugar (will brown work?) to it before I cap it. My question is, how much should I add per bottle? I briefly saw a pack of sugar drops at my local brewing supply that were meant for this. Some quick math told me that each one had about .8 gram. Does this sound right?

Thanks! I promise I'll read next time!

 

[PT Ray]

If you want to prime each bottle the old school way was adding one level teaspoon off sugar to each 16 oz bottle. Depending on your source, this may differ slightly.

I would suggest letting the cider drop clear before bottling. Then it's done. Also, old soft drink bottles would be a much safer route than glass.

 

[Basilisk]

If you want to prime each bottle the old school way was adding one level teaspoon off sugar to each 16 oz bottle. Depending on your source, this may differ slightly.

I would suggest letting the cider drop clear before bottling. Then it's done. Also, old soft drink bottles would be a much safer route than glass.

Ahhh it's called priming? I have a lot to learn...

What do you mean, drop clear? Right now, the cider is very clear, with a thin layer of sediment at the bottom (we siphoned it off into new bottles to get rid of the old sediment).

You mean safer, because of exploding the bottles?

Thanks!

 

[PT Ray]

That sounds like it's pretty clear and there's no more activity. Plastic soft drink bottles can withstand a lot pressure and don't require a capper. So yes, exploding bottles.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

For beer, all my recipies, I have primed at a rate of 5 OZ per 5 gallon batch.

 

[birvine]

"Drop clear" in this sense means that any suspended particulate (yeast) will gradually settle to the bottom and you will usually see a very distinct line above which is clear, and below which is still cloudy. That line will slowly 'drop' downwards until all of the liquid is sparkly 'clear'.

B