Campden tablets, back sweetening and kegging?

[Butcher]

I have a batch of 5 gallons of cider that I want to add brown sugar to and keg. Do I add the crushed campden tabs (5 of them), brown sugar and dump it all in the keg and drink once carbonated. Or does there need to be additional steps in between.

Also, what risk is there of this refermentating if I don't add the campden tabs prior to adding brown sugar and kegging? This batch has been in the fermentater for over a year and the fridge temp ranges from 36 to 43 degrees.

 

[Yooper]

Campden tablets don't kill yeast, so you might as well not use them if that is the intention. They will work as an antioxidant to help preserve the cider, though.

If you wish to ensure that the brown sugar won't ferment, the proper thing to use is sorbate.

Sorbate doesn't kill yeast either, but it inhibits yeast reproduction to make sure fermentation won't restart.

How I'd add it is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of cider, dissolved in a little hot water. Since you want to make sure you don't undergo MLF with sorbate in the mix, 1 crushed campden per gallon (crushed and dissolved) goes in as well at the same time.

I'm assuming that after a year that the cider is very clear and that there are no lees present- but if there are the cider should be racked into the keg and into the dissolved sorbate and campden. If there are no lees at all present, the campden/sorbate can be added to the carboy and mixed gently.

About three days later, the cider can be sweetened to taste. I'd take out a bit of the cider and dissolve the brown sugar in it and then return that to the whole batch, as I don't think it will dissolve easily in the keg.