• Favorite Carb Level For Cider?

    From Baloonon@bloonon@bln.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Sun Oct 3 04:02:22 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider, about 5%
    abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective opinions about carb
    levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and why. Maybe
    they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma, or maybe too low
    tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people think is something I'd
    like to consider.
    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113
  • From Bob F@bobnospam@gmail.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Sun Oct 3 11:04:28 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    On 10/2/2021 9:02 PM, Baloonon wrote:
    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider, about 5% abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective opinions about carb
    levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and why. Maybe
    they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma, or maybe too low tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people think is something I'd
    like to consider.


    I do not find it too critical. I usually keep mine around 10-15 psi.
    Mine is in kegs, and drops sometimes to around 5 where it starts to flow
    slow, reminding me to add some more.
    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113
  • From Baloonon@bloonon@bln.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Mon Oct 11 01:42:07 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sjcrbf$rgb$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/2/2021 9:02 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider,
    about 5% abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective opinions
    about carb levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if
    any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and why.
    Maybe they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma, or
    maybe too low tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people think
    is something I'd like to consider.

    I do not find it too critical. I usually keep mine around 10-15 psi.
    Mine is in kegs, and drops sometimes to around 5 where it starts to
    flow slow, reminding me to add some more.

    I ended up priming with more cider and bottling. Unfortunately, it carbed
    up a lot faster than I was expecting and when I pasteurized in hot water according to instructions I found online. There was too much C02 and a
    couple of bottles blew.

    Fortunately I had the lid of the pot on, but the sounds were pretty nerve wracking and I was worried more were going to blow when I pulled them from
    the bath.

    Fortunately I got them all out and chilled and they seem stable, but
    obviously I'm going to need to be a lot more careful if/when I do another batch.
    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113
  • From Bob F@bobnospam@gmail.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Sun Oct 10 23:52:42 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    On 10/10/2021 6:42 PM, Baloonon wrote:
    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sjcrbf$rgb$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/2/2021 9:02 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider,
    about 5% abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective opinions
    about carb levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if
    any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and why.
    Maybe they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma, or
    maybe too low tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people think
    is something I'd like to consider.

    I do not find it too critical. I usually keep mine around 10-15 psi.
    Mine is in kegs, and drops sometimes to around 5 where it starts to
    flow slow, reminding me to add some more.

    I ended up priming with more cider and bottling. Unfortunately, it carbed
    up a lot faster than I was expecting and when I pasteurized in hot water according to instructions I found online. There was too much C02 and a
    couple of bottles blew.

    Fortunately I had the lid of the pot on, but the sounds were pretty nerve wracking and I was worried more were going to blow when I pulled them from the bath.

    Fortunately I got them all out and chilled and they seem stable, but obviously I'm going to need to be a lot more careful if/when I do another batch.


    I never even heard of pasturizing it before.

    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113
  • From Baloonon@bloonon@bln.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Wed Oct 13 18:58:43 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sk0mvq$uih$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/10/2021 6:42 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sjcrbf$rgb$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/2/2021 9:02 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider,
    about 5% abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective
    opinions about carb levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if
    any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and
    why. Maybe they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma,
    or maybe too low tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people
    think is something I'd like to consider.

    I do not find it too critical. I usually keep mine around 10-15 psi.
    Mine is in kegs, and drops sometimes to around 5 where it starts to
    flow slow, reminding me to add some more.

    I ended up priming with more cider and bottling. Unfortunately, it
    carbed up a lot faster than I was expecting and when I pasteurized in
    hot water according to instructions I found online. There was too
    much C02 and a couple of bottles blew.

    Fortunately I had the lid of the pot on, but the sounds were pretty
    nerve wracking and I was worried more were going to blow when I
    pulled them from the bath.

    Fortunately I got them all out and chilled and they seem stable, but
    obviously I'm going to need to be a lot more careful if/when I do
    another batch.

    I never even heard of pasturizing it before.

    I gather that a lot of people who force carb will use something like
    potassium sorbate to stop the yeast, backsweeten and then carb.

    Or just carb a dry fully fermented out batch.

    For bottle conditioning zapping the yeast first obviously doesn't work.
    This is an example of pasteurization:

    https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-with- pics.193295/

    In the past I've done small batch bottle carbing without pasteurization
    where I just chilled the bottles quickly as soon as they hit a good carb level, and then kept them in the fridge, but that's only practical for
    me with a small batch because I don't have a separate fridge.

    I've also made fully dried out cider and then bottle carbed with a small amount of priming sugar. I like dry cider, but the better half doesn't
    so I was trying to accommodate her tastes. I'll be more careful next
    time.

    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113
  • From Bob F@bobnospam@gmail.com to rec.crafts.brewing on Thu Oct 14 06:28:53 2021
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.brewing

    On 10/13/2021 11:58 AM, Baloonon wrote:
    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sk0mvq$uih$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/10/2021 6:42 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote in news:sjcrbf$rgb$1@dont-email.me:

    On 10/2/2021 9:02 PM, Baloonon wrote:

    I'm about to carb up a batch of slightly sweet hard apple cider,
    about 5% abv, and I'm just curious if anyone has subjective
    opinions about carb levels -- still, low carbing, or heavy carbing?

    I know people have preferences all over the map, but I'm curious if
    any readers here have a deeper explanation for what the like and
    why. Maybe they find high carbonation tends to wipe out the aroma,
    or maybe too low tends to make cider seem dull -- whatever people
    think is something I'd like to consider.

    I do not find it too critical. I usually keep mine around 10-15 psi.
    Mine is in kegs, and drops sometimes to around 5 where it starts to
    flow slow, reminding me to add some more.

    I ended up priming with more cider and bottling. Unfortunately, it
    carbed up a lot faster than I was expecting and when I pasteurized in
    hot water according to instructions I found online. There was too
    much C02 and a couple of bottles blew.

    Fortunately I had the lid of the pot on, but the sounds were pretty
    nerve wracking and I was worried more were going to blow when I
    pulled them from the bath.

    Fortunately I got them all out and chilled and they seem stable, but
    obviously I'm going to need to be a lot more careful if/when I do
    another batch.

    I never even heard of pasturizing it before.

    I gather that a lot of people who force carb will use something like potassium sorbate to stop the yeast, backsweeten and then carb.

    Or just carb a dry fully fermented out batch.

    For bottle conditioning zapping the yeast first obviously doesn't work.
    This is an example of pasteurization:

    https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-with- pics.193295/

    In the past I've done small batch bottle carbing without pasteurization
    where I just chilled the bottles quickly as soon as they hit a good carb level, and then kept them in the fridge, but that's only practical for
    me with a small batch because I don't have a separate fridge.

    I've also made fully dried out cider and then bottle carbed with a small amount of priming sugar. I like dry cider, but the better half doesn't
    so I was trying to accommodate her tastes. I'll be more careful next
    time.


    You could just add a little sweetener when served. My wife likes it
    sweeter too, and a paper match head of pure stevia extract does the job nicely. Or, try a little honey.
    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Linux NewsLink 1.113