Bottling & Kegging - Is Today THE day? *HELP SOUGHT*

[StrandedinCanada]

Morning all,

OK - so thoughts needed on if today is THE day to bottle and keg 2013's brews...

Below, first, is my timeline from last year (2012) and the results on first pour were "OK" but I did notice the brew tasted better as time went on... Probably that malolactic fermentation was going on at the same time...

Mon Sep 24 12 - Add 6.6 Imp. Gallons of juice (not cider apple varieties) into food grade bucket w/ 6.5 crushed campdens
Wed Sep 26 12 - Added Tannin (1/2 tsp per Imp Gallon), Pectic Enzyme (1tsp/imp gallon) and Yeast nutrient (1/2 tsp/imp gallon)
Wed Sep 26 12 - Added two packs of EC1118 Yeast
Wed Dec 19 12 - Opened, steel kegged, sealed and pumped with CO2

So, reading that, year 1 was a nice and simple...

With my apparent 'master brewer skills' (lol) - I progressed and made a lot more this year... This is my time line so far (as always - both the apple and pear varieties are, pretty much, household sweet varieties)

Things to note:
Batch 1 - Very was pulpy and not very well strained
Batch 2, 3 & 4 - Very well strained and quite clear from the start

Fri Sep 13 13 - (Batch 1) In a 4.16 Imp. Gallon Demijohn: Pear and Apple Juice Combined with 4.25 Campden Tablets (Ratio = 60% Pear / 40% Apple)
Sun Sep 15 13 - (Batch 1) Added Tannin and Yeast Nutrient + SOME Pectic Enzyme to Brew (Didn't have enough for 1tsp/imp gallon)
Sun Sep 15 13 - (Batch 1) Added Muntons Yeast (1 6g pack) to Apple/Pear Brew

Sun Sep 15 13 - (Batch 2) In a 4.16 Imp. Gallon Demijohn: Juice Pears and added 4.5 Campden Tablets
Tue Sep 17 13 - (Batch 2) Added Tannin and Yeast Nutrient + Pectic Enzyme to Brew
Tue Sep 17 13 - (Batch 2) Add Nottingham Ale Yeast To Brew

Sat Sep 28 13 - (Batch 3) Add 6.6 Imp. Gallons of juice into food grade bucket w/ 6.5 crushed campdens
Mon Sep 30 13 - (Batch 3) Add Tannin, Pectic Enzyme and Yeast Nutrient
Mon Sep 30 13 - (Batch 3) Add Yeast: Added Mangrove Jacks Cider Yeast at 13:50 with no rehydration (packet said add directly to brew)

Sat Sep 28 13 - (Batch 4) Add 6.6 Imp. Gallons of juice into food grade bucket w/ 6.5 crushed campdens
Mon Sep 30 13 - (Batch 4) Add Tannin, Pectic Enzyme and Yeast Nutrient - (NB - Short on correct amount of Pectic Enzyme)
Mon Sep 30 13 - (Batch 4) Add Yeast: Added E118 Champagne Yeast at 14:10 rehydrated...
Wed Oct 02 13 - (Batch 4) Added last of Pectic Enzyme needed for 1tsp/imp gallon ratio

So that's kinda where we are with timelines and what I've done so far...

Just like last year, I'm doing this all very 'overly simplistic'. Everything seemed to ferment out all good (though I haven't't touched or tried anything)...

Batches 1 & 2 are in clear glass demijohns: Batch 1 has about 6 inches of sediment (told you it was cloudy to start with) and Batch 2, maybe 2 inches or so... The brewed parts, though, are very clear...

Batches 3 & 4 are in food grade tubs which are frosted plastic and have negligible sediment at the bottom (very clear juice it was to start with). They look clear to me, but as the plastic is frosted - it's hard to confirm.

So, all that information to ask one question... Last year I waited until just before Christmas (Dec 19) to keg my one & only batch. This year it's gonna be a mixture of bottling (for the Batches 1 & 2) and steel kegging for 3 & 4. What's the thoughts on doing that today or tomorrow - instead of in a months time? Will it make a difference? Pitfalls? Consequences? Benefits?

Thanks so much for your help guys. Sorry if there's too much info to ask this question. This is still all uncharted territory for me and any help and guidance is appreciated :)

EDIT: Also, just thinking out aloud, but I want to try and add in a little sugar to batches 1 & 2 at bottling - to try and presurise the bottles... Any suggestions on ratios to add? and/or thoughts on a mixture of splenda & sugar (to give both sweetness and pressure)? Ratios? Experiences?

Thanks all :)

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

The only thing you really need to know is whether or not the cider has cleared. If it has then you can bottle or cask immediately. If it hasn't, you can either wait until all the sediment drops out, or add some finings. I'd be inclined to wait as finings do alter the flavour of the finished drink.

Re. malolactic fermentation, cider will naturally improve as it matures, with the acidity dropping over time, and often won't reach its best until a year or more after you start it. So it may not be malolactic fermentation at all - especially if you didn't get that distinctive Scrumpy farmyard smell.

If you can get hold of some cooking or crab apples next year, use between one and two-thirds. They will increase levels of malic acid, which eating apples and pears tend to be short on. The ideal acid range is roughly midway between that of most eating and cooking apples, and you can vary the proportions you use according to how you like your cider.

 

[StrandedinCanada]

Thanks very much for the reply there.

Well, it turns out today isn't going to be the day after all :)

The place I take my kegs to be taken apart and cleaned are a little on the 'relaxed' side - so kegging and bottling will be tomorrow I'm thinking.

Now, for adding sugar to carbonate the bottles of perry I'm brewing - how many teaspoons per ?

Thanks again :)