Mulled Hard Cider for the winter.

Hey everyone.

I did a lighter version of this for the summer, and it turned out so well that I want to do it again for the winter. It is going to be a big cider, near 10%. But I plan on letting it sit and settle out a bit. However, I am making a change. Last time I used a pound of honey, this time I was to substitute that for some caramel. I have never used caramel in a cider so I don't know how it will react. I have read a few threads using caramel but mostly they say they use it in secondary. I will be adding this during the pasteurizing/heat step so the caramel should in theory go into solution. So far though this is what I have

5gal batch.

4gal Apple Cider
2lb Dark Brown Sugar
1lb Molasses
1lb Caramel
0.5 tsp Apple Pie Spice

Let sit, ferment with either the Ommegang Belgian ale yeast or WLP002 British Ale yeast.

During fermentation, add 1 canister of frozen apple juice concentrate to 2 cups captain morgan. Add another 0.5tsp of apple pie spice to the run/juice and close container and let sit while cider is in primary. (Spice rum is used to sterilize the juice and help the spices go into solution)

After fermentation is complete add metabisulphate/potassium sorbate/ something similar to stave future fermentation.

Add the mulled juice/spice/rum in order to backsweeten and add the spice into the cider. Then bottle.

Estimated OG- 1.075
Estimated ABV- 11% (which counts the addition of the rum)

This will be fermented fairly cool so the hot alcohols should be minimized.

I would love your thoughts on this cider, in particular, the use of caramel. I don't know if it will really do what I want it to do and hopefully someone has used it before on here.

Looking forward to your thoughts.
Kyle

I like the idea of a caramel in a cider, especially for winter. Let us know how it turns out.

Yeah, I am excited by the prospect. I just hope it goes into solution and can be fermented with enough efficiency. Would you imagine caramel has the same sugar ppg as conventional table sugar?

Should ferment just like table sugar, after all good caramel is nothing more than sugar, butter and cream. The lactose in the butter and cream should help with residual sweetness too.

isn't it a bit weird to put butter in cider? this is a genuine question, not meant to suggest you shouldn't do it. i just had a thought of a globby oil slick! so i await your update

It is a concern of mine as well. Part of me is considering just caramelizing sugar straight to get a "creme brulee" like flavor instead. I am doing this today...so I should probably make up my mind.