Should I stop the bottle carbonation?

[DyingBreed]

I made a batch of this cider: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=292770

It is backsweetened with 5 containers of apple juice concentrate and 2 cups of brown sugar. The yeast was dead because I gave it extra time on the primary and secondary so I added another yeast packet. I waited until it started moving again and then filled the bottles, stirring the cider constantly.

When bottling, I did the first and last in plastic coke bottles. Today those bottles are rock hard... but I bottled it Sunday night. It's been...about 36 hours.

I don't want any explosions this year, so should I cold crash them now (or bottle pasteurize) or am I worried about nothing?

 

[porterpounder]

Not sure how big the batch was, but for 5-15 gallons that's A LOT of extra sugar. I'd stop it as soon as possible if it is at a desirable level of carb.

 

[DyingBreed]

Sorry, yes, 5 gallons. Thank you!

 

[Gavin C]

Yes. You've added plenty (more than enough) of sugar for bombs to develop.

Open a bottle wearing protective eyewear and long sleeves outside to assess this for yourself. I would anticipate a messy affair.

If you prefer unoxidized cider/beer never stir when priming. Just allow the cider/beer to mix in the bottling bucket with the priming solution via positioning the racking hose with a curve

I like my cider with a little residual sweetness. I find using an ale yeast gets me there without having to add sweetener.

These bottles need to be rendered safe. Keep them cold or pasteurize them asap. With the amount of sugar you added to actively fermenting cider a dangerous and/or messy situation is a certainty.

Adding priming sugar and concentrate is not back sweetening. It's just over priming. Backsweetening is a term used when the original must is retained and added after completion of fermentation +/- stabilization

 

[DyingBreed]

I tried bottle pasteurizing four. Two tops popped, but the pot is huge, strong and has a lid so it was safe. The rest I put in the fridge to cold crash since pasteurizing is out.

Thanks for tips, especially about the stirring. I'd never stirred it before, but I wanted my yeast and brown sugar distributed evenly and it seemed like a good idea. Is it going to taste off now because of the oxidization?

 

[Gavin C]

I tried bottle pasteurizing four. Two tops popped, but the pot is huge, strong and has a lid so it was safe. The rest I put in the fridge to cold crash since pasteurizing is out.

Thanks for tips, especially about the stirring. I'd never stirred it before, but I wanted my yeast and brown sugar distributed evenly and it seemed like a good idea. Is it going to taste off now because of the oxidization?

No worries mate. I'm no expert but wanted to reply given the dangerous nature of the situation.

Off taste related to O2 is likely given the method you outline but that depends on a few things.

• Time
• Storage conditions
• Your taste threshold for oxidation compounds.

I typically make cider in a very simple and unimaginative way.

Here is my Stupid Simple Cider

 

[SimonMM]

To Jump on the back of DyingBreed's post....

I asked this question in another post, but I haven't received any feedback there, so would someone mind giving me their experience here (it's related to DyingBreed's post)?

I have transferred my juice mixture (with 3/4 cup of diluted sugar) straight into my individual bottles ready for carbonation. I have sufficient storage space to cold crash, so:
How do I know when to cold crash? Is it really just a matter of observing the bottles and then crashing when I am happy with the level of carbonation?

Also, once I have cold crashed, am I right in assuming that the level of carbonation reached at the point of cold crashing remains and that no further carbonation will continue?

Many thanks,
Simon M.