Quick questions after a couple years without making cider

[naeco]

Hey guys, it's been a few years since the last time I fermented anything and a friend of mine just got a kegging system so I taught I would try and ferment some cider for the GF. She used to love this easy 1 galon recipe that I used to carbonate using the easy stove top method but stopped because it was a pain in the ass:

non pasteurized apple juice(anything sweet from Wal-Mart)
2 cans of Apple Juice concentrate
S4 English Ale Yeast
Yeast Nutrient

OG : 1.079
Perfect taste for her was : 1.024
Alc : 6%

My questions:

1- What can I add/change to this recipe to end up with a sweet pub style cider that would be similar to Dublin's pub cider(her favourite brand)?

2- I used to stop fermentation using the stove top pasteurizing
method but with my friend having a kegging system that we can use to carbonate directly in plastic bottles, how do I stop fermentation when it reaches 1.024 so I can then carbonate and bottle without having to worry about bottle bombs?

Thanks in advance and looking forward to trying to ferment again

 

[Maylar]

Kegging will open up a new world for you. You'll have much more control of your process without the risks of pasteurization.

Don't try to stop fermentation, that doesn't work (other than by heating). Instead, skip the concentrate and start with juice at about 1.050. Let it ferment to completion, totally dry. You can secondary and age it if you like, or oak it, or whatever. Once it's clear rack to a bottling pot and stabilize it with potassium sorbate and metabisulfite. That'll prevent any further fermentation. Now you can sweeten it to whatever level you want without fear. Then keg and carbonate.

I assume by "plastic bottles" your friend has carbonation caps and not a real keg, yes?

 

[naeco]

Thank you for your answer Maylar, I appreciate the help. The reason why I liked heat pasteurizing was that the cider taste great right from the start ... when I let it ferment to bone dry, I always feel it need a few weeks to rest as if not, it has an off weird chemical taste?

Question:

1 - Can I heat pasteurize my 1 gallon carboy and then let it rest in the fridge for 2-3 days to let the yeast sit. It would then taste great immediately and would be ready to be carbonated!

2 - I've never stabilized it with potassium sorbate and metabisulfite ... how does that work for a 1 gallon carboy?

3 - If I give your method a try, how long do I have to let it age in secondary so that the off chemical taste dissipates ?

 

[Maylar]

You stabilize by adding 1/2 tsp k-sorbate and 1 crushed Campden tablet for a gallon. This is standard practice and at those levels nobody has ever noticed a chemical taste in my ciders or meads. There are people who can taste even small amounts but I can't.

I suppose if you heat to 140F that'd work too but I've never done that.