Cider plus which sugar?

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Which sugar do I add to my next batch of Cider?

  • Table Sugar (cane)

  • Honey

  • Brown Sugar

  • Dextrose


Results are only viewable after voting.

Crazytwoknobs

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I'm going to be doing a batch of cider on Sunday, as I'll be bottling the batch that has been in my carboy for over a month. Dominick's also has super cheap organic cider right now, so I figure it's a good time to stock up. Here's what I've decided:

It will be about 5 gallons.

I'll be using either WLP300, WLP720 or Wyeast 3068.

I'd like to up the ABV.

Which source of extra sugar should I use?
 
I don't add any sugar if I'm making my New England Hard Cider (fresh cider & yeast only), but if you're going to add sugar, you should use dextrose...
 
My friends and I have made EdWort's Apfelwein using dextrose exactly according to the recipe, and also using the exact same apple juice profile we made a cyser with Killer Bee honey (dark and malty) which we then pitched onto a cake of 3068 from a beer.

I haven't had the chance to taste them yet, but my friends reported that they didn't like the Apfelwein much at all, but that the cyser was fantastic. "Lock this stuff away from me so I don't drink it all" was one of their comments.

Looking forward to tasting them both myself soon.
 
I use corn sugar is that the same as dextrose? Another good way to up the abv is apple juice concentrate. It also leaves more apple taste behind.
 
i made my first batch of cider last week using brown sugar...unfortunately its obviously not done yet so i cant tell you how it came out!
 
I would think that brown sugar and honey would add a residual richness, while table sugar would bring some generic sweetness and dextrose would just ferment out and add nothing but more alcohol.

I used a pint of real maple syrup in my last batch. It is only a week into fermentation so I have no idea what it will be like. But I voted Brown Sugar.
 
My vote is for brown sugar. Of the four fermentables listed in the poll, the only two that would contribute flavor to your cider would be honey and brown sugar.

The flavor from the honey might be too delicate to really be noticed. I brewed Apfelwein, but substituted brown sugar for dextrose and it came out great. Since I haven't done a side by side comparison of ciders using different adjuncts, I can't tell you specifically if and what flavors to expect.
 
DraconianHand - when you used brown sugar did you replace pound per pound brown sugar for dextros?
 
I used brown sugar making Edworts apfelwein, and safeale so-4. It turned out tart and slightly sweet (as compared to the original recipe) I like it alot. I think other folks have commented on tartness from using brown sugar as well. It is a like eating a tart apple like cortland or granny smith.
 
Has anyone tried agave nectar? I would be interested to know how that tastes.
 
I've made Apfelwein every which way til Sunday...

The original recipe, with Dextrose (corn sugar) will ferment out completely, leaving a subtly tart and sweet product. This also clears the fastest, due to the complete fermentability of the Dextrose.

Cane sugar (table sugar) will ferment out very well also, but will leave the finished product slightly sweeter, and will take slightly longer to clear.

Dark brown sugar will ferment out quite dry, and will finish with a darker, more tart product due to the extra molasses. This takes about twice as long to clear as the Dextrose.

Honey depends on how much and when you add it, if you add 3 pounds at the beginning, it will ferment out very well, with a somewhat dry finished product. If you step it (add a little at a time), then there is a chance you can bump the ABV up quite a bit, and leave it very sweet. Honey takes the longest of them all to ferment and clear, your looking at at least a few months for this.

That said, I assumed from the original post (using organic cider, not apple juice) that you are making a New England (or Common) Hard Cider, not Apfelwein. Hence my original vote, and first post stating nothing but cider and yeast, with a little corn sugar if you're just looking to bump up the ABV a little. My New England Hard Cider generally comes out about 5 or 6% with no sugar added.

Whichever route you decide, let us know how it comes out... :tank:
 
oh, I'll be sure to let everyone know!

Looks like it'll be brown sugar at the moment. Either way, I'll be thrilled to have my first batch of EdWort's recipie of apfelwein out of my carboy!

Thanks for the advice guys!
 
Fish,

I did use brown sugar pound for pound for dextrose (I think I actually had to use a small bit of turbinado as I ran short of brown sugar). I would have to concur with KoG's post:

knights of Gambrinus said:
I used brown sugar making Edworts apfelwein, and safeale so-4. It turned out tart and slightly sweet (as compared to the original recipe) I like it alot. I think other folks have commented on tartness from using brown sugar as well. It is a like eating a tart apple like cortland or granny smith.
I would say that my cider has a bit of tartness to it. On Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day I will be making a apfelwein (in addition to a pale ale) using jaggery.
 
onoz, it's tied!?!?

I guess that means half and half.....

Sounds good to me!


I made it out to the more "distant" seeming LHBS, and got myself a smack pack of 3068 and a few safale S-04 packets. I'll only be using the 3068 on this batch.
 
ok, looks like dextrose... lemme check to see if I have enough.

ok, I have 2 lbs dextrose and....

1lb brown sugar.

I might have to use all of it....?

I'm in the process of getting some more carlo rossi jugs, so I'll be able to do flavor experiments soon!!
 
Final recipie:

2gallons Zeigler's apple cider.
1gallon Trader Joe's apple cider.
.5gallons locally grown cider that I bought from the farmer's market.
Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan
24oz organic brown sugar
16oz dextrose.

I had another gallon of the trader joe's cider, but it had started to ferment on it's own! I put it in a carlo rossi jug, and added some muntons. If it works out, awesome, if not, no loss. A whole packet of muntons may have been an overpitch now that I think about it....
 
It's HORRIBLE.

Both the 4.5gal and the 1gal batch are REALLY BAD.


My friends like it, but I'm never making it again. It's like... really really bad. Instant headache.
 
From your original recipe it looks like 3.5 gallons of cider and 2.5 lbs of sugar. Apfelwein is 5 gallons of juice with 2 lbs sugar. Since you effectively nearly doubled the amount of sugar, maybe that contributed to the bad taste? I'd try it again with no sugar and see if it comes out better. Just a thought.

Edit: Or maybe let it age for another 3 months and see if it improves
 
Adolphus79 said:
That said, I assumed from the original post that you are making a New England (or Common) Hard Cider, not Apfelwein. My New England Hard Cider generally comes out about 5 or 6% with no sugar added.

New England Hard Cider is not the same thing as Common Hard cider.

BJCP Guidelines:
Common Hard Cider: 5-8% ABV
New England Hard Cider: 7-13% ABV
Apfelwein: 9-12% ABV

For all practical purposes, New England Hard Cider, and Apfelwein are the exact same thing. Both use adjuncts to boost alchohol levels.

The difference is in the selection of apples, which is usually a moot point when using apple juice, as its usually a blend regardless.
 
The recipe was off, it was 3 gallons zeigler's cider.

I've just re-boxed the bottles, and I'll be storing them on a shelf in the basement till Christmas.
 
mr_stimey said:
Try Edworts.

Yeah, my second batch of Edwort's Apfelwein is in my smaller carboy. The first batch disappeared so quickly.... This time I tried organic dark brown sugar instead of dextrose though. And only about a pound for 5 gallons.
 
Fish,

I did use brown sugar pound for pound for dextrose (I think I actually had to use a small bit of turbinado as I ran short of brown sugar). I would have to concur with KoG's post:


I would say that my cider has a bit of tartness to it. On Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day I will be making a apfelwein (in addition to a pale ale) using jaggery.

How did the jaggery apfelwein turn out?
 
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