TC ready to bottle?

[pauljmuk]

Got another TC on the go. Went in the FV on Sunday, 20litres apple, 500g cane sugar, and 350g honey (plus some orange blossom). OG 1054

My last TC (OG1056) used champagne yeast, and fermented down to a strong 996, and was way too dry.

Just dropped the hydro in this one on day three, and the gravity is at 1000! I think the heat has brought this down quick. Still seems to be fizzing on surface. I used cider yeast for this one.

My question is on bottling - I'd like to do so now to retain some sweetness, and keep strength manageable. I am however concerned about exploding gas (as i would like to prime bottles for some carbonation on pouring)

Ready now - or leave a few more days?

[DREADSKIN]

i cant work out how you get a meduim dry fizzy cider. when you work out how gaymers does it with those Orchard Speicals type they do let me know! everytime i prime it end up dry and fizzy. put two much in and they fizzy everywere.

[trucker5774]

We are back to what I have been trying to sort out! ...................A TC not too dry with carbonation. I am leaning towards bread or ale yeast for lower fermentation and to retain some sweetness. If you bottle a little early it will probably carbonate without any addition as it is still fermenting. The best solution I have found is to add juice to the glass when drinking.............you only need a splash and you can use a different juice, thereby changing the flavour! I always use PET bottles as they are strong and dont have the same over pressure problem (they can be opened slowly too)

[pauljmuk]

hmm thats what i did with last batch.

[richT]

What did you end up doing with the TC? I am in a similar situation, my first TC with 5 litres of pressed apple juice and a sachet of champagne yeast (no added sugar) it has raced down from 1050 to 1002 and I'm planning to bottle in swing top fischer bottles but would rather not have them explode. Fermentation is still going on (FV is a 5 litre PET water cooler type container, and it re-gasses quite quickly) but I do want some fizz in the finished product.

At the moment it tastes pretty good considering it is quite warm - certainly better than it smells . I don't want to overcook it and have something too dry.

Anyone got any ideas?

[pauljmuk]

left it another 2 days, went down to about 997 FG and bottled it. Going to be drier than I wanted, so still dont have answer to my question - how do I hold it at a sweeter level.

this will be another I need to add honey or apple juice to the glass for.

Regarding the smell - again, comments welcomed. This TC had a real sort of "old cider" smell to it in the FV. Quick taste, although warm, was lovely, and certainly not "off".

[Trunky]

[trucker5774]

I have found TC normally finishes around 997 t0 1002. As I use plastic fizzy drinks bottles I have never had one burst. I suggest botling with the bottles in some sort of largs "safe" container......(cool box, dust bin) ....anything which will contain a spill. Once you have tested your system you will be able to relax. I just use a little ale or bread yeast to ferment and add juice to the glass to bring the cider to the sweeness I want to drink at. Blackcurrant cordial is nice added too. I have opened bottles after a week or 10 days, added juice to them and put the tops back on for another week of two............this has worked fine, still carbonated and sweeter.

[timothio]

I have opened bottles after a week or 10 days, added juice to them and put the tops back on for another week of two............this has worked fine, still carbonated and sweeter.

Aha, this could be part of the answer to my Jacques / Kopparberg close thats been weighing heavy on my mind for the past few days...

Also wanted to make bottles that could be easily carried to the beach without disturbing the filthy sediment and becoming cloudy, so will try priming a few bottles of TC in the normal way (maybe with a bit extra sugar, just for luck), then when carbonated I'll transfer carefully to another bottle and slap in a load of fruit juice concentrate. Then to the fridge to wait for a hot sunny afternoon.

I feel I'm getting there, slowly but surely...