270: Cidermaker Tips to Avoid Bottle Bombs | Ask Ryan 2021

270: Cidermaker Tips to Avoid Bottle Bombs | Ask Ryan 2021

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist April 28, 2021 Duration: 36:20

Bottle Safely to Avoid Bottle Bombs

If like me you grew up in a house where your parents made homemade everything, chances are they also dabbled in making homemade soda, wine, beer, and cider. Mine sure did and I still recall hearing the popping of root beer bottles in the root cellar. Thankfully, we did have a separate room where the exploding glass bottles only left a mess and didn't hurt anyone else around. Bottle Bombs are dangerous and are caused by fermenting sugar over carbonating a bottle that can't withstand the pressure.

Measure Sugar Content before Bottling

In this episode with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider in Ontario Canada we explore the process of bottling with the goal of bottle conditioning with the final product being one that has a bit of sparkle (read: bubbles).

Ryan Monkman - FieldBird Cider in cellar Ryan Monkman - FieldBird Cider in Kent-He wine cellar

Usually I bottle when the cider has not fully fermented. There is just enough yeast cells in solution that they will continue to munch away on the sugar and produce bubbles creating a sparkling cider that is both pleasing to the palate and as Ryan says,"Bubbles make aromatics pop!"

The hook is that the cider has been aging in the carboy for well over 2 years. The yeast look spent, meaning they are dead yeast cells and any that are still holding on to life won't have enough vitality to multi enough even if priming sugar is added to the cider with the hope of getting a bit of sparkle in the bottle.

Autolysis:  is the destruction (or lysis) of a cell by its own enzymes. This process usually takes place after about 9 months.

What to bottle in to avoid Bottle Bombs

  • Quality glass 
    • Champagne bottles are built for pressure
  • Crown caps are better than flip tops
    • Caps will have tendency to pop off, whereas flip tops can't and thus the glass is under extreme pressure

How to measure residual sugar

Ryans recommendations

Hydrometer is best for determining alcohol, but can't give you a complete measurment on residual sugar

Once you have determine the amount of residual sugar, you can then determine how much sugar and yeast to use for bottling. In the next Episode 271: Sugar, Yeast and Bubbly Bottles, Ryan and I will discuss the next step of how much sugar and what kind of yeast to use.

Contact for Ryan Monkman at FieldBird Cider

Mentions in this Chat

Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
418: Creative Cider Branding Tips with Cultivar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:25
Paving a Path for Cider Branding at Cultivar Meet Kirk Evans, the founder of Cultivar Creative. In this episode, Kirk shares his journey from a casual cider maker to a professional brand designer specializing in cider pa…
416:Cider Symphony w/Bach in a Bottle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:26
Crank the Bach & Go Boating with Green Bench in Hand Brian Wing of Green Bench Mead and Cider is a classical music fan. Green Bench is located in Saint Petersburg, Florida and Brian was recently on episode 398 which is a…
415: Cider Hybrids |Cider Nothings or Cider Somethings? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:33
What exactly are Cider Hybrids Exploring Cider Hybrids and Co-ferments as recored at a panel discussion at CiderCon 2024. The terminology for this category is still developing, reflecting the innovative and experimental…
414: B Corp Certified Businesses | Solar, Candle, Coffee & Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:19
Businesses Certified as a B Corp Stand Out! Explore the benefits of B Corp certification with leaders from solar, candle, coffee, and cider industries. Learn about their challenges and successes in creating positive soci…
413: Ancestral Methods in Cider Making [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:14
Is Ancestral Method different than Pet Nat? This panel discussion on Ancestral Method was moderate by Nicole Leibon of LeNosse Knows consultation. She was joined by Yann Gilles, a French cider consultant, Levi Danielson…
412: Cider Dispatch | Big Fish, VA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:28
Find the latest Cider Dispatch from Highland County Virginia Cider Bon Vivant Reporter Al Sax provide a cider dispatch report from Monterey Virginia. This area of Virginia is known as Highland County and it is here that…
411: Curative Options for Cider Making Problems | CiderCon 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:51
Technical Tips for When Things Go Wrong with Cider Making This episode features two cider professionals and a cider industry consultant, which is exactly who you need a direct line to when your cider has problems. Hear f…
410: International Perry Panel | CiderCon 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:26
Cider's Best Friend is Perry Enjoy this panel discussion "Pear Necessities: International Perry recorded at CiderCon 2024. The panel was moderated by drinks writer, Adam Wells of the UK. Sitting to his right was Tom Oliv…
409: Cider's Pilot Guy & Intel Girl | Olympic Bluffs, WA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:05
Escape to Olympic Bluffs a Dream Vacation Destination Olympic Bluffs Cidery & Lavender Farm is located on the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The farm is on a bluff that overlooks the Salish…