cider with no added sugar

A lot of us here talk about using brown sugar, table sugar, corn sugar, dextrose, maple syrup, and other types of sugars to mix into the cider, but has anyone here made a hard cider without adding ANY sugar?
I'm tempted to try a test batch of this using Simply Apple juice and some of the White Labs English Cider yeast I have in my current cyser batch.
I've bought a few bottles of JKs Scrumpy cider, which doesn't add any additional sugar(just organic cider and yeast), and it is some of the best cider I've had. I'd like to make something close to this cider.

Yes my first cider was made with one gallon of apple cider from Walmart. I used cooper brewing yeast. It came out dry and kind of thin tasting, I now use store bought apple juice and add some strong brewed tea to it and some brown sugar. It comes out nice I think.

Apple_Jacker said:

A lot of us here talk about using brown sugar, table sugar, corn sugar, dextrose, maple syrup, and other types of sugars to mix into the cider, but has anyone here made a hard cider without adding ANY sugar?
I'm tempted to try a test batch of this using Simply Apple juice and some of the White Labs English Cider yeast I have in my current cyser batch.
I've bought a few bottles of JKs Scrumpy cider, which doesn't add any additional sugar(just organic cider and yeast), and it is some of the best cider I've had. I'd like to make something close to this cider.

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Cheers to another JKs lover! That IS the best cider that I've had. And I've had a bunch. No sulfites either in it. I'm glad that it's made it's way down to TN (if that's where you bought it?). That cider is basically what made me want to start brewing cider ($6/bottle adds up quick!).
So in regards to adding sugar, I usually don't add any. If anything, I will add some 100% juice concentrate to bump up the OG. Usually 3-4 cans per 5 gallons will get me to 1.06 or above.
One of the JKs guys (Bruce Wright...is what comes to mind) chimed in on one of these threads years ago and didn't give up too much info, but the main point he made was that organic apples have low nitrogen content which I think comes into play with bottle conditioning cider. I tested the gravity on a couple of JKs bottles and one was at 1.04 and another at 1.05! That was just out of the fridge cold. No wonder that stuff tastes like apple juice!

Here's the thread if you're interested AJ
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/jk-scrumpy-83719/

Ok actually this one has more info haha...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/anyone-sucessfully-done-jk-scrumpys-clone-125852/

JtotheA said:

Cheers to another JKs lover! That IS the best cider that I've had. And I've had a bunch. No sulfites either in it. I'm glad that it's made it's way down to TN (if that's where you bought it?). That cider is basically what made me want to start brewing cider ($6/bottle adds up quick!).
So in regards to adding sugar, I usually don't add any. If anything, I will add some 100% juice concentrate to bump up the OG. Usually 3-4 cans per 5 gallons will get me to 1.06 or above.
One of the JKs guys (Bruce Wright...is what comes to mind) chimed in on one of these threads years ago and didn't give up too much info, but the main point he made was that organic apples have low nitrogen content which I think comes into play with bottle conditioning cider. I tested the gravity on a couple of JKs bottles and one was at 1.04 and another at 1.05! That was just out of the fridge cold. No wonder that stuff tastes like apple juice!

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Yes, there's a place in Chattanooga that sells it, and other store just over the border into Georgia sells it and also a decent Michigan here selection too. Hmm, I'll have to try taking a gravity reading the next time I buy a bottle. That seems awfully high, especially since they are 6% alcohol. I wonder what the OG is on them.

i very rarely add sugar. only when using predominantly sour apples with low sugar content. then i add enough white sugar to boost to 6-8% abv. my normal apple blend from the local orchard gives me 1.054-1.058 juice, no need for sugar. i'm sure the same goes for many other cidermakers.

+1 to not adding sugar to ciders unless you have a problematically low OG. Even in that case I will only add enough to get it into the 'normal' cider ABV range (5%-8% here in NY).

Once you become aware of the difference in taste between an apple fermentation, concentrate fermentation, and sugar fermentation it becomes hard to ignore the different body and flavors between them. All the time on this forum we see this issue arise when newcomers post "Why doesn't my 5 gal batch with 5 Lbs sugar taste like apples when fermented dry?

Pure brown apple juice simply makes the best cider, fresh is best, local whenever possible.

