In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

The Hard Cider Thread

Discussion in 'The Smokehouse' started by SKEETER McCLUSKEY, Sep 18, 2019.

  1. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    Two other reasons I can think of to crown cap a swing top bottle in commercial brewing is tamper proofness and machinery. Simple machines put in crown caps but it takes a person to latch a swing cap.

    I use the standard bottle capper with the two handles that swing up and no base so it caps anything. You can fill a bottle from the keg and cap it for “legal” transport. Swing tops are considered “open containers” like a screw on lid for a whiskey bottle.
     
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  2. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    well you might want to check it out cause like i said... its a small operation and crown caps are installed by a person.
     
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  3. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    your capper will not cap a 16oz
     
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  4. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    why not? I’ve capped 12oz and 22 oz. It should cap anything the right size for standard caps.
     
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  5. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    Let me change that...."my capper will not cap 16oz" I see they make a two handle one that will but the one I have does not.im not going to buy another low quality two handle one that's made for 16oz.
    The necks are different
     
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  6. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    You would be a great candidate for a low cost kegging system. 5 gallon corny kegs, your standard welding bottle of CO2, a little regulator, and two days from fermenter to tummy! Can still bottle out of the keg for gifts or to bring to parties or save or whatever.
     
  7. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    ive thought about it.....still thinking about it...
     
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  8. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    what about the backsweeten to you liking then keg/carb give to friend.....sits on shelf for 6 months and explodes?.....thats wher im at....i dont drink alot of cider but i like making it and giving it away
     
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  9. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    Every batch of cider I make gets a dose of potassium sorbate along with backsweetening as it goes into the keg. The sorbate prevents a new fermentation from starting according to the label so no bottle bombs! I too give a lot of 22 oz bottles away and I like to backsweeten with raspberry and ajc. D3CD4DF4-CC7A-4205-B855-B0503A2CE447.jpeg
     
  10. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    Yummy, guava strawberry hard cider. The first 4 or so pints from the keg were a little pulpy but it’s clearer now. 6-7% abv.
    1C5D27DE-4EA6-41C8-A437-4CB27BF4AC60.jpeg 25D62D13-CEF9-4DFF-BFCA-E822FBACC08D.jpeg
     
  11. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    Nice!!!
     
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  12. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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  13. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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  14. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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  15. Warner

    Warner

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    I had an air lock get clogged on a batch of mead that size. Talk about a mess!
     
  16. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    I’ve had so many loads foam up and into the airlock that I now just run a blow off tube into a container of water in the sink. Makes your sink fill up with lovely smelling cider farts.
     
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  17. Warner

    Warner

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    I had brewed a bunch of beer but this was my first mead. Fermentation was furious! We heard the pop while in bed. I had the carboy in my wife office:bug:
    I was able to scrape the shmeg off the walls but had to paint over the stuff on the textured ceiling! Boy was she pizzed! Still married me a week later:loco: :crazy:
     
  18. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    lol!!
     
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  19. SKEETER McCLUSKEY

    SKEETER McCLUSKEY

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    15 bottles yesterday 20201115_094446.jpg
     
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  20. bushpilot

    bushpilot

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    IMG_20201115_135542318.jpg
    These are my current fermentation efforts.

    The left carboy is a huckleberry melomel, the middle is a cyser, on the right is a traditional session mead, the bucket is another traditional mead.