Lemon Trick??

Hey everyone!

So I made a batch of cider and I used an Apple Raspberry juice. Now the front of the bottle said "Truvia" on it but the ingredients list didn't seem to have any artificial sweeteners in it so I gave it a shot. Well this also happened to be my first batch using yeast nutrient. Now I have rocket fuel with a 22% ABV and a diet coke aftertaste. I don't want to pour it and a friend suggested I try some lemon juice in it to cut the artificial sweetener aftertaste.

Has anyone tried this before? I mean adding lemon juice to cider. Any other suggestions on how to save this batch? It's only one gallon but the juice we use is $8.50 a gallon and it just galls me to throw out a gallon of cider!

Im seriously doubting your cider is at 22% ABV. Most wine yeasts only go to 15%, and only a few go to 18% (with lots of attention and great conditions). Distiller yeasts go to 20% or so.. But they taste pretty nasty.

I add citric acid to wines for taste, some folks use lemons to do the same thing. You, however, need to recheck your hydrometer.

I believe Truvia is a proprietary blend of table sugar and the natural sweetener Stevia, which has a similar taste to real licorice. So the artificial sweetener taste is mosty likely a natural sweetener taste, but that probably won't make it taste any better to you. I use stevia in tea, but it is one of those tastes that does not go well with a lot of things.

Truvia is made up of three things ; Erythritol: A sugar alcohol which is made by processing genetically modified corn, Rebiana: which is derived from the stevia plant and "natural flavors what ever they may be.
So im not sure how this will have effected the ABV

Unferth said:

Im seriously doubting your cider is at 22% ABV. Most wine yeasts only go to 15%, and only a few go to 18% (with lots of attention and great conditions). Distiller yeasts go to 20% or so.. But they taste pretty nasty.

I add citric acid to wines for taste, some folks use lemons to do the same thing. You, however, need to recheck your hydrometer.

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Believe it or not it is a 22%. Trust me we double checked THAT number! My husband did a batch at the same time with the yeast nutrient and his came out with a 22% ABV as well. We both used champagne yeast. His doesn't taste bad, it's just mine with the aftertaste and the cold crash helped on both.

Chris786 said:

Believe it or not it is a 22%. Trust me we double checked THAT number! My husband did a batch at the same time with the yeast nutrient and his came out with a 22% ABV as well. We both used champagne yeast. His doesn't taste bad, it's just mine with the aftertaste and the cold crash helped on both.

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What was your starting gravity reading and your final gravity reading? And what yeast did you use?

UpstateMike said:

What was your starting gravity reading and your final gravity reading? And what yeast did you use?

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+1 on that. I'd like to know.