rjcortez

Recipes 

I made a batch of hard cider, it was a three gallon recipe that I made 5 gals of without adjusting ingredients. I bottled without adding sugar for carbonation. The result was a flat, thin, slightly fruity, alcohol drink.

I'm making a fruit beer for Christmas. I'm thinking of using the hard cider to top off the beer in my primary fermenter rather than plain water.

Any problems that you can think of with this idea?

DrummerBoySeth

Recipes 

It will definitely add a different flavor component to the brew. It may work well in a fruit beer (where the flavors could blend) or in a darker beer like a porter or stout (where the darker malts will help hide the cider). I would probably avoid using cider in a lighter-flavored beer,though, unless you want that flavor to be prominent.

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"Give a man a beer, and he will waste an hour. Teach a man to brew, and he will waste a lifetime!" Bill Owen

rjcortez

Recipes 

Thanks Seth, I was mainly worried about adding alcohol to the fermenter, if it would cause problems with the fermentation process. I'm making a wheat ale that I will be adding raspberry extract to the bottling process. The people that will drink this like a stronger fruit component. So I'll give it a shot, don't mind drinking my 'mistakes'.

DrummerBoySeth

Recipes 

Just add it after the primary fermentation of the "other" brew is complete. I would not add it during active fermentation, though.

__________________
"Give a man a beer, and he will waste an hour. Teach a man to brew, and he will waste a lifetime!" Bill Owen