Kmeta when bottle conditioning

[tradowsk]

I have a batch of cider that's almost ready for bottling, and I'm going to carbonate it naturally by adding some apple juice concentrate right before filling the bottles.

Do I add kmeta as well for protection or do I skip it to keep the yeast active?

 

[CDrew]

You probably should use StarSan. This will sanitize without killing your yeast, assuming a good drain procedure. When I was brewing, I used to put all of the bottles in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour. Then let them cool for 30 minutes and bottle. It worked fine with bottle conditioned ale.

 

[tradowsk]

Sorry, I meant adding kmeta to the cider. I already use StarSan for sanitizing the bottles.

I usually add kmeta to my wines and meads before bottle to protect them as they age, but I didn't know how that would affect the bottle conditioning.

 

[KnottyKidsFarm]

Sorry, I meant adding kmeta to the cider. I already use StarSan for sanitizing the bottles.

I usually add kmeta to my wines and meads before bottle to protect them as they age, but I didn't know how that would affect the bottle conditioning.

I know this thread is old, but I'm wondering what you learned about this. I can't seem to find this specific answer anywhere. I'm also split on whether I should add some yeast along with the priming sugar - or just hope the original yeast are healthy enough to reactivate. How did yours go? Did you use Kmeta to protect it - and if so, did that slow or prevent carbonation?

Thank you!

 

[Raptor99]

When I make cider I bottle carbonate. I don't add any Kmeta when I bottle. I do not add any more yeast either. I bulk age my ciders for 4-5 months before bottling. I have never had a problem with the reactivating to consume the carbonation sugar. I also do not add any Kmeta when I rack my cider before bulk aging. I figure if I am careful about sanitizing everything it will be fine.

 

[Rice_Guy]

I would try to have 30 to 50 ppm SO2 if I wanted shelf life! ,,, wine yeast will tolerate this and carbonate the cider (wild cider yeast probably would be killed, ,,, depends how contaminated the equipment is with commercial wine yeast) . . . the logic is that I want shelf life, just because it is five to eight percent alcohol doesn’t mean normal degradation won’t happen . However if I was planning on drinking everything in under a year I could see it run as is. Expect detectable oxidation at six months if it is zero SO2

 

[hounddawg]

I would try to have 30 to 50 ppm SO2. if I wanted shelf life! ,,, wine yeast will tolerate this and carbonate the cider (wild cider yeast probably would be killed, ,,, depends how contaminated the equipment is with commercial wine yeast) . . . the logic is that I want shelf life, just because it is five to eight percent alcohol doesn’t mean normal degradation won’t happen . However if I was planning on drinking everything in under a year I could see it run as is. Expect detectable oxidation at six months if it is zero SO2

@Rice_Guy so the higher the ABV my low is 15 to 17 ABV, i compensate with a lot higher fruit/berry so i don't taste alcohol. lol got old, i want my wines smooth, anyway i was asking about longer shelf life, your up on that,
Dawg