Hey Guys, I have 6 gallons of cider that has been fermenting all winter. It recently cleared up and I am starting to think about drinking it in a month or two. I have my beer kegging system so I was planning on adding potassium sorbate to the cider and back sweeten it with apple juice concentrate (about 3/4 can for a 5 gallon batch) and then force carbing it. Am I doing this right to make a sweet carbonated cider? Thanks
Need some confirmation on my process
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wildman
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I would think about cold crashing before racking off to your keg. Done correctly and with the right yeast there is no need for the sorbate. Sorbates work best in conjunction with sulphites but both can leave a taste in your cider.
It is already pretty clear but cold crashing is easily done. I will give it a try but I want to make sure it is sweet is my old issue. I used beer yeast so maybe the alcohol level is high enough now that the yeast is dead (I already racked it once).
Just be careful if you are going to still back-sweeten with AJ concentrate without the potassium sorbate. Cold crashing will inhibit your yeast, but high alcohol levels don't always kill yeast, it just inhibits them. Actually, I read a post that said even potassium sorbate doesn't always kill yeast (feisty little guys.)
If you add fermentable sugars (AJ concnetrate) the yeast will come out of hibernation and ferment all that sweetness back to alcohol.
I don't have a keg system, but from what I have read if you want a sweet cider you have to kill the yeast with some form of preservative or pasteurization and then force carb.
Just my 2 cents. Let us know how it turns out!
If you add fermentable sugars (AJ concnetrate) the yeast will come out of hibernation and ferment all that sweetness back to alcohol.
I don't have a keg system, but from what I have read if you want a sweet cider you have to kill the yeast with some form of preservative or pasteurization and then force carb.
Just my 2 cents. Let us know how it turns out!
Do you have a way to pasturize? Can you heat your keg until the cider reaches 160 degrees?
If not, I would either use the potassium sorbate and then go with the concentrate and keep an eye on it or, like you said, use a non-fermentable sugar.
That or learn to love dry cider
Have you tasted a sample recently? Most people seem to feel that time adds back that apple flavor and you said yours has been going for a while.
The only other thing I have heard is to just add a little juice to the glass as you are drinking it. Not much risk at that point.
If not, I would either use the potassium sorbate and then go with the concentrate and keep an eye on it or, like you said, use a non-fermentable sugar.
That or learn to love dry cider
Have you tasted a sample recently? Most people seem to feel that time adds back that apple flavor and you said yours has been going for a while.
The only other thing I have heard is to just add a little juice to the glass as you are drinking it. Not much risk at that point.
wildman
Well-Known Member
Read kevins sticky. He cold crashes active fermentations and kegs with no additives. Since your yeast is already half asleep I see no reason why you can't backsweeten and do the same.
There are a number of different ways that work. Two factors most people don't really consider with carbonating sweet cider is that if you're doing it in a keg, the keg is able to withstand more pressure than a glass bottle, and that it'll likely be stored at a temp not conducive to further fermentation. Cold crashing, filtering, and even using potassium sorbate are not going to kill off or remove all of the yeast. It will create an environment where any fermentation that happens to take place will be so slow that you will not notice it. The only sure way to kill yeast is through pasteurization. The only (relatively) sure way to remove yeast is by using a very fine filter (and a quality one).
That being said, it is not necessary to go through great lengths to remove the yeast unless you are storing the cider in bottles in a medium temperature room (60-70F). The method you choose will be fine. Many people have different methods and the one you chose is fine. Wine makers do that all the time, using potassium sorbate (and potassium metabisulfite) and sweetening it after it stabilizes. The only feature you'll be adding to this is force carbonation.
That being said, it is not necessary to go through great lengths to remove the yeast unless you are storing the cider in bottles in a medium temperature room (60-70F). The method you choose will be fine. Many people have different methods and the one you chose is fine. Wine makers do that all the time, using potassium sorbate (and potassium metabisulfite) and sweetening it after it stabilizes. The only feature you'll be adding to this is force carbonation.
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