First time cider maker here. WLP775 fermented down to 1.006. I am looking to back sweeten it up to 1.012 or 1.014. I also bottle condition. Any tips on how to do that without having all of my bottles explode? I was thinking that I could just freeze them after they are fully carbonated. Would I have to keep the bottles in the fridge or could I take them out and store them warm after they have frozen?
Freezing is a really bad idea, since ice expands and will pop all your bottles. What you could try, though, is heat. I’ve heard of a guy who puts all his bottles in the dishwasher on a heated cycle to kill the yeast with heat. Might work.
The other thing to try is unfermentable sugar like lactose or maltodextrin. This will sweeten without creating excessive carbonation. The right amount is somewhere between 0.5 and 0.75 lbs for 5 gallons. I just did this with some of my own and it works great.
Physics, always getting in the way. The plan was to use honey to sweeten, so I might give the dishwasher trick a try. I also might just clear out the fridge and keep them in there once they are carbonated. Next year I will definitely give maltodextrin a try, since I am lactose intolerant.
