Making hard cider from frozen concentrate.
- Thread starter bartons15
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
Yes, you would need to add water, and probably a little sugar too. I haven't made cider from concentrate since I was in college, so I don't really remember how many cans for a 5 gallon batch. You could just follow the directions on the can, and scale it to 5 gallons based on those specs, and add a pound of two of sugar.
I've used frozen concentrate once. I think if you scale up the directions on the cans, the OG was around 1.04. So you might want to get a couple extra cans to bump it up a little higher.
robbyhicks
Well-Known Member
Last batch I did out of concentrate I bought 14 or 15 if I recall and 3 were for back sweetening, the rest made the juice, added 1 can of concentrate without the water to. Bump the og... ended up around 9%...
womencantsail
Well-Known Member
Did you happen to take a gravity reading on the undiluted concentrate?
I'm going to be making an "ice" cider soon and I'm trying to figure out what ratio of cider/juice to concentrate I will need to get the correct OG (looking for 1.130 - 1.140).
Just reconstitute the cans and use like normal juice. You'd have to check the gravity but I'd guess it would come out close to standard apple juice (Mott's bottled apple juice is 1.05, for reference). So the easiest thing to do would be to make 5 gallons of reconstituted juice and just pitch your yeast into it.
As to whether you should add some extra cans of undiluted concentrate (or add additional sugar) before fermentation to pump up the ABV, that just depends on how strong you want your cider to be. The only cider I've made I intentionally stopped fermentation before it was complete, but if you let it go all the way I've read it will reach an FG near 1.00, which would give you an ABV of 6.7% assuming you started at 1.05. If you want more alcohol than that, add more concentrate (undiluted) or sugar up front. If you're trying to approximate commerical hard ciders available in the USA, I think you'd want 5% - 6% ABV.
If you're planning to add concentrate (undiluted) or sugar for sweetness after fermentation is complete, just remember that will cause additional fermentation, leading to more alcohol and carbonation and less sweetness, unless you take steps to prevent fermentation (refrigeration, kegging + refrigeration, bottle pasteurizing). Just something to be aware of given the risk of bottle bombs. Because I wanted to make semi-sweet, carbonated ciders and was nervous about bottle pasteurizing, I waited until I got a kegging setup to make my first cider.
beerrab
Active Member
Easy Hard cider made the way the big guys do it a save money
The easy way to make hard cider is from frozen juice concentrate. The big guys use juice from concentrate; just read the ingredients label on the store bought ciders. This Allows for year around production at a very reasonable price.
How much concentrate is needed for five gallons depends on the alcohol content desired. I found 16 can of apple juice concentrate gave me the OG of 1.058 or potential alcohol of 7.88 ABV and my total cost to make 5 gallons of store bought cider was $30.70. I ended up with 2.5 cases bottled and at the store cost of 9.00 a six pack or $90.00 total that is quite savings just under $60.00.
The sugar in the apple juice concentrate ferments very dry and potential alcohol is closely accurate to what is produced.
To get body and sweetness in the cider one must add complex sugar the yeast cannot eat.
I have had good success using apple juice concentrate for cider in gallon batches and five gallon batches.
Here is a link to my five gallon video http://youtu.be/SkLcCJ-hew4
Here is a link to my 1 gallon video http://youtu.be/gLBHNAPbkJ4
The easy way to make hard cider is from frozen juice concentrate. The big guys use juice from concentrate; just read the ingredients label on the store bought ciders. This Allows for year around production at a very reasonable price.
How much concentrate is needed for five gallons depends on the alcohol content desired. I found 16 can of apple juice concentrate gave me the OG of 1.058 or potential alcohol of 7.88 ABV and my total cost to make 5 gallons of store bought cider was $30.70. I ended up with 2.5 cases bottled and at the store cost of 9.00 a six pack or $90.00 total that is quite savings just under $60.00.
The sugar in the apple juice concentrate ferments very dry and potential alcohol is closely accurate to what is produced.
To get body and sweetness in the cider one must add complex sugar the yeast cannot eat.
I have had good success using apple juice concentrate for cider in gallon batches and five gallon batches.
Here is a link to my five gallon video http://youtu.be/SkLcCJ-hew4
Here is a link to my 1 gallon video http://youtu.be/gLBHNAPbkJ4
SmokeyMcBong
Well-Known Member
I use about 12 cans of frozen concentrate in 5 gallons and add sugar to get to the desired OG. Turns out great IMO lol.
UpstateMike
Well-Known Member
Unless you are planning on stopping the fermentation early, you are looking at 17% - 18.5% ABV if this goes down to 1.000. Plan on waiting 18 months before drinking it, because it will be absolute paint thinner until that time.
Even if you stop fermentation at 1.050, you are looking at `10% - 12.5 % ABV, and a very sweet hard cider. Again, I'd let it sit 8 - 12 months before drinking.
Choose your yeast wisely, you will need one with a high alcohol tolerance.
MindenMan
Well-Known Member
Buying the 3 qt bottles of house brand apple juice at Wally World for $2.79 each, puts 5 gallons just a shade under $20.00. I don't remember what I paid last trip for FAJC, I am thinking $1.50 or so. If that price is correct, it's a 50/50 deal price wise.
Bobbymac29649
New Member
Do you ever add Acid Blend or Tannin to make it a bit more complex?
I buy my apple juice at Aldi. $1.39 per half gal, 8 bottles, and throw in some concentrate or sugar. Concentrate helps leave behind a little more apple taste. I also prefer beer yeast. Leaves behind a little more flavor. Still a knock on your butt drink.
