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hard cider bombs
newb here....
anyways, ive been lurking this forum for a while and havent found a solution to my problem. Ive brewed a few batches of hard apple cider, the first two were good, just insanely overcarbonated, would not stop bubbling ferociously upon being opened. My third batch actually exploded all over the place.
The recipe I am currently using calls for 1oz or corn sugar per gal of cider, and to put it in after you rack it from the carboy to the bucket.
The lady at central market told me corn cyrup was the same as corn sugar, is this true? Because, I think that may be a main factor in the overcarbonation.
Also, is climate a factor? I live in Texas, and it gets hot, real hot...
I appreciate any feedback/input.
Corn syrup and corn sugar are not the same. I've never measured the gravity of corn syrup to see if it's equal by weight to corn sugar, but I bet it's different. Probably lower, but I'm no expert, and am too lazy to check.
1 oz corn sugar per gallon is pretty high carbonation, if you've got anything not yet fermented in there at all, it'd be no surprise to have an explosion.
I think I used about 2 oz of corn sugar for 5 gallons of cider when I did mine, but I tend to prefer lower carbonation in general.
Climate shouldn't have an impact on the amount of carbonation, though it could have some influence on the speed of carbonation and maybe at some point it's producing CO2 faster than it can dissolve... seems unlikely to me, but see above about not being an expert and being lazy.
for beer your looking at about 4 oz corn sugar per 5 gallons. I think a bigger problem is you might bebottling too soon and still have a lot of fermentables in the cider. Are you taking gravity readings? OG, FG?
DC
LIttlepony
Another home brewer in central Tex? I also have been trying to brew some cider (for my wife, she hates beer) terrible i know. I have tried several batches of cider and they all have been cloudy and have a very "hot" alcohol taste, even after 5-6 months of aging. I set aside one gallon in a small glass fermenter with some dark char oak. That helped ALOT but when she tasted it she said "I can taste the Woodchuck in it" Meaning it's OK but I still don't like it. Anyway were are you getting your apple juice? Central market?
Thanks
Irondavy
Are you using a hydrometer? Sounds to me like incomplete fermentation.
Ciders usually end up at around 1.000 - 1.010 SG. Also what kind of yeast?
I've had good luck with Lavin D-47, with both cider & mead.
My lady also doesn't like beer as much as I do, and the D-47 is relatively transparent. i.e. no yeast flavor.
It also has a lower attenuation, leaving your cider/mead a little sweeter.
If you Texas guys are working on "Lady Drinks", I've done some serious LPR meads/melomels.
But it helps to be able to force carb.
Its either incomplete primary fermentation or you have a contamination that is chewing up even the residual unfermentables in the cider too.
Post us your process and typical recipe. Also tell us what you use as a cleanser and sanitizer.
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