Newbie here---adding sugar to carbonate

[pat francher]

On my third batch...using sugar cube/drops to carbonate once bottled. 32 oz bottles. 2 did nothing, 3 did nothing. 4 got some...trying 5 this batch

How much will this impact flavor---meaning make it sweeter? Used a lot of sucrose to increase alcohol...tasted ok when bottling. Now am asking if the sugar in the bottles will impact severely.

Also, alternatives to add bubbles/carbonation?

Thanks

Patrick J---E-A-G-L-E-S!!!!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

How long are you giving it and what temperature are you storing the bottles? 3 would have been slightly over carbed, but probably not to the point of exploding.

 

[Maylar]

As long as your yeast are still alive and haven't exceeded their alcohol tolerance, your priming sugar should be completely consumed. What are you using for sugar?

 

[RPh_Guy]

As long as your yeast are still alive and haven't exceeded their alcohol tolerance, your priming sugar should be completely consumed.

In other words, is the cider sweet or dry when you bottle?
Do you have a hydrometer?

What kind of bottles and closures?

 

[Chalkyt]

I have been happy with using Jolicoeur's Table 15.3 as a guide. This table gives Vols of CO2, g/L of CO2 in solution, g/L of fermented sugar required, SG drop, and pressure (atm) at 25 degrees C for typical Perlant, Petillant and Sparkling ciders. Take your pick which measure you like to use.

I let the cider fully ferment (usually FG ends up in the range 1.000 to 1.002 or slightly above, depending on the yeast) then add enough sugar, juice or FAJC to bring it up around .003 or .004 above FG according to my finishing hydrometer. It is worth getting one of these because they are easy to read with small increments of 0.001. I like my cider to be approaching Petillant ( a bit like Goldilocks... just right).

Then bottle straight away. I have only done this with the current batches (now nine months after bottling). So far the carbonation results were exactly what I expected after about a month in the bottle stored at around 65F.

It is really easy to add the sugar or juice to the bottling bucket or secondary carboy and so get a constant result rather than adding small amounts to each bottle.

Next Fall, I plan to use this approach to bottle with a higher SG (say, 1.008 or so ) then stovetop pasteurise at something like 1.004 or 1.005 in order to preserve some sweetness. Wish me luck!

 

[pat francher]

Sugar was 1.06---went to 0.00 when bottled.

Into carboy 11/17---bottled 12/29. This is the new batch w/ the extra sugar pills for carb.

Past batches were appx 6 weeks old when opened...

Bottles are 32 oz brown sturdy glass with the flip top "Grolsch" type tops.

Room is betwee 68-71 consistently.

The batch with the 3 or 4---no fizz with 3 (again, 32 oz bottle) and slight w/4 pills. (These are like cough drop size). Trying 5 and 4 this new batch.

Thoughts welcomed on sweetness level, etc

Happy New Year

 

[Maylar]

Dose for carbonation tablets is typically 1 per 12 oz bottle, so it doesn't make sense that you've used so much without success. Starting at 1.060 and ending at 1.000 says the yeast have totally converted the sugar - the cider will be dry and tart. Whatever you add for carbonation should also be totally converted - and 5 carb pills should give you champagne level fizz. Something's not adding up here.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Maybe the bottles are leaking. I've heard the swing top bottles are prone to leaking when the gaskets are reused.

Double check the sugar cubes are actually sugar?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yes the gaskets and rims need to be inspected for irregularities to insure a good seal.

 

[pat francher]

Bottles and tops are new...

 

[pat francher]

Will report back Super Bowl Sunday---target for trying a bottle of the newest with the sugar drops I referred to. Thanks for the input and thoughts

 

[Chalkyt]

Love being in the USA or Canada (Skiing) on Superbowl Sunday. Actually spent Superbowl Sunday in Telluride Colarado some years ago when Denver won, but I digress.

I have found that checking the SG after adding and distributing the sugar, FAJC or whatever before bottling gives me an idea of what the carbonation will be like. About 0.004 or something like that above FG gives me nice carbonation

 

[RPh_Guy]

About 0.004 or something like that above FG gives me nice carbonation

Sounds right. It's 0.5 volumes per gravity point, plus however much residual carbonation is remaining from fermentation, around 0.4-0.8 volumes

Will report back Super Bowl Sunday---target for trying a bottle of the newest with the sugar

Best of luck!

 

[Blacksmith1]

plus however much residual carbonation is remaining from fermentation

Please clear up my confusion here, I thought the point of degassing was to remove the residual carbonation.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Please clear up my confusion here, I thought the point of degassing was to remove the residual carbonation.

Yes.

But...
- There may still be some residual carbonation remaining after degassing.
- Not everyone degasses after fermentation.
- Degassing is completely pointless when you're going to bottle carbonate it. Lots of people prefer carbonated cider, or don't mind if it's petillant.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Blacksmith1]

yes it does, and I guess it's easier to carb with a head start.