Question on cider, bottle bombs and cold crashing>

[Dylan Byrnes]

So I made my first batch of cider a couple weeks ago, just from sweet cider and pitching dry ale yeast. After about 1.5 weeks it looked like it was done fermenting as it stopped bubbling. My OG was 1.058, I was told by a local brew shop that it would be ready to cold crash and dry hop after a week. Like an idiot I didn't check my gravity reading before cold crashing and dry hopping to make sure it was done fermenting. I just checked my gravity reading today and it came out to about 1.022. I was planning on bottling it soon, but now I am worried that I have the potential of having bottle bombs. I read that the cider should be at about 1.006 before bottling. What should I do?

 

[Angus MacDonald]

Cold crashing wont kill the yeast, which is why you most likely will have bottle bombs if you bottle. Is it still in the primary? If so then seal 'er up and let it be for another week or so to let the yeast get back to it. Then test the SG every two days when you think it's time. If the SG is stable for a few days running, bottle 'er.

Methinks that'll work anyway. Hi btw, and welcome.

 

[TwistedGray]

I read that the cider should be at about 1.006 before bottling. What should I do?

Where did you read this? As you know not all cider or juice is the same and yeasts have different attenuation rates. So gravity expectations should be taken with a grain of salt unless you read that about your specific juice profile and yeast.

What you should do? Stop cold crashing, let it ferment out, then cold crash if you want.

 

[Dylan Byrnes]

Thanks for the replies. TwistedGray, the 1.006 I just found on a website. I'll pull the cider out and and see if the specific gravity will drop over the next week or so. Thanks again.

 

[TwistedGray]

Thanks for the replies. TwistedGray, the 1.006 I just found on a website. I'll pull the cider out and and see if the specific gravity will drop over the next week or so. Thanks again.

Yeah, I wouldn't take the FG numbers as gospel. Let it ride

 

[RPh_Guy]

FYI
My ciders ferment around 65-68F and finish and mostly clear in around 3-6 weeks in primary.
I don't care about clarity and don't cold crash. I bottle carbonate, so there will always be sediment regardless.
It clears with time.

My high gravity faux ice cider has been fermenting 4+ months.

 

[NateBodnar]

FYI
My ciders ferment around 65-68F and finish and mostly clear in around 3-6 weeks in primary.
I don't care about clarity and don't cold crash. I bottle carbonate, so there will always be sediment regardless.
It clears with time.

My high gravity faux ice cider has been fermenting 4+ months.

How do you control off flavors in your cider if it sits without racking that long?

 

[RPh_Guy]

How do you control off flavors in your cider if it sits without racking that long?

Hasn't been a problem with any of the yeasts I've used.

 

[dmtaylor]

It's not done fermenting yet. Give it another month or three. Yes I'm serious. Leave it alone.

 

[TwistedGray]

My ciders are fermented out in two weeks, typically.

 

[Dylan Byrnes]

So I took it out of the fridge about 8 hours ago and the airlock just started to bubble again. Thanks for the help everybody. I'll let you know how it turns out.