DME works really nice to add body. I add 1/2lb DME per gallon of cider.
If you do try raisins, use the regular ones as they dont have any preservatives. The golden ones have sulfites in them. In the past I have used a handful of raisins per gallon (which I picked up from the JAOM recipe) when I do use raisins in my fermenter.
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-Paul O.
Vintage Vespa, Classic Mini Cooper, and Fermentation. Thats my life.
some raisins have oil added to them to keep them from sticking together. Be careful to read the label if buying packaged raisins. I usually buy my raisins in bulk and have never gotten an oil-slick from them, but maybe I was just lucky.
My only batch with raisins is still in secondary so I can't tell you about ultimate flavor/body, etc. I used organic yellow raisins. Don't forget to allow for the amount of juice the dry raisins will suck up as they hydrate. I used 1 1/2 lbs and lost nearly a gallon. Topped it off with a fresh gallon, restarted fermentation, all is well now 4 months later, no off flavors or aroma, but I'm just sayin...
__________________ Sirius Cider
"There are more old drunkards than old doctors." — Benjamin Franklin
Throw in a cup of tea made with english breakfast tea and three bags, really strong to five gallons. Single bag tea for one gallon. Another good tip is to juice some cooking apples and add that. Both together add acid and body and tannins. Makes for a much nicer cider.
Thanks for the advice! I was wondering about the oil coated raisins, and the extra space needed.
I've tried adding Amber DME. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't, depending on the yeast. It can make the cider taste a little beery. Do you think a lighter DME might be better?
From my limited experience so far, a cup of strong tea per gallon is mandatory. I bet this wouldn't be the case if I was using fresh pressed juice from true cider apples, but commercial cider just doesn't have the complexity.
In her New England Cider recipe, Annie Proux recommends 1 lb. of raisins per 5 gallons of juice.
I'm thinking of trying a one gallon batch with 3 oz. raisins, 4 oz. dem. sugar, and a cup of strong tea.
I'm also thinking of trying a one gallon batch with 3 oz. raisins, 2 oz dem. sugar, 2 oz. amber DME, and a cup of strong tea.
I don't have a juicer. . . do you think grating and freezing a couple apples before adding them to the primary would work?
Last edited by benjamin123; 03-16-2010 at 12:30 AM.
I've added as much as 2lbs of raisins to cider with good effect. I've used plain old ordinairy raisins (from thompson grapes I think) and I've used zante currants, which aren't currants at all, but are actually raisins made from zante grapes. Both work well, but the zantes are much more expensive. Regards, GF.
EDIT: Just to clarify, that's 2lbs in 6 gallons. Regards, GF.
Last edited by gratus fermentatio; 03-16-2010 at 07:47 PM.
1 gallon organic pasteurized cider (no preservatives)
4 oz demerara sugar
4 oz organic raisins (no preservatives or oil)
Pectic enzyme
1 tsp Fermax
Per a crazy youtube video with a great Steve Earle song in the background, I threw the raisins and the sugar (separately) in the blender with some of the cider. I've been disolving the sugar in hot water, but this seemed so much easier I figured I'd try it. The video is below.
Raisins in Cider
Linear Mode
