Will I have to worry about bottle bombs?

[Robert_Paulson]

I'm making a couple gallons of still cider, all of which will be backsweetened with a lot of sugar. Yesterday I racked to a secondary and added both campden and potassium sorbate.

I have been looking around on the forums and it seems that there is some discrepancy as to whether this combination (campden and sorbate) will totally stop all future fermentation or whether it will only delay it for a time. I'm just concerned because I'll be adding so much sugar to these ciders, and I won't be able to store them in a refrigerator.

Are bottle bombs something that are a possibility in this situation? I'm open to any suggestions or advice on how to avoid bombs. I would prefer not to stovetop pasteurize if at all avoidable.

 

[snuesen]

You're usually safe if you add the recommended dosages. The stabilizers do have a shelf life so that is a consideration.

What was the OG? What was the FG? What yeast? What was the gravity at after you added sugar?

 

[pumpkinman2012]

As long as you stabilize with K-meta (campden) and Sorbate you should be fine.

Sorbate stops the yeast from multiplying, therefore no new fermentations should occur.
K-meta stuns the yeast.
Usually 1/2 tsp. per gallon for Sorbate and 1/4 tsp per 5-6 gallons on the K-meta, and I believe 1 tablet of campden per 5 gallons, crushed into a powder.

 

[LeBreton]

Sulfite and sorbate will prevent re-fermentation when little to no yeast is present, but will not stop an active fermentation. It's best to allow the cider to ferment dry, and wait while it clears while racking a few times off the less until no more is being produced. I typically wait a day or so after stabilizing to backsweeten.

 

[Robert_Paulson]

Okay, that is great to hear. I'll check on it when I get home from work and see if any further fermentation has taken place. I'll just keep racking off the lees it until it stops for good. Thanks for the help.

 

[Robert_Paulson]

You're usually safe if you add the recommended dosages. The stabilizers do have a shelf life so that is a consideration.

What was the OG? What was the FG? What yeast? What was the gravity at after you added sugar?

OG= 1.054
FG= 1.005
Yeast= Cider yeast (I forget which one specifically at the moment) from LHBS

I'm not sure of the gravity after I added the sugar. At the point that I added the sorbate and campden though, it had been fermenting for a little over 3 weeks and had seemed to stop.

I added the sugar to it last night after letting it sit for a day when I added the sorbate and campden. As of this morning it looked good and without any further fermentation. I'm probably going to bottle it sometime this weekend.

 

[snuesen]

Take a gravity reading tonight, tomorrow and before you bottle. If it's the same you're good to go. If it drops, then bottle bombs will probably rely upon the current gravity.

Say gravity is up to 1.020 right now. To fully carb, it only takes something like 8 points (not positive on that number but somewhere around there). If the yeast is still active and say brings it back down to 1.005 then you're looking at twice the normal carb level of the bottle. Beer bottles can handle a bit of pressure but it's a dangerous game to guess with.

 

[caseymac91]

I can't think of a good reason not to stovetop pasteurize. No chemicals, no affect on taste, 0% chance for bottle bombs.