Local cider is very possible for me. I could walk to the cider mill from my house if I so desired. It would be hard to carry 6 gallons all the way home though

I just might pick up a gallon today, throw in some of my existing cider yeast cake and see what happens.

I have kind of a spinoff question from this. I recently started a batch of cider using a recipe that has worked before (1 gal of apple juice, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast, nutrient, horrible horrible waiting) but I switched to a local cider (pasteurized, no preservatives) from whole foods apple juice. I figured cider would have more stuff for the yeast to feed on but it's been 2 days now and almost no action. Is this normal? Should I crank up the sugar? Or does less bubbling not necessarily mean less fermenting?

There is something happening- roll the bottle a little and fresh CO2 bubbles up- but it's much slower than I experienced with the same recipe and juice.

I never count on airlock activity to tell if fermentation is taking place, I had a mead once with no airlock bubbling, it turns out the cap was cracked a bit and co2 was escaping instead of going through airlock. If there is no activity in another day or so, you could take a gravity reading and see what it is doing.

I don't have a hydrometer (i know, i know) but I did notice this morning that there are already serious lees in spite of the lack of obvious gas. Since this is just my 4th batch, I think I'll wait and see what happens. Interests of science and all that.

First, get the hydrometer, there are plenty of places online our at your LHBS to get one for ~$10. This will really help out with the second part.

Second, absolutely you can make your cider with nothing but a bottle of apple juice and nothing else. Yeast, sugar, and any thing else you add is done to make it more to your taste. Most of us check the initial gravity with the hydrometer to make sure the final alcohol level will end up at least 6%. This generally ensures few problems with the brew as it goes along. You could certainly make a lighter alcohol cider, many french method ciders are around 4%. But this is totally up to you. If you are using store bought juice the initial gravity is probably pretty consistent, but with fresh cider it can vary wildly depending upon the type of apples and other things.

In response to the other question about airlock activity. I've seen batches with rolling bubbles for weeks and ones that never seemed to bubble, and both have finished at the same final gravity. Obvious activity is unfortunetly not a good sign of how the batch is progressing. Either give it enough time to ensure it is done or use the hydrometer.

I made a 5 gallon batch with no sugar and Montrachet yeast 3 months ago. I just checked and the gravity is at 1.002. Should I bottle?

I started 2 - 1 gallon batches of cider with no added sugar (i made a thread last week about it) if I have time when I get home from work, ill take a gravity reading to see where they are at.

I make my ciders without extra sugar. I've noticed that once you go over 6% ABV, apple, blackberry, etc is no longer the primary flavor. This seems to be true of almost all commercial ciders as well. 4.5-5% seems to be (literally) the sweet spot.

I'm just wondering if it is done fermenting yet or not. I guess I'll take another reading next week and see if it's the same. With most of my Apfelweins I add a pound or two of sugar and they ferment out below 1.000 and I don't know if because I didn't add any sugar the FG is higher or if I just need to wait. It tasted good right now but might not be done.

I’m a total newb. I just went to a local orchard and got some second cut apples for super cheap. Cut out the bad spots, juiced them, skimmed the foam off the top as they started fermenting, then put in 1 gal carboys with airlock.

No added yeast or sugar. Just let it do it’s thing.

Let it go for 3 months then bottled it. (Transferred it to fresh container once after a month) .

It turned out divine. Dry but with a hint of sweet. And strong?!?! I don’t know the abv but after 16 oz I’m super buzzed!

Anyway, I just tried to keep it As simple as possible and I’m super happy with the results.

I get apple orchard juice and haven't needed to add sugar yet. Usually looking for 15-17 brix. I like White Labs English Cider Yeast best so far.

I have to admit that JK Scumpy Orchard Gate Gold is some of my least favorite cider yet. Had a sour vinegar-like taste. Same with Northern Neighbor. Though maybe it was just that particular year?

landwaster said:

I get apple orchard juice and haven't needed to add sugar yet. Usually looking for 15-17 brix. I like White Labs English Cider Yeast best so far.

I have to admit that JK Scumpy Orchard Gate Gold is some of my least favorite cider yet. Had a sour vinegar-like taste. Same with Northern Neighbor. Though maybe it was just that particular year?

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