Cider Virgin

[Scott the Fish]

Afternoon all, I am very new to the brewing game and with 2 concentrates under my belt (1 a bit naff and one ok), I have started a cider. It's been going for a few days and looks to be motoring past 7% and I may stop this tomorrow with Camden tablets and potassium sarbonate. Having checked it today it's been brewing around 4 days it still tastes very fruity, which is nice. I want to make sure that the next stage gives me as clear and carbonated cider as possible, looking to suggestions please. I am looking to bottle around a dozen bottles and use a barrel for the rest. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[VW911]

If you want it sparkling, do not add campden or potassium sorbate. This will kill the yeast that you need for the "sparkle".

 

[Scott the Fish]

I did read this thank you, in terms of it continuing to ferment and I guess the dryer the more it does. How would you balance this ?

 

[VW911]

It will ferment until all the available sugar has been used up by the yeast. The only (easy) way to sweeten is to use non-fermentable sweeteners, such as saccharin or aspartame (both yuk!).
Just adding sugar will not sweeten it, just increase the ABV...

 

[Scott the Fish]

Many thanks

 

[Scott the Fish]

How about carbonating?

 

[Seaside brew]

If you had a corny keg you could back sweeten with apple juice etc and force carb it with co2. I haven't done this myself but have read of it on hear. I'm thinking about doing it myself when I get my kegs

 

[Scott the Fish]

If you had a corny keg you could back sweeten with apple juice etc and force carb it with co2. I haven't done this myself but have read of it on hear. I'm thinking about doing it myself when I get my kegs

Thank you, checked it again yesterday and it's still fermenting but still quite sweet at 7%, if it stops before getting to dry that would be great. I was think priming sugar and also carbonating drops in the bottles.

 

[johncrobinson]

Whatever you do don't treat it with sulphite or sorbate.

What you need to do is let the fermentation just about finish by itself then bottle and carbonate this will give you a sparkling dry cider.
You can then sweeten with a bit syrup at the point of serve if you don't like artificial sweeteners.
you need to use syrup and not dry sugar to do this in order to avoid an eruption.

This is one of those questions that keep coming as regular as night follows day there is no easy answer for the home brewer who is unable to invest in stainless steel kegs.