Another newbie seeking assistance...

[Tonibee]

I bottled half of my two batches (Hydrometer readings were point.99 in one and 1.01 in the other) yesterday, adding a little sugar and squishing the air out of the plastic bottles before closing them. They are cloudy and I will have sediment at the bottom of the bottles... I'm guessing (hoping) that the secondary, in-bottle, ferment, will expand the bottles to their natural shape filling the space with CO2 and therefore they will keep. Is that right?

The other half I've racked to DJ's, again adding a little sugar to restart fermentation, and they are fermenting slowly. I didn't fill them to the brim on the basis that additional fermentation will replace the air with CO2. Was that right, or should I top them up to the brim? I plan to let these sit in the DJ's for at least six weeks before bottling as still cider. What do I do with these when bottling to ensure preservation?

 

[Bigeck]

I bottled half of my two batches (Hydrometer readings were point.99 in one and 1.01 in the other) yesterday, adding a little sugar and squishing the air out of the plastic bottles before closing them. They are cloudy and I will have sediment at the bottom of the bottles... I'm guessing (hoping) that the secondary, in-bottle, ferment, will expand the bottles to their natural shape filling the space with CO2 and therefore they will keep. Is that right?

Yes, up to a point. If there is too much expansion left in the bottles and not enough sugar in the secondary ferment you may end up with the CO2 filling the bottle and not being sufficient enough to make your cider fizzy.

The other half I've racked to DJ's, again adding a little sugar to restart fermentation, and they are fermenting slowly. I didn't fill them to the brim on the basis that additional fermentation will replace the air with CO2. Was that right, or should I top them up to the brim? I plan to let these sit in the DJ's for at least six weeks before bottling as still cider. What do I do with these when bottling to ensure preservation?

The air will be replaced by CO2 so you are correct you do not have to fill to the brim.

You will still have dissolved CO2 in the finished cider. Do you intend to degas or leave this residual gas there? When bottling try to minimise the volume of air left in to prevent degradation.

 

[Tonibee]

Thanks for this!

Yes, up to a point. If there is too much expansion left in the bottles and not enough sugar in the secondary ferment you may end up with the CO2 filling the bottle and not being sufficient enough to make your cider fizzy.

Damn, now you mention it that seems obvious!! I think they will vary... Probably the smaller bottles will be fizzy and the larger ones will not. But that's OK, the best learning comes from mistakes :lol:

You will still have dissolved CO2 in the finished cider. Do you intend to degas or leave this residual gas there? When bottling try to minimise the volume of air left in to prevent degradation.

Erm... I don't know. I suppose for cider I don't really have to worry about degassing? However, my third batch, still bubbling in the bin, is destined for still wine, so degassing is something I'm going to have to do, as well as figure out to how to bottle with preservation.

 

[Tonibee]

An update for you kind folks that had some answers.

The first lot that I bottled straight from the bucket, were mildy fizzy, cloudy and quite tarte - but drinkable. Left, they have mellowed in flavour.

The second lot sat in DJ's for two months and cleared very nicely indeed! Bottled with sugar (and without squishing the air from the bottle). A significant improvement on the first batch in terms of taste and fizz, and I'm leaving some to improve over winter.

The, yet to be, apple wine is very clear and still in the DJs cos I haven't figured out what to do with it yet. But since I've found that it can take some months for wine to degass naturally, I guess they are staying put for a while. The airlocks still bubble occasionally and show positive pressure in the DJ, so I'm happy that everything is good.

How I do know when it's ready to bottle? Do I need to add, or do, anything to it?

Amnesia180, how did you do with yours?