Keg packaging a cider without first stabilizing?

[Kerry]

I have been issued a request by a friendly neighbour of mine. That task is to produce for him and his wife, 5 g of sweetened hard apple cider for keg dispensing ...... without using any K-meta, k-sorbate.

My plan is to ferment ~3g of Motts 100% apple juice with M-02, cold crash, gelatin fine. and then back-sweeten it with ~2 g of the same apple juice (no frozen AJ concentrate to be found around here). Afterwards I will stick it into a ~32F keezer, force carbonate and then serve @ ~35F.

My question is, do I need to stabilize under these conditions (ie pasteurized apple juice and these cold holding/serving temps)?

Thanks

 

[dmtaylor]

Well, since you are kegging you do not necessarily need to stabilize it. This is especially true if it will be consumed within a short time after packaging. However, if keeping it for many weeks or months, be aware that it could continue to ferment even if kept cold. The yeast continues to work, just very slowly.

Personally I would plan on fermenting 4 gallons and adding 1 gallon fresh juice at the end. A little different ratio than what you have planned. Yours would be lower alcohol and sweeter than mine.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've not stabilized any of my cider batches. I've also NOT needed to back sweeten them since I used the Wyeast sweet mead yeast that left it a little sweet at the end.

IMO, you're making hard apple juice, not cider. I'm planning to get about 7 or 8 gallons of local cider over the next week or two and making up the first batch of the season. Just need to get to the LHBS to get the yeast first.