Bottling Day!! Advice needed.

[Jaxteller15]

My first cider brew (Bulldog Strawberry and Lime) has now finished it's 10 day fermenting period.

Today my plan is to sanitize my bottles

Fill the bottles with cider

Add carbonation drops

Cap bottles

Leave for 10 days minimum.

Questions

Q1 If I need to back sweeten can I use Sweeteners?

Q2 Is it recommended to siphon into another tub and leaving a while for the sediment to settle before bottling or if I am steady with the siphon can I rack straight from the FV?

Q3 Is temperature still a factor when carbonating i.e. can I bottle then move to the garage?

Q4 Do they taste better with age and what kind of use by date am I looking at?

Thanks in advance

[Rookie]

10 days is awfully short.

[whataboutbenjamin]

I'm in the same position as you.

Things I've picked up on:
Check that the gravity is stable with a hydrometer over 3 days to ensure primary fermentatio n is complete.

I tend to see that people with kits that come with a flavour packet Tend to rack into a secondary fermenting vessel after fermentation finishes, leaving the sediment behind, then add the flavour sachet and leave for around another two weeks.

Then bottle as you said below, using one priming drop per bottle or batch priming or just regular sugar.

The bottles should be kept in room temp for around 2 more weeks then chilled for around two weeks.

The above is all to get the best possible flavour, I don't plan on leaving in a second bucket for long myself, not with my first kit which is still fermenting.

I think an important thing from what you said would be to make sure fermentation has finished before bottling, to reduce the risk of creating bottle bombs.

[whataboutbenjamin]

Also even if it is non rinse, id still rinse them, but I'm just a little cautious of having any sanitiser taste in the drinks.

[Jaxteller15]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I ended up bottling straight from the FV as there was very little sediment.

I checked this thread after bottling and thus haven't took a hydrometer reading over two days to check if fermentation had finished however there was no activity for 2 days after the 10 day fermentation period so hopefully I'll be fine.

I used Star San however didn't rinse I let them air dry for a while.

In terms of carbonation the packet stated something like 1 drop per 378ml however I have used one drop per 500ml on advice from here. My question is does it matter how long the carbonation drop is in the cider before capping the bottle? I only ask as I placed a drop in each bottle then filled all with cider then capped all meaning that they would have been unsealed for about 20 minutes. Will I lose carbonation due to this? The carbonation drop seem to have dissolved by about half before they were capped which as stated previously was maximum 20 minutes.

I only state I'll leave in bottle for 7 to 10 days as that's what the instructions state I presume that I should wait longer?

Finally I tasted it and whilst it tasted nice and ciderlike it didn't taste like a strawberry and lime cider can this flavour develop through bottling and will the carbonation drop as well as carbonate will it make it sweeter?

Thanks

[WalesAles]

I only state I'll leave in bottle for 7 to 10 days as that's what the instructions state I presume that I should wait longer?

Jax,
I know that you`ve bottled this already, but a good tip is to put some of your brew in 330ml clear bottles (6 - 10, if you`ve got them).
You can see the brew clearing, you can taste one when you like, you keep the rest for the Ladieeees because they don`t drink pints!
2wks warm, 2wks cold is the normal conditioning time. I`ve tasted my TC`s after 11 days and it was all gone in 2 days after that ( friends helped)
You will know when it`s ready!

WA

[Jaxteller15]

Thanks mate.

Anyone else able to answer the other questions?

Thanks