Wise words...
I added three pounds of sugar to my last batch of cider - the OG was 1.085 and it fermented to 0.995. 12.1% ABV - and it's wretched...
but on the bright side... two pints and I'm looking for a place to lie down...
The taste isnt bad but it's going to take time for the alcohol to calm down. I'll have to cellar a bottle or two and see what it tastes like in a year.
Watch out for benzoates or sorbates in the juice if you go with bottled instead of frozen. Vitamin C added is okay.
Next year I'm going to juice a bunch of crabapples for mixing with storebought juice.
Next year I'm going to juice a bunch of crabapples for mixing with storebought juice.
Bobbymac29649
New Member
Just bought 16 cans of frozen concentrate at Walmart. $1.47 each! Now I'm just waiting for my Acid Blend, Tannin & Pectic Enzyme to show up tomorrow so I can start it all in my new FastFerment!
Bobbymac29649
New Member
How much Tannin & Acid Blend for a five gallon batch? Should I use Pectic Enzyme as well?
Thanks
Crap... You just reminded me that I forgot to add the enzymes to my last batch in the fermenter....
Oh well... it still tastes good...
I purposely left out the pectic enzymes in mine because I'd added a bunch of jelly to it instead of sugar. *Lots* of pectin. I thought it would be hazy but it turned out clear anyway. (and that's good) I'm not sure if the pectin dropped out with the yeast, or what.
I made mine with pure concentrate. Initial SG is 1.16 but even EC-1118 does not ferment it very dry. My first batch ended at 12% which is still good. Have a look at this thread about it:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/ice-cider-without-work-478610/
Jeff
Bobbymac29649
New Member
Add it when you're starting primary?
Yep. I put nutrient, pectin enzyme, Acid blend, tannin and Camden in on day one. I pitch the yeast on day two.
Skylark
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 5
I've been inspired! I went to the local grocery-mart and bought 1 gallon of Shurfine apple juice for $3, and some Langers FAJC at $2 for a 11.5oz can. The SG of the juice was 1.052, and I calculated the SG of the FAJC at 1.198. If you do the math, the FAJC is just about twice as expensive as the from-concentrate juice, which surprises me. Table sugar is about 3 times cheaper than juice, in dollars per gram of sugar. Of course, as you say, it doesn't have flavor.
Before I did that math, I mixed up a batch with 3 cans of FAJC plus enough of the juice to make 1 gallon, and pitched some EC-1118 on it. The OG came out at 1.092, and I'm gonna try to stop it around 1.010 or 1.012, I want some sweetness and apple flavor left. I have some tannin and malic acid to play with the flavor as well.
Next time though, I will boost the OG with sugar instead, let it all ferment out, stabilize, and backsweeten with juice. That should preserve the apple flavors and not waste the apple sugars on fermentation.
Before I did that math, I mixed up a batch with 3 cans of FAJC plus enough of the juice to make 1 gallon, and pitched some EC-1118 on it. The OG came out at 1.092, and I'm gonna try to stop it around 1.010 or 1.012, I want some sweetness and apple flavor left. I have some tannin and malic acid to play with the flavor as well.
Next time though, I will boost the OG with sugar instead, let it all ferment out, stabilize, and backsweeten with juice. That should preserve the apple flavors and not waste the apple sugars on fermentation.
beerrab
Active Member
I am Still trying different things Right now I am trying Blue berry AND cranberry WITH PECTIC ENZYNE. I PLAN TO POST A VIDEO IF THEY TURN OUT. My experiments are 1 gallon batches and I plan to make 5 gallon batches if they are worthy. I hope that answers your question
SmokeyMcBong
Well-Known Member
I don't think youre gonna have a very easy time stopping 1118 from fermenting to dry.
Skylark
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 5
I just racked the EC-1118 batch (OG 1.092) to secondary after 9 days. It is at 1.010 right now, still active but slow. It tastes really good! 
Alcoholic, yes, but not fusel, just strong. (My first batch with that yeast smelled like rocket fuel at racking time. :cross Pretty tart, and I'd be happy with that level of sweetness in the finished product.
I'm curious to see where it lands. I'm hoping the yeast runs out of nutrients. But you are probably right, in which case I will stabilize and backsweeten instead.
[Edit: fixed quote]
Alcoholic, yes, but not fusel, just strong. (My first batch with that yeast smelled like rocket fuel at racking time. :cross Pretty tart, and I'd be happy with that level of sweetness in the finished product. I'm curious to see where it lands. I'm hoping the yeast runs out of nutrients. But you are probably right, in which case I will stabilize and backsweeten instead.
[Edit: fixed quote]
Skylark
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 5
Sorry for the double-post, just wanted to report. This one turned out very dry, 1.000, tart, and strong of course. It was not popular as it was. I experimented with sweetening (which helped) and carbonating via SodaStream (which didn't make much of a difference).
t_stogsdill
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
how would you recommend carbonating at home? If I have a a couple of sixtels that I want to carbonate into?
Left-click on a member's name or avatar space in the left sidebar to see their profile.
From the member's profile: fosaisu was last seen: Oct 11, 2019
Due to having been absent here the past 3.5 months, he may or may not see your question.
Hopefully someone else will chime in before too long.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
You can use an online priming calculator and add sugar when you put the cider in the keg, if you don't want to force carbonate with co2
Blacksmith1
Captain Cheap
Deleted. Did not apply.
Similar threads
