Spiced Apfelwein?? What do you think??

Indian Summer Spice Apfelwein 10.18.09

5 gallons 100% pure apple Juice
5 cups Corn sugar,it is 2 lbs
1 packet Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast ( 15 mins in water)
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
4 Cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp Tannins
5 tsp Yeast Nutrient

Potential Alcohol 8%
specific gravity 1.061
% suger balling 15%

It is fermenting well after 2 days. It tasted great before the yeast and I think it will have a good color when it is done. I have made 13 gallon of just regular apfelwein with this same juice and it has been pretty good. I guess it won't really be ready the Thanksgiving this year, but it might be by Christmas?

I've doen something similar, except I mulled an Apfelwein, and it was outstanding.

I used this recipe : http://web.med.harvard.edu/sites/murmur/html/articles/121503/121503_abeck.asp

Except of course I replaced the red wien for Apfelwein

I would start with 2 cinnamon sticks. You will be surprised how strong it is. You can always add more but you can't take it out!

Well I guess it is to late to take them out now. That makes me glad I stopped at4, instead of six. I am shaking it once a day and it bubbles like crazy, should I rack in to a secondary once it stops?

I like mine sweet, (after all you're using the same spices for a apple pie). That is just my preference. I cold crash it @ 1.015-1.010. It usually takes me two times to get the fermentation to stop---- then bottle. I just opened a bottle that I put up in 2007 and it is fantastic....much better than last year. If you have too much cinnamon don't throw it out. Make another batch of cider and blend it in.

2007 your holding your cider almost 2 years? On a scale of 10, how much better does cider get with time. I know it should sit for at least 6 months, I have trouble letting it sit for 2. Is it worth letting it sit?

It depends, but for the most part the longer it sits the better it gets.(Like wine). It is not always true though. I have had some that turned terrible. The 2007 batch was made with Cotes de Blanc yeast and that turned out great. I had a batch that I made in 2005 that I opened this summer that sucked. It was made with champagne yeast(I can't remember which one-I didn't keep great records then)
I have 5 gallons that I made with saflager 25 and it was terrible at christmas time but is great right now.
There are so many variables that affect the cider that you just don't know