Lepke

Recipes 

I just wanted to see if anyone had tried making a hard cider using molasses instead of regular sugars. I just made a batch with dark brown sugar with outstanding results.

jkoegel

Recipes 

By using brown sugar you are already adding small amounts of molasses. Brown sugar is just white sugar mixed with molasses.
My favorite batch of cider to date is one made with molasses and brown sugar. Added a nice amber color to the finished cider and left just a touch of residual sweetness from the non-fermentable sugars. I also backsweetened it with 2Tbsp of Xylitol per gallon.
recipe here:
5 gal fresh pressed cider (UV treated)
24oz Grandmas molasses
24oz dark brown sugar
1 tbsp yeast nutrient
1tsp pectic enzyme
Lalvin D47 yeast, primary only for 6-8 weeks or till clear, then bottled with 5oz corn sugar and 10 Tbsp Xylitol.

WilliamSlayer

Recipes 

I use brown sugar a lot in my cider and agree that the caramel/molassas taste is there when I use it, plus I get a bit more fermentability for my brew.

OREUS

Recipes 

What is your typical OG on this? And would I have to use that wine yeast? Could i get away with using cider (or even beer) yeast and making a starter? and that pectin enzyme stuff, is that just because you used unpasturized juice that you need that? THANKS!

rugman

Recipes 

I use molasses and honey in my ciders

jonuggs

Recipes 

Out of curiosity - when are you adding the molasses and sugar to the cider? Are you adding it directly to the fermentation vessel, or are you perhaps adding it to a small amount of cider before adding it to the fermenter?

OREUS

Recipes 

Since I never got an answer from my previous question, I just went ahead and tried it myself. I just took 1/2 gal of juice and warmed up to about 180, stirred in the fermentables, and made sure the sugars are dissolved. Then cool down, pour it into the rest of the cider, stir thoroughly, and pitch yeast. Worked out great. This tastes very good. I used:

24oz molasses
32oz brown sugar
5 gal treetop apple juice
Cider yeast (White Labs WLP775)
Yeast nutrient

A post a few down reminded me that I made a yeast starter as well. I used 1-2 quarts of juice mixed with a little bit of brown sugar.

I did a
2 week primary
2 week secondary
kegged and carbed
OG 1.080
FG 1.022

Schott703

Recipes 

I have made cider with honey, brown sugar, cane sugar. It has become apparent I always tend to like the ciders with brown sugar. If its true that brown sugar is cane sugar mixed with molasses, could it be something about the molasses I seem to like? I thought since I saw it in the thread somebody may be able to clue me in on just what it does for added flavor

WilliamSlayer

Recipes 

Well, I feel the flavor, that caramel/toffee flavor, is one I enjoy. Also, the complex sugars are not as fermentable, so they create both body, and sweetness.

rugman

Recipes 

I run 10 gallon batches and usually add 2 gallons of apple juice then 1 gallon yeast starter. The yeast starter is a glass gallon jug of apple juice with cider yeast started 2-3 days before. I mix the molasses and honey together and heat a little (not hot) maybe 100 degrees? to make a little easier to pour I slowly pour it like a small ribbon while adding the other 7 gallons of apple juice. it takes 4 hands but you don't have to worry about string it will ferment out completely.