ciderheads cider ...

[newToBrew]

so....

I've bulked aged my cider from Ciderheads epic group buy a few months ago
bulk aged in a carboy, the thing is its like Ghandis flip flop

I left it finish out at 1.000 - wht I'd like to have is a medium dry - something someway sweet - I'm considering adding some sugar to make it sweet  and bottling it, leave it prime for a few weeks and then pasturise to stop the fermentation.
tbh - this is the only thing I can think of - was gonna keg it - but seeing as I'm not ready to start drinking 19 litres of teh stuff - I guessed if I did sweeten the keg and not drink it quick enough - it would just ferment out again in teh keg - so thats why I'm thinkin of goin down the sweeten - bottle - prime -paturise route

any thoughts guys ?

I usually just use table sugar when batch priming

would you use this ?  -how much should I use? - what would be the hydro reading I would want for a medium sweet cider ?
is thi sidead a non runner ? should I just accept my mouth puckering cider ?

[Damo]

Hi Newtobrew

I think what you have there at 1.000 is a med-dry cider.

Im no cider expert, but from what I understand you can treat cider like wine in terms of back sweetening.

Treat it with potassium sorbate to kill off yeast and then you can aweeten to taste. I believe you. can add Juice, Sugar or wine sweetener.

I bought a couple of Bottles of Double L from David Llewllyn, even his medium is mouth puckering. It might be worth your while doing a side be side tasting.

[RichC]

so....

I've bulked aged my cider from Ciderheads epic group buy a few months ago
bulk aged in a carboy, the thing is its like Ghandis flip flop

I left it finish out at 1.000 - wht I'd like to have is a medium dry - something someway sweet - I'm considering adding some sugar to make it sweet  and bottling it, leave it prime for a few weeks and then pasturise to stop the fermentation.
tbh - this is the only thing I can think of - was gonna keg it - but seeing as I'm not ready to start drinking 19 litres of teh stuff - I guessed if I did sweeten the keg and not drink it quick enough - it would just ferment out again in teh keg - so thats why I'm thinkin of goin down the sweeten - bottle - prime -paturise route

any thoughts guys ?

I usually just use table sugar when batch priming

would you use this ?  -how much should I use? - what would be the hydro reading I would want for a medium sweet cider ?
is thi sidead a non runner ? should I just accept my mouth puckering cider ?

Hi NewtoBrew, I havent tasted mine yet but if its too dry I'm considering stovetop pasteurisation(I assume you read the HBT sticky on that). I dont fancy adding any artificial sweeteners or crap like that to my cider. I think, if youre set on stovetop pasteurisation and want a carbonated cider then add a quantity of pure applejuice(maybe 8~10%) to backsweeten and carbonate and taste it after a week or so and then as often as you need until youre happy with the carbonation and sweetness, then pasteurise.
My only worries with tis method are an exploding bottle during pasteurisation or not killing the yeast properly and over carbonating...

[Ciderhead]

so....

I've bulked aged my cider from Ciderheads epic group buy a few months ago
bulk aged in a carboy, the thing is its like Ghandis flip flop

I left it finish out at 1.000 - wht I'd like to have is a medium dry - something someway sweet - I'm considering adding some sugar to make it sweet  and bottling it, leave it prime for a few weeks and then pasturise to stop the fermentation.
tbh - this is the only thing I can think of - was gonna keg it - but seeing as I'm not ready to start drinking 19 litres of teh stuff - I guessed if I did sweeten the keg and not drink it quick enough - it would just ferment out again in teh keg - so thats why I'm thinkin of goin down the sweeten - bottle - prime -paturise route

any thoughts guys ?

I usually just use table sugar when batch priming

would you use this ?  -how much should I use? - what would be the hydro reading I would want for a medium sweet cider ?
is thi sidead a non runner ? should I just accept my mouth puckering cider ?

Congratulations if your cider is clear you have brewed proper english cider from cider apples, I hope you enjoy the authentic experience, although for me still 3-6 months too early and a lot of tannin still present.
It will put hair on your chest though. If however you prefer the waxed version for the girlies or you are just in touch with your feminine side, feel free to add

Sorbitol
Splendida

or add your apple juice and pasturise.
There are no hard and fast rules just experimentation I'm afraid.

I have posted plenty of times here now about post treatment.
Advice only do it in small batches as otherwise you can potentially screw up whole lot and its down to personal taste. When the sun is cracking the rocks, at 6.5 percent allow her to add some apple juice per pint glass, it doesn't take a lot.
 

[Damo]

Ok.  Here's where i'm at...

I think I've got malolactic fermentation goin on!

Over the last few weeks i've noticed a kind of whitish/haze forming/floating on top of my cider.   From what i've read, this is a good thing right?

Funny stuff!  Out of 6 dj's, two are really kind of crystal clearish while 4 of them could be described as still kind of murky looking.

What next? Do I bottle the clear ones now? Do I carbonate?
how do I carbonate? etc? etc?