Bottle or Bulk?

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Intelekt

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While I've been faffing about with my beer equipment most of the wines and ciders I have on the go have suddenly stopped fermenting and begun to clear.. So I see myself racking soon :D

I'm just wondering though if its best to rack them to a fresh DJ and bulk mature before bottling, or go straight to bottling and allow to mature in there.. I know I've seen similar questions on this before, but I just wondered what you guys did most of the time?

I'm also not using campdens as I want them as natural as possible, sweeten as I drink etc, 5g sugar per bottle and hope for the best :whistle:

:thumb:
 
Maturing works better in bulk, generally.

But don't try to carbonate in a demijohn, as the labels say, they're not designed for pressure. So for cider it's a big FV or demis with airlocks while it matures (and hopefully undergoes MLF, if you want it), and there should still be enough yeast to carbonate when you do bottle; or a proper pressure keg of some sort.

Although the above is true, personally I bottle everything.
 
I've got some blueberry cider that's been maturing for a month in a DJ, how long is long enough :party:

My real apple electric juicer cider has stopped too, 2cm of lees on the bottom, is it best to get it off this lees? I'm pondering bottling it but my gut tells me to DJ it for a while :hmm:
 
I am no expert but I try to leave cider in the FV for a couple of months before bottling. Personally I would rack it off the lees. Others may disagree.
 
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