Quick Whiskey Apple Cider??

I am very new to brewing. Started my first attempt last Monday and it's going well. I just racked to a secondary (for practice more than anything). Now I can't touch it for several weeks. I am getting impatient. I decided today to try an experiment in fermenting. I mixed some apple juice with some fantastic Irish Whiskey (calculated it out to be about 8% ABV total) - sweetened to where I wanted it then added a pinch more sugar for some carbonation. Put a little cinnamon and vanilla extract in it along with a sprinkle of a few other apple pie spices. Added a tiny bit of yeast nutrient and a pinch of champagne yeast. Tastes pretty good. Put it all into a 1 liter bottle with a flip-top to carbonate. It's been 12 hours since I closed the bottle - I just tested and there's no pressure when opening the flip-top. So I have 2 questions. Will this carbonate? and Will it be OK to open the flip-top to test carbonation level then just re-seal to further carb if it's not what I want? This may seem ridiculous to try but like I said... I am a total newbie and I really wanted to try out carbonating something.

I doubt the yeast will kick off in an 8%ACV whiskey laden solution, just my line of thinking. Even if it did, the yeast will ultilize ALL fermentable sugar and would produce more than enough CO2 to explode your sealed bottle. If anything, transfer it to a soft sided PET bottle so you can simply squeeze the bottle to feel for signs of fermentation. You could try building your base of juice and some sugar and yeast/nutrient, save your spices/whiskey for post ferment and then prime a control PET bottle post ferment and see what happens. How much whiskey are you adding to what volume because fortification will kill yeast, but you could pull it off, I think.

Thanks for the reply! I wasn't planning on letting it ferment to completion in the bottle. Just to carbonate. It did start carbonating and I will check it every 12 hours or so then pop it in the fridge when it is where I think I want it. It's actually quite tasty.

MisterWoody said:

Thanks for the reply! I wasn't planning on letting it ferment to completion in the bottle. Just to carbonate. It did start carbonating and I will check it every 12 hours or so then pop it in the fridge when it is where I think I want it. It's actually quite tasty.

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Ok, just remember that 'cold crashing' only slows things down. If that bottle comes back to temp it will take off again!

So you are simply adding whiskey to an unfermented cider until you reach around 8%ACV and then bottle carbing with yeast? No actual ferment to make a hard cider?

Sounds like a sparking, low ABV pommeau.

Any carbonation so far OP? I'm curious as to whether the champagne yeast, which is tolerant of 8%, will be able to start at that level.

Ya, it started. No, I am not fermenting to reach 8%. I started at 8% and I am only 'fermenting' to get carbonated. I know this isn't technically a 'cider' because I am not really fermenting the apple juice for alcohol content. Either way, it's tasty and like I said in my OP - I am only doing it to experiment because I'm a complete newbie.

well, just went and opened it to check for carb level - gushed everywhere - lost about 15% of the bottle. Oh well, re-sealed and put in the fridge - I might let it sit for a week or so before I drink it - It's quite sparkly and delicious. But if anything, I hope my experiment gave you guys a little info. Pasteur Champange Yeast will start and ferment well in an 8%+ beverage!

Bummer, man. 15 percent of any alcoholic beverage lost is 15 percent too much. Glad it turned out alright though! Lol

Freak'n alcohol abuse right there.
Tomorrow, you should just drink it before it blows up. Maybe wear eya and hand protection when you grab it and pop it.

Haha! I know, I feel terrible. It felt weird enough pouring almost 6oz of a $45 bottle of whiskey into a 1L beer bottle with apple juice. Oh well, live and learn. I doubt it will carbonate anymore - It's in the fridge now.

MisterWoody said:

Haha! I know, I feel terrible. It felt weird enough pouring almost 6oz of a $45 bottle of whiskey into a 1L beer bottle with apple juice. Oh well, live and learn. I doubt it will carbonate anymore - It's in the fridge now.

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Seriously, that is a bomb. Don't wait, drink very very soon.

You seem pretty adamant about that - I will take it out and check it tonight when I get home from work.

By diluting the ABV to 8%, adding juice (sugar source), then adding 'priming sugar' (another sugar source) you give the champagne yeast a chance to ferment ALL of that sugar.

That's a situation that if Left in an enclosed bottle can turn into a high pressure bomb. Please be careful!

Chicks dig scars, but homebrewers can woo women in much better ways!

Just a nobbie diggin up old threads with questions.... I recently tried some Honey Bourbon, which after reading this thread made me think it might go very well with some cider.
Some were saying that mixing in the whiskey would make it hard for the yeast to start, so when would be the best time to add it in? At bottling with priming sugar, or maybe during secondary once the main fermentation is done?
My thoughts (based on no experience at all and seeking advice/thoughts on this from everyone) are trying a 1 gallon batch with just apple juice/yeast, let it go untill it is at a stable FG, then maybe mix in some bourbon.
Would it be worth even adding the bourbon in secondary or before bottling, or should i just stick to cider and mix it afterword?

Really what you are doing is blending. Brew up your hard cider to whatever AVB percent you want. Then blend it with the whiskey and drink. If you want it carbonated, you could always ferment out your hard cider, then blend with whiskey and add a bit more sugar to carbonate in the bottle. The problem with that is that by blending, if you get over the upper limit of alcohol tolerance for the yeast, they will simply die and you will have still whiskey/hard cider that is a bit sweeter.

If you are just going for a hint of whiskey flavor, then you can add it in the secondary or there are even whiskey extracts you can buy that just add the taste (probably not as good as the real thing). This is what I did for my Bourbon Barrel Ale.

I hope your fridge doesn't have glass shelves!!