Keeping cider at a consitant %6.8 ABV

My first question is where does cider finish at mostly 1.000? .998? Or does it depend on the yeast? Mostly...
I am planning on producing cider in a commercial scale and I'm probably going to be doing about 500-1000 gallon at a time. I do not want to go over 7% alcohol because I believe there are different alcohol restrictions in California and I don't want to keep producing labels because I believe in California you have to have your alcohol by volume listed on the label.
I would like to keep my product at a consistent 6.8% ABV.
How would one do this? Shoot for 6.8%ABV and if it's over that dilute it?

I would buy multiple 2 or 3 gallon carboys(or jugs) and experiment with the amount of sugar you put in each, and maybe experiment with wine or cider yeast. If you could do 3 - 5 batches at the same time, with different gravity, and then see how it all comes out, and write down the exact amounts, so you can try to scale up the recipe. Just my thoughts

Also, 6.8%, hmm, you may have to dilute it Or hardly put any sugar in it.

Make multiple batches at varying ABV and then blend to your desired result.

Cider almost always would finish at .990, unless overwhelmed by the ABV.

If you want a 6.8 ABV, starting with an OG of 1.042.

Yooper said:

Cider almost always would finish at .990, unless overwhelmed by the ABV.

If you want a 6.8 ABV, starting with an OG of 1.042.

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Isn't 1042 just about the starting of Apple Juice You may only be able to add about 1/4 cup of sugar to a gallon of apple juice to start at the OG.

jflongo said:

Isn't 1042 just about the starting of Apple Juice You may only be able to add about 1/4 cup of sugar to a gallon of apple juice to start at the OG.

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I would rather have a low OG to start with

What about starting cider with the OG a little lower so just in case it does drop below 1.000 you are safe. But then if it does stop at 1.000 you could add a little sugar to adjust and then when the yeast eats up that sugar and stops at 1.000 again you would be right in your range.

LandoAllen said:

What about starting cider with the OG a little lower so just in case it does drop below 1.000 you are safe. But then if it does stop at 1.000 you could add a little sugar to adjust and then when the yeast eats up that sugar and stops at 1.000 again you would be right in your range.

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I doubt you can go lower than 1.040 to start without diluting it.

LandoAllen said:

What about starting cider with the OG a little lower so just in case it does drop below 1.000 you are safe. But then if it does stop at 1.000 you could add a little sugar to adjust and then when the yeast eats up that sugar and stops at 1.000 again you would be right in your range.

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It won't stop at 1.000. It'll stop at .990.

With bigger batches yeast acts differently what size fermenter are you using you nite need to do a big batch of ten or fifteen gallons just to see how your yeast deals with the bigger batch

thecouchbeast said:

With bigger batches yeast acts differently what size fermenter are you using you nite need to do a big batch of ten or fifteen gallons just to see how your yeast deals with the bigger batch

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I think I'm going to start a 500 gallon batch and then later do a few thousand gallon batches and then later a 1500 gallon batch, 1750 is the tanks capacity

Keep in mind that your ABV can vary a little from what you put on the bottle label. I'm not exactly sure of what the allowance is, but I think it's 1.5% or so. (At least it is this way on wines...ciders might be different)

Also you'll have to take into consideration that the sugars in apple crops might differ from year to year depending on environmental effects and also if the apples you purchased have been cold stored for any length of time. If you get apples from X orchard this year and the gravity is 1.050...next year their prices might be outrageous and you have to buy from Y orchard which only gets you to 1.040.

Adding different amounts of sugar will change your recipe each year and could dramatically alter the end product. But, hey, such is life and that's why some varietal years are better than others right?

I think...that if you label something hard cider it can only contain up to 7% alcohol??? Any higher than that and I believe it's taxed as a wine. I know in wines that if you exceed a specific CO2 level you are taxed at a higher rate. "It can be effervescent, but not fizzy!" no really..they tax it as a luxury item!

Your labels will have to be certified by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. (As well as facilities and methods) There's a lot more to commercial making than the satisfaction of a great product.

http://www.ttb.gov/

And THEN...there's all of the requirements for selling the stuff. You HAVE to use a distributor if you sell it to retail stores. (At least in most states) You can sell it in a tasting room, but they get you on that end as well.