Should I bottle it now? or wait

[stevepostie]

OG 1.046 (26°c) 11.30pm on the 01/06/09
SG 1.006 (23°c) 4.00pm on the 07/06/09 (first time checked)
SG 1.005 (24°c) 2.30pm 0n the 08/06/09
Still plenty of gas coming off as it's pushing the fv lid up 30 min after i put lid back on.

Taste good now as the peary taste has gone, although tastes a little to sweet.. seems to have a little fizz to it. kit says it should only take six days, but maybe longer with this 32 pint cider recipe. From dates above you can tell its now day 7. "Garth" who is one of the forum moderators suggested yesterday that its probably ready. I am a bit worried as I think I Failed to mention that I will be bottling it into newcastle brown ale bottles. I will be priming with 1 level teaspoon of white granulated sugar per pint bottle.

Questions
1/ Should I bottle tonight or wait until SG is steady for two days running . I don't want exploding newcastle bottles.
2/If I calculate how many pints I've got can I add all the sugar straight into bottling bucket, or do I need to put sugar on the stove first with water
3/how much water do I add to the sugar if question 2 is the better optoion .
4/Do I bottle straight away after mixing sugar with cider if question 2 and 3 apply .

My money would be on garth being right, but I wanted to double check as the SG has changed since yesterday.

Any help would be appreciated as i don't want to end up with something undrinkable as garth mentioned could happen .

[pauljmuk]

As i understand it, if you are using a recipe with a lot of apple juice and sugar, and a wine or champagne yeast, this thing will just keep on fermenting. Mine did that, down to 998, and is now a bit too dry.

Advice I've read is therefore bottle at the very low 1000's (where you are at), and maintain some sweetness. If you are worried about pressure, use a little less priming sugar per bottle?

[stevepostie]

As i understand it, if you are using a recipe with a lot of apple juice and sugar, and a wine or champagne yeast, this thing will just keep on fermenting. Mine did that, down to 998, and is now a bit too dry.

Advice I've read is therefore bottle at the very low 1000's (where you are at), and maintain some sweetness. If you are worried about pressure, use a little less priming sugar per bottle?

As this is my first go at home brew I just used the can,cider yeast and yeast nutrient that came in the kit + 1.25kg of white granulated sugar. Unless I get any other answers off of any one then I will bottle it tonight. Thanks for your help, do you have any suggestions regarding best way of adding the priming sugar regarding my questions 2 and 3. Thanks again

[pauljmuk]

Sorry, didn't spot it was a kit brew - in that case, do the instructions give a guide as to the FG?

You can add sugar to bottling bucket, if you are using a seperate bottling bucket - wouldn't advise adding to your FV, as it needs stirring and distributing and that will stir up the trub at the bottom

The way I do it is dissolve the amount of sugar required into a water volume (boiled and sterile!) that is divisible into the number of bottles by either 3, 4 or 5ml. I do this as I have measured, graduated pipettes - then I just squirt the exact amount of sugar solution into each bottle, and assuming I've measured correctly, it works out fine, nicely evenly spread across bottles.

Alternative is to add sugar dry, using a funnel and an accurate measuring spoon.

[stevepostie]

Sorry, didn't spot it was a kit brew - in that case, do the instructions give a guide as to the FG?

no problem and yes 998

You can add sugar to bottling bucket, if you are using a seperate bottling bucket - wouldn't advise adding to your FV, as it needs stirring and distributing and that will stir up the trub at the bottom

I bought my second fv today, this one has the hole and tap.

The way I do it is dissolve the amount of sugar required into a water volume (boiled and sterile!) that is divisible into the number of bottles by either 3, 4 or 5ml. I do this as I have measured, graduated pipettes - then I just squirt the exact amount of sugar solution into each bottle, and assuming I've measured correctly, it works out fine, nicely evenly spread across bottles.

Not sure what graduated pipettes are sorry?

Alternative is to add sugar dry, using a funnel and an accurate measuring spoon.

got funnels...will use this idea as its my first time. walk before i run i suppose. Thanks again for your help.

[stevepostie]

Not sure what graduated pipettes are sorry?
Forget the above statement,as i now think i understand what you mean.

Also If i leave it a bit longer, Im guessing it would get drier in flavour from what you have said. I don't have a problem with this as it seems a little sweet at the moment. I just worried i suppose about spoiling my first batch.

[pauljmuk]

if kit instructions said 998, and you followed recipe, i'd leave till 998 - might be to wishy washy and weak otherwise

[stevepostie]

if kit instructions said 998, and you followed recipe, i'd leave till 998 - might be to wishy washy and weak otherwise

agreed! I have put my bottles to sterilise overnight. I will take another SG reading tomorrow. cheers (commercial one's will keep going until it's right)