Sparkling cider

[Gustavo]

O my understanding is sparking cider is just carbonized hard cider? And if so would I have to let the cider dry out first before bottling?

 

[Nateo]

You have a couple of options. The easiest is to just let it ferment to dryness, add just enough sugar to carbonate it, and enjoy your sparkling cider dry. If you bottle before it's done fermenting, you'll need to stop fermentation in the bottle at just the right point, where it's carbonated, but still sweet.

You could use a hot water bath to pasteurize it, but if it carbs up unevenly, or you don't catch it in time, you could very easily end up with bottle bombs.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I've had success with using ale yeast and stalling fermentation to produce semi-sweet ciders. I rack after about 2 weeks and this seems to slow everything down to a crawl. (age in secondary) Once it gets down to about 1.008...I bottle it and go on a bender.

The first couple of weeks they are lightly carb'd and semi-sweet. The following couple of weeks they start to get a little more dry and more carb'd. It's not the perfect world...but if you make the same recipe over and over...you will find the "sweet spot" and know when to bottle and consume.

I don't claim any sort of 'recipe' and I can't say it works for everyone...but I haven't had a bomb yet. (knock knock)

My personal opinion is to keep fermentation on the cooler side and not to over prime when bottling. OH...and keep a carboy going at all times. They don't last very long

 

[angrybits]

OH...and keep a carboy going at all times. They don't last very long

Truer words were never said.

I use el cheapo Cooper's ale yeast and it makes a perfectly clear dry cider. Could back-sweeten if that were your thing.