So, sparkling medium/sweet cider?

[hypnoticmonkey]

I've raised this question elsewhere but didn't want to hijack that thread so I thought I'd create a new one.

I've never made cider before, stuck to wines in the past.

I understand that to make it sparkling I should let it ferment out, add sugar to the bottles and cap. What if I don't want a dry wine? I won't use artificial sweetners like Splenda, I don't agree with them and they don't much agree with me either!

Suggestions?

 

[Kyral210]

Hmmm

if it has not finished fermenting in the bottle fermentor and you prime it and bottle it the bottles may explode.

I have never tried this, but I suggest wine sweetener http://www.the-online-homebrew-comp...product_info.php?cPath=50_104&products_id=580. It is designed to make dry wine taste sweeter, so I guess it is much better than any other kind of artificial sweetener you might find in the kitchen cupboard. Either that or just get used to the taste of dry cider. Either that or have sweet still cider by halting the fermentation with campden tablets while it is still sweet.

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Cheers Kyral!

I've seen those wine sweeteners before, they're essentially just glycerol and saccarine, unfortunately, so still out of the question. Looks like if I want a sparkling medium/sweet I'm gonna have to carbonate it artificially, really, doesn't it?

Ah well, not to worry! I'll ferment this one out till it's dry and see how it comes out.

 

[Moley]

Looks like if I want a sparkling medium/sweet I'm gonna have to carbonate it artificially, really, doesn't it?

'fraid so, or let it ferment out, prime and bottle, then sweeten with sugar or apple juice at the time of serving.

 

[brucedenney]

I am facing exactly the same issue.

I want to make a sweeter cider, bottle conditioned, naturally fermented.

I have a bit of wine and beer experiance, now, I have an idea but never heard of anyone doing this, and perhaps I can save myself a disaster by asking here.

The problem is that we need to stop the fermentation after enough gas has been made, but we can't open the bottle to put in any fermentation stopper (I don't really like the stuff anyway)

My thought is to sweeten the cider before bottling, effectively adding too much priming sugar.

I would leave it a couple of days to gas up, probably test a bottle to check it is fizzy enough and then kill the yeast by heating up the bottles.

Has anyone tried this sort of approach, anyone think of any problems?
Would the extra heat cause bottle to explode?
It could change the taste but I guess you have to try it to find out.

I am thinking an initial test getting it up to 65 degrees (60 is kiss of death to yeast), and holding it for 10 minutes that should get everything in the bottle heated through, would kill the yeast in the bottle. I might do it outside in case of explosions. I will keep one bottle long term to check it is enough.

 

[brucedenney]

O my, thank goodness for students...

http://ift.confex.com/ift/2005/techprog ... _30247.htm

Looks like submerging in a water bath at 74C for 5 mins is enough.

 

[Kyral210]

I REALLY want to see how this turns out. Sounds like a sound process. Just a little concerned about the pressure build up inside the bottles when they are at 75°C...

 

I REALLY want to see how this turns out. Sounds like a sound process. Just a little concerned about the pressure build up inside the bottles when they are at 75°C...

I would think that you would have very little trouble if you used PET bottles.
All the best ideas are the simple ones; good old Louis :thumb:

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

This sounds like a fantastic idea. Let me know how it goes! I'd be very keen on giving it a go.

 

[evanvine]

I wonder if it's the act of freezing or the time frozen that works the magic?
If it's the freezing process, would multiple freezing and defrosting be advantageous?

 

[Ken L]

Either find a non-fermentable sweetener that does agree with you or stop the fermentation early, stabilise and force carbonate.

 

[hobotot]

When I was looking into this before I came across somebody who was using their dishwasher to kill of the yeasties, they were reporting success but I thought it too risky so have never tried it.

One positive is that if a bottle does go pop it would be sealed safely inside your dishwasher.

 

[user 1290]

I back sweeten still cider with sugar then pasteurise in the same way as I pasteurise my pressed apple juice for drinking, in glass bottles with screw/crown caps.

The only method I know of for producing small scale sugar sweetened fizzy cider to use an in bottle carbonator (I think they were about £2,000 last time I looked at a price list) and then pasteurise, which because the bottles are capped will cause some losses.

http://www.vigoltd.com/in-bottle-carbonator.php