Time to bottle

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mini-me

Time to bottle

Post by mini-me » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:30 pm

Well its now finished bubbling so guess its time to drink :D
Do I have to sterilze the bottles, and do you just syphon it and cap the bottles or do they need to be warmed like when you make jam so it dont go off ?

Marts

Post by Marts » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:00 pm

Yes you need to sterilise the bottles.

No they don't need warming.

Try not to get air in the brew when you bottle it as that is what will make it go off.

Has the primary fermentation really stopped? What's its FG?
What have you brewed?
Are you going to prime it before you bottle it?
Are you going to condition it before you drink it?

mini-me

Post by mini-me » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:51 am

Hi Marts
Im trying to make TC by using 4.5ltrs apple juice and 5g youngs cider yeast.
I put some in the hydrometer and filled it up to about 2inch from the top and it read at 1.010, I did not do a reading when I started :oops:

It tasted horrible so I added a teaspoon of sugar to the hydrometer and this did help a small amount.

The hydrometer is now about 3inch from the top and this morning reads 1.070.

If I am suppost to sweeten how much sugar sould I use ? Do I do this when bottling in 500ml bottles.

Chumsky

Post by Chumsky » Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:12 am

mini-me wrote:Hi Marts
Im trying to make TC by using 4.5ltrs apple juice and 5g youngs cider yeast.
I put some in the hydrometer and filled it up to about 2inch from the top and it read at 1.010, I did not do a reading when I started :oops:

It tasted horrible so I added a teaspoon of sugar to the hydrometer and this did help a small amount.

The hydrometer is now about 3inch from the top and this morning reads 1.070.

If I am suppost to sweeten how much sugar sould I use ? Do I do this when bottling in 500ml bottles.
The trick is with sweetening to add some none fermentable sweetener at the start of the process.

When bottling it'd be an idea to add some apple juice, about 30 ml per pint.

If it is too dry at the end, just have an apple juice top!

Marts

Post by Marts » Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:14 am

I'm not a TC maker, so others will be beter placed to answer, but as its cider I would add some apple juice to sweeten it. SOmething like 30ml per 500ml bottle sounds reasonable (but you can tell better depending on the brew)

I asked about the FG more to see if fermentation had stopped. If you read 1010 yesterday leave it until tomorrow and read it again. If its stabilised bottle it. If its fallen further wait as to bottle it while its still fermenting could lead to a big bang. Again though someone of the apple supping persuasion can probably tell you better what sort of fg to expect.

Last thing - if you add fermentables (i.e a spoon of sugar) then the gravity will obviously rise. I don't think the 1070 reading has any relevance therefore.

Hope it works out :)

Curious Brew

Post by Curious Brew » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:01 pm

TC tends to get down to 0.997-1.002 on the hydrometer when finished.

I've never heard of one finishing so high, I'd give it longer...

mini-me

Post by mini-me » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:07 pm

Its now reading at 1.000 is this correct

Marts

Post by Marts » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:11 pm

If it stays put at that reading tomorrow then...probably :wink:

mini-me

Post by mini-me » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:17 pm

Sorry, trying to rush as am going on holiday tommorrow and really needed to bottle today to take with me !

Chumsky

Post by Chumsky » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:38 pm

mini-me wrote:Sorry, trying to rush as am going on holiday tommorrow and really needed to bottle today to take with me !
I'd watch out!

If your bottling it, then moving it, what so ever, it can end in disaster.

I've transported a couple of demi-johns in a car after bottling and the corks blew off, one as I got out of the car flew 20 meters into the air, over a hedge and a fence!

How you going to transport the TC/store it?

maxashton

Post by maxashton » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:13 pm

If you bottle it today for use tomorrow, it will be flat as a pancake. This may not be an issue, but just so you know. :)

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