When transferring cider to pressure barrel help

[anthony346]

Hey guys complete newbie here an on my first ever kit. I've got a question regarding transferring to the pressure barrel. Once all the cider has been transferred, there is still air in the top, the cider didn't fill it completely. Ok to leave that air there or do I need to add anything to it?

Sorry to be a complete idiot, thanks in advanced, an sorry if this is posted in the wrong section

 

[Dutto]

Hey guys complete newbie here an on my first ever kit. I've got a question regarding transferring to the pressure barrel. Once all the cider has been transferred, there is still air in the top, the cider didn't fill it completely. Ok to leave that air there or do I need to add anything to it?

Sorry to be a complete idiot, thanks in advanced, an sorry if this is posted in the wrong section

If you primed the cider with sugar before transferring it into the pressure barrel then all you have to do is to put the barrel somewhere nice and warm to get the secondary fermentation going. It should be ready to drink in one to two weeks.

If you didn't add the priming sugar but you are able to pressurise the barrel with CO2 then I suggest that you do this as soon as possible. After that it's just a case of waiting for it to clear enough that you want to drink it. (Tomorrow would be good enough for me!)

If you didn't add any priming sugar then I can only assume that you are intending to drink "still" cider in which case I you can start drinking the cider straight away or wait for it to clear if you like a clear cider. However, to prevent any nasties getting in there to spoil the brew I would sulphite it with the addition of one Camden Tablet per 5 litres and then wait for it to clear before drinking.

If you just straight forgot to add the priming sugar then (for a 21 litre batch) dissolve 85 grams (I think this is the correct amount) in some boiled and cooled water, then introduce the solution to the pressure barrel, give it a good shake and put it somewhere nice and warm for about a week to allow it to carbonate and clear.

 

[anthony346]

Thank you :) yea I put the sugar in when transferring to the new barrel. My kit suggested 56g, don't know if I done something wrong though as it seemed to reduce a lot, but that might just be the kit.

 

[terrym]

Thank you :) yea I put the sugar in when transferring to the new barrel. My kit suggested 56g, don't know if I done something wrong though as it seemed to reduce a lot, but that might just be the kit.

I haven't done a kit cider but what happens in the pressure barrel is the same as for beer, the priming sugar is fermented by the residual yeast to form CO2 and a small amount of alcohol. If you have followed the kit instructions and added 56 gm sugar ( rather than another quantity) then you have done what the supplier recommends, and can only put your trust in that, but time will tell. The CO2 generated by the priming sugar will mostly dissolve in your cider, but some will come out of solution and will form a protective layer between your cider and the air trapped in the barrel when you sealed it up, so I would have no concern there.
If kit cider is anything like kit beer then it will improve with age. Certainly real cider and even turbo cider does. So give your cider chance to mature over a few weeks before you really get stuck in and you may find it improves.

 

[anthony346]

I followed it to the letter, so hoping it should come out fine. It says on the kit that it should be ready after four days though for best results leave up to 2 weeks. So I was planning on leaving it the duration. Can you recommend any other good kits for a future attempt?

 

[Dutto]

My comment ...

"If you primed the cider with sugar before transferring it into the pressure barrel then all you have to do is to put the barrel somewhere nice and warm to get the secondary fermentation going. It should be ready to drink in one to two weeks."

... still stands then.

Put it somewhere warm and don't worry about it for at least a couple of weeks and as terrym points to it usually gets better with age so don't be impatient.

 

[Dutto]

I did this Cider kit for our No.1 son last year as he just doesn't like beer. (We still wonder who his mother is!)

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/raspberry-mango-cider-kit

It made a nice change to beer on the few warm days we seemed to have last year.

 

[anthony346]

You would recommend now I've transferred keep it somewhere specifically warm? It's been in my kitchen at a cool 10 degrees through fermentation (as suggested on the kit, cooler longer will taste better). Now it's in pressure barrel shall I put it in my much cosier living room?

 

[Dutto]

You would recommend now I've transferred keep it somewhere specifically warm? It's been in my kitchen at a cool 10 degrees through fermentation (as suggested on the kit, cooler longer will taste better). Now it's in pressure barrel shall I put it in my much cosier living room?

A steady 18 degrees is often recommended so the living room sounds okay but makes it awfully hard to leave alone.

It's much better if you find a nice warm place away from a "living area" (as a neighbour of mine once found out when one of his bottles of beer exploded in his wife's airing cupboard). :whistle:

 

[anthony346]

Haha I'll be leaving it alone. Theirs no worry there, don't want to mess up my first attempt and want the best result available.
Cheers for all your help, if you can recommend any kits for a later date that would be appreciated

 

[terrym]

if you can recommend any kits for a later date that would be appreciated

If it's kit beer you are intending to try look at the Beer Kit Review section on here or this for some ideas. http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43755