Moving cider off sediment / lees

[TheBlindHarper]

My cider is in its secondary fermentation vessel, though fermentation ended probably a month ago and I am wanting to age it. I don't like the idea of it sitting on the lees for such a long period of time and so want to move it, minus sediment, in to a new vessel. I have one question, however.

When fermenting, the co2 produced pushes any oxygen out of the vessel and leaves a protective layer of co2. When I move this, now not fermenting, in to a new vessel, with the oxygen present at the neck of the vessel cause me problems in regards to oxidisation?

 

[Smoey]

My cider is in its secondary fermentation vessel, though fermentation ended probably a month ago and I am wanting to age it. I don't like the idea of it sitting on the lees for such a long period of time and so want to move it, minus sediment, in to a new vessel. I have one question, however.

When fermenting, the co2 produced pushes any oxygen out of the vessel and leaves a protective layer of co2. When I move this, now not fermenting, in to a new vessel, with the oxygen present at the neck of the vessel cause me problems in regards to oxidisation?

I shouldn't think so. I think it depends on whether you have degassed it or not and the headspace in the vessel that you move it to. I moved mine out of the primary and off the lees into a plastic 5l flagon, squeezed all the air out and then shook it like crazy, partially to de-gas and partially to create that blanket layer between the liquid and any potential oxygen. I was quite surprised by the amount of gas that was in there. If you have the means, you could always blast some CO² into the vessel before you fill it...

 

[TheBlindHarper]

I shouldn't think so. I think it depends on whether you have degassed it or not and the headspace in the vessel that you move it to. I moved mine out of the primary and off the lees into a plastic 5l flagon, squeezed all the air out and then shook it like crazy, partially to de-gas and partially to create that blanket layer between the liquid and any potential oxygen. I was quite surprised by the amount of gas that was in there. If you have the means, you could always blast some CO² into the vessel before you fill it...

De-gas? Could you please elaborate?

 

[Hagrid]

De-gas? Could you please elaborate?

This is the process of removing the CO2 bubbles from the brew. You can either shake it like mad as smoey mentions or make/buy a degassing wand that goes in a drill. I “acquired” one of my wife’s excess plastic coat hangers and made one this morning as it happens. There’s a great thread in this forum about making one.

Basically it takes it from being fizzy to flat.

If fermentation has stopped could you not bottle it and then age it? It’ll negate the worry about lees and free up for FV for another batch.

 

[chthon]

partially to create that blanket layer between the liquid and any potential oxygen

A word of warning: this does not work. CO2, air and oxygen will always mix. However, if you indeed removed all air before closing the flagon and then shake, there should only be a minimum of oxygen inside it.