Hey guys, I noticed that of the threads I have read in this forum, not many (if any!) know how to stop fermentation for a sweet product, opting to either backsweeten with non-fermentable sugars like lactose, using artificial sugars, or cold crashing. Now each of these methods are perfectly fine, but I don't have time to mess around with all that nonsense when I can just as easily pasteurise my bottles.
Once fermentation is at the stage where you would like to stop (with my ciders, I usually aim for somewhere around 1.010 and 1.014), add priming sugar as normal, and set your bottles aside. Now with these potential little bottle bombs you can either A. Set 3 or 4 aside that you won't mind drinking a little more flat than the rest, or B. use 1 plastic 600ml bottle. Using method A. You will need to check the carbonation level every 2 - 3 days by opening, waiting a minute or two and tasting/pouring to see if the carbonation is to your liking. Using method B. Bottle as normal, but also bottle the plastic bottle as you would normally. Keep the plastic bottle in exactly the same conditions as the glass bottles and once it becomes firm/slightly bulging, it will most oftenly be carbed sufficiently. (I don't recommend keeping the solution in the plastic for more than necessary, once carbed, gulp it down).
Now comes the easy part. Set a pot on your stove, fill with water, enough to reach the level of the solution in the bottle if you were to submerge it in the water. Find yourself some aluminium foil and fold to a decent thickness to provide a buffer between the heat and the glass surface of the bottle, but allow for heat transfer to the water around, I use two square/rectangle blocks of foil to rest them on. Heat the water in the pot to around 70 degrees. There's no point going over this temperature, but if you're sitting around 50, some yeasties might find a way to survive, and you'll get yourself a bottle bomb.
Submerge your bottles in the water, turn off the heat, put the lid on, set a timer for 10mins, relax, have a home brew, life is good. Rinse and repeat for all bottles. I would suggest using tongs to retrieve the bottles.
Alternatively, for those of you who DON'T brew beer, i.e. either don't have a large enough pot or only use wine bottles (which may be too large for the pot) you can use your kitchen sink (make sure you plug it!!!!). Just boil a few litres of water either in the jug or on the stove, put your bottles in the sink (standing up) and pour over the bottles. Do this twice and cover with a folded towel to retain the steam (which will raise the temperature). Wait 5mins. Boil another few litres, pour over the bottles and cover once again. You will know they are ready if the bottles are almost too hot to touch. (This method sounds very touch and go, but it has never failed me either)
You will know it works in both methods if the day after there are NO bubbles floating on the top of your brew (this of course, varies with different brews)
I HAVE NEVER HAD A BOTTLE BOMB OR EVEN SO MUCH AS A CRACKED BOTTLE.
Sorry about the wall of text, if you got through it, thank you for reading and I hoped it helped. I will edit with some pictures to break up the text when I get the chance. Feel free to ask any questions, and mods if this belongs in a different section, feel free to move it for me!
Once fermentation is at the stage where you would like to stop (with my ciders, I usually aim for somewhere around 1.010 and 1.014), add priming sugar as normal, and set your bottles aside. Now with these potential little bottle bombs you can either A. Set 3 or 4 aside that you won't mind drinking a little more flat than the rest, or B. use 1 plastic 600ml bottle. Using method A. You will need to check the carbonation level every 2 - 3 days by opening, waiting a minute or two and tasting/pouring to see if the carbonation is to your liking. Using method B. Bottle as normal, but also bottle the plastic bottle as you would normally. Keep the plastic bottle in exactly the same conditions as the glass bottles and once it becomes firm/slightly bulging, it will most oftenly be carbed sufficiently. (I don't recommend keeping the solution in the plastic for more than necessary, once carbed, gulp it down).
Now comes the easy part. Set a pot on your stove, fill with water, enough to reach the level of the solution in the bottle if you were to submerge it in the water. Find yourself some aluminium foil and fold to a decent thickness to provide a buffer between the heat and the glass surface of the bottle, but allow for heat transfer to the water around, I use two square/rectangle blocks of foil to rest them on. Heat the water in the pot to around 70 degrees. There's no point going over this temperature, but if you're sitting around 50, some yeasties might find a way to survive, and you'll get yourself a bottle bomb.
Submerge your bottles in the water, turn off the heat, put the lid on, set a timer for 10mins, relax, have a home brew, life is good. Rinse and repeat for all bottles. I would suggest using tongs to retrieve the bottles.
Alternatively, for those of you who DON'T brew beer, i.e. either don't have a large enough pot or only use wine bottles (which may be too large for the pot) you can use your kitchen sink (make sure you plug it!!!!). Just boil a few litres of water either in the jug or on the stove, put your bottles in the sink (standing up) and pour over the bottles. Do this twice and cover with a folded towel to retain the steam (which will raise the temperature). Wait 5mins. Boil another few litres, pour over the bottles and cover once again. You will know they are ready if the bottles are almost too hot to touch. (This method sounds very touch and go, but it has never failed me either)
You will know it works in both methods if the day after there are NO bubbles floating on the top of your brew (this of course, varies with different brews)
I HAVE NEVER HAD A BOTTLE BOMB OR EVEN SO MUCH AS A CRACKED BOTTLE.
Sorry about the wall of text, if you got through it, thank you for reading and I hoped it helped. I will edit with some pictures to break up the text when I get the chance. Feel free to ask any questions, and mods if this belongs in a different section, feel free to move it for me!