Carbonating Cider Kit

[mr_rusty]

Hi guys , having just got back into brewing and made a few kits I,m having trouble carbonating kit cider .
My first few kits where Bulldog Kits and they where just too fizzy for me .
I like a bit of fizz but not too much .
Then I tried a Ciderworks Kit and followed the instructions to the letter . It recommended mixing the sugar with water before bottling and injecting 10ml with each bottle , this turned out flat .
I don't want to use a champagne yeast as this makes it way too fizzy but I was thinking of a beer yeast .
I,ve just mixed a Bulldog apple and pear kit , mixing the concentrate by weight and transferred to a second bucket to reduce sediment so it should be ready for bottling next week .
Any advice to give it a little fizz would be helpful and greatly appreciated
Steve

 

[tonyhibbett]

Sodastream

 

[mr_rusty]

Thanks . Never really give one of those a thought

 

[Ashley]

Isnt that an expensive way to carbonate though?

I use 1 teaspoon per bottle in mine and turns out just right for me. Or use half a teaspoon for smaller fizz?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Tesco sell coopers carbonation drops i think it's one for a small bottle two for a big bottle, you could try one in a big bottle as you don't like it very fizzy.

 

[tonyhibbett]

The Sodastream can cost 50p per litre to run (cost of the co2) for maximum carbonation, but if you just want a slight fizz it's a lot less. The advantages are it is instant and leaves no sediment.

 

[Ashley]

True... the sediment thing is a bit of an issue although isnt it a pain the pour in the bottle after carbing? Or are you just talking about carbing before drinking?

 

[mr_rusty]

Thanks for the replies .
Ive sussed out what my problem is now .
I used to bottle straight away and put a spoon of sugar in each bottle but this left a bit of sediment in the bottle , hence why i started second bucketing .
I used to leave in the second bucket for another week , which all but killed any yeast , or certainly made it ineffective .
Two solutions where
1 , only leave the second bucket for a day or two to settle and then bottle adding the sugar . This leaves enough yeast to give it a slight fizz .
2 , If i leave it longer i still bottle and add a spoon of sugar then i also add a grain or two of yeast . This gets me the fizz i,m looking for .

 

[ziggy12345]

The Sodastream can cost 50p per litre to run (cost of the co2) for maximum carbonation, but if you just want a slight fizz it's a lot less. The advantages are it is instant and leaves no sediment.

I use a CO2 bottle and a carbonator cap that fits on the bottle. Much cheaper than a soda stream

 

[Malthead]

Yes I use one like this its so easy and you can carb just the way you like it

 

[Cqr]

Can I have more info on this cap please
Maybe a link to were to buy one, how to use one :thumb::thumb:

 

[ziggy12345]

This is the cap
https://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/carbonator-cap.html


This is the connector to the cap. Get the one with the screw on barb option 3
https://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/quick-disconnects-co2-grey-for-cornelius.html

Then you need a CO2 regulator
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/co2-regulator.html

And a bit of hose from the same site. I had some so dont have a link

Then go to your nearest bar gas sales and get yourself a 7lb bottle of CO2 and do this

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4_JDbLwE_s[/ame]

:)

I have tried all sorts of methods of carbonation. I made cider with Gervin GV13 cider yeast and found the juice goes to 1.002 SG at 20 deg C in about 4 days and then I transfer to demijohns. After a month its clear and SG 1.000 and I tried the sugar method with a full teaspoon of sugar in a 500ml bottle and it was flat. I also tried adding 3 teaspoons of sugar to a 70ml bottle and added a pressure gauge. I am looking at it now and its stuck at 5psi.

I added a small amount of yeast to another 70ml bottle and added 3 teaspoons of sugar and thats increasing in pressure.

I came to the conclusion that the yeast makes a difference so I am getting more apples and will be trying the sugar method with 3 different types of yeast. I haven't decided what ones yet.

Anyway for now I take the cider and transfer to a large PET bottle and add some syrup then ice down and carbonate and I get the perfect cider. Not what the hipsters agree with but Hey!! :smile:

 

[Cqr]

Thank you very much option 3 has no barb I think is it option 4 or am I just dum
One more silly question will I need to order lots off caps https://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/carbonator-cap.html
Or can I card then fit a screw cap
Thanks again

 

[ziggy12345]

I have 2 caps. I screw one on a bottle and then pressure it up and shake it then leave it while I do the other and rotate until they are both done. I then remove the caps and screw back on the original tops and leave in the fridge to drink. There is still plenty of fizz in the bottles.

Im experimenting with adding sugar then fizzing up with CO2 then leaving for a while. I'm using PET bottles so can check the pressure every day for over pressure

Cheers

Sorry its option 5

 

[Cqr]

:thumb: thanks