primary to secondary to bottle

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ThePrisoner

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I'm going to use a 15 gallon carboy as the primary.
Probably then going to do a secondary in 1 gallon bottles. Can I just leave them in there after that or do I actually have to bottle them in 750ml bottles or smaller?
I'm thinking the entire 4litres will just get drunk in one go with friends so why waste time going to a smaller bottle.
If so, how do I keep the bung/cork on the 4 litre bottle without it generating too much gas (if I make it fizzy)?

Also, how do I keep contaminants out in the transfer? I saw a video online where they just siphon it from the demijohn to the bottle with no stoppers so technically, something could get in? I suppose because they add sugar, the secondary fermentation keeps the bad stuff out?
If I'm doing a still cider, does everything in the transfer need to be shielded from air?
 
You can leave secondary in 1 gal bottles, just be sure to fill them close to the top to avoid oxygen. And use airlocks on each. You can't use a solid bung until fermentation is totally finished.

All equipment, including the siphon and tubing, needs to be clean and sanitized. With an auto siphon you can minimize mixing with air, but some air bubbles are inevitable. I've never had any problem exposing the cider to air for a few minutes in the bottling pot, even with gentle stirring. Just avoid splashing or ingesting a lot of air in the siphon process.
 
You can leave secondary in 1 gal bottles, just be sure to fill them close to the top to avoid oxygen. And use airlocks on each. You can't use a solid bung until fermentation is totally finished.

All equipment, including the siphon and tubing, needs to be clean and sanitized. With an auto siphon you can minimize mixing with air, but some air bubbles are inevitable. I've never had any problem exposing the cider to air for a few minutes in the bottling pot, even with gentle stirring. Just avoid splashing or ingesting a lot of air in the siphon process.

What about just leaving it in the primary until done and then bottling in the 1 gallon.
For the in bottle fermentation (after adding sugar), don't you bottle and then close the tops?

In the video at the bottom here, they add sugar for secondary fermentation and then bottle?
http://www.howtomakehardcider.com/rack-bottle.html
 
It is generally good to get the cider (like everything else) off the yeast bed (lee or trub) if you are not bottling immediately. I find that with my ciders, aging in secondary gives a smoother flavor and helps clarify the cider a bit more, if you care about that kind of thing.
 
What about just leaving it in the primary until done and then bottling in the 1 gallon.
For the in bottle fermentation (after adding sugar), don't you bottle and then close the tops?

In the video at the bottom here, they add sugar for secondary fermentation and then bottle?
http://www.howtomakehardcider.com/rack-bottle.html

Sure, that's how to do it. The thing is, most 1 gallon jugs aren't designed to hold pressure so if you carb them in that jug, they will be likely to blow up on you and no one appreciates glass grenades.

For still cider, a 1 gallon jug is just fine. For carbonated cider, either soda bottles or beer bottles are great, as they are meant to hold carbonation pressure.
 
What about just leaving it in the primary until done and then bottling in the 1 gallon.
For the in bottle fermentation (after adding sugar), don't you bottle and then close the tops?

In the video at the bottom here, they add sugar for secondary fermentation and then bottle?
http://www.howtomakehardcider.com/rack-bottle.html

In the video, she adds priming sugar to the secondary jug and bottles from that. The problem with that is that there is usually a small amount of lees (sediment) in the jug and you don't want to mix that in when you bottle. Instead, I siphon the secondary to a stainless pot. Mix the sugar there and bottle in capped beer bottles.
 
It is generally good to get the cider (like everything else) off the yeast bed (lee or trub) if you are not bottling immediately. I find that with my ciders, aging in secondary gives a smoother flavor and helps clarify the cider a bit more, if you care about that kind of thing.

I guess I can try one with and one without but some of the beer brewers don't bother with a secondary saying that the yeast will clear everything up?
 
Sure, that's how to do it. The thing is, most 1 gallon jugs aren't designed to hold pressure so if you carb them in that jug, they will be likely to blow up on you and no one appreciates glass grenades.

For still cider, a 1 gallon jug is just fine. For carbonated cider, either soda bottles or beer bottles are great, as they are meant to hold carbonation pressure.

So, if I want to sweeten it up but make it a still cider, at what point should I add the sugar? At the point of secondary fermentation? and then leave the airlock on?
Once finished, can they be stored at room temperature?
 
So, if I want to sweeten it up but make it a still cider, at what point should I add the sugar? At the point of secondary fermentation? and then leave the airlock on?
Once finished, can they be stored at room temperature?

For sweet and still you will need to wait until fermentation is totally complete (ideally, in secondary) then treat it with potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate to prevent further fermentation. Then sweeten and bottle. Yes, it can be stored at room temp once treated.
 
It is generally good to get the cider (like everything else) off the yeast bed (lee or trub) if you are not bottling immediately. I find that with my ciders, aging in secondary gives a smoother flavor and helps clarify the cider a bit more, if you care about that kind of thing.

For Ed Wort's Apfelwein, he recommends leaving it in the primary FV for 2-3 months.

:confused:
 
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