Glass Fragmentation Grenades

[f1oored]

First post here and I'm new at the whole home brewing thing so go easy on me. I did my first batch of cider a few weeks ago. I added a bunch of sugar (mistake number 1) to cider, tossed in some cote des blanc yeast and left it in primary for about 18 days. Then I couldn't wait any longer so I bottled it(noob mistake number 2). The thing is, it was still bubbling, albeit very slowly before I bottled it.

It's been in the bottles for just over 2 weeks now and nothing has popped yet. Is there a way I can tell if these are going to explode? Because of the high alcohol content I really want to let this stuff sit for a while so it will hopefully stop tasting like lighter fluid (it's not that bad but it's far from good at this point). On the other hand, I don't want to grab a bottle and have it explode and tear my hand to ribbons or send glass shards into my eyes or maim me in any fashion.

Can anything be done at this point? If I check the gravity and it's around 1.00does that mean I'm safe? Should I open them and recap to relieve pressure?

I've already started a second batch and this time I promise to be patient.

 

[Lunarpancake]

I would crack a bottle and taste. If it is carbed to your liking then put the rest of your bottles in the fridge. This will hopefully cold crash them so none will continue to ferment even more and turn into a bomb. You will most likely have an ungodly amount of yeast on the bottom of each bottle so warn guests.

 

[david_42]

around 1.00 does that mean I'm safe

NO, it means you will have bombs. A typical prime is 0.003-4. A heavily sugared cider can go to 0.995-2, so from 1.000 you have double the normal carbonation. Seriously consider cracking the seal on the bottles and in six months, remove the caps, add carb drops and re-cap.

 

[wreckinball9]

i would just keep them in a larger rubbermaid container just in case. if one explodes, then vent the rest. otherwise they will probably be fine.

 

[BrewFrick]

Just do several checks on them like the first post said. When they are carbed to your liking put them all in the fridge.

 

[f1oored]

I checked another bottle today it was very very carbed. I waited for most of the bubbles to go away then checked the gravity and it was close to 1.02. So i put everything in the fridge. It doesn't taste very good and it probably isn't going to improve much in the fridge. Oh well, you can't expect too much from your first batch can you?

 

[corexcore]

You could also try to pasteurize the bottles, which should kill the yeast. I'd be careful doing so though, as with such a high pressure inside it might make them more likely to spill or crack open. Here's a helpful link as to how to do this process!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/pa...tabilize-bottled-fermented-apple-cider-71180/

 

[EO74]

I had a similar experiance w/my first cider as far as the lighter fluid part!I let it bottle condition for a long time and its not too bad,I still have about 20 bottles. I think its more like a wine than a cider. Man does it kick like a mule!!

 

[f1oored]

Yeah, it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is much more like an apple wine than a cider though. A single bottle gives me a buzz and more than one... well some might consider that excess.