effects of backsweetening with lactose

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jacob1484

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I intend to bottle carb a cran-apple cider I started the other day and SWMBO doesn't like dry... well, anything so I'm thinking about trying lactose to backsweeten it a little. Has anyone noticed any odd flavors or anything when doing something similar?
 
having never used lactose before I have no idea what it would taste like. can you describe it? is it really noticeable?
 
I forget, is lactose a fermentable sugar or not? I know there is a winery out of Astoria, OR who makes a cranberry whey wine that is pretty tasty.
 
No, CWP. It's not fermentable, that's why it is used for backsweetening.
 
Not to hijack a thread, but I was wondering what the best way to back sweeten is as well. My SWMBO doesn't like dry either......

So Lactose is better (tasting) than Splenda, is there anything better than lactose? Is back-sweetening better than stopping your fermentation when you hit a certain SG?

-ArXiX
 
ok.... so can anyone describe the taste of lactose or what it tastes like in cider? overwhelming? barely noticeable? aliens took a piece of my liver and cloned me?
 
arxix said:
Not to hijack a thread, but I was wondering what the best way to back sweeten is as well. My SWMBO doesn't like dry either......

So Lactose is better (tasting) than Splenda, is there anything better than lactose? Is back-sweetening better than stopping your fermentation when you hit a certain SG?

-ArXiX
Click to expand...

I hate the taste of splenda or any other artificial sweetener in anything, it always makes me think of rat poison for some reason... :cross:

From what I've read and my limited experience with the 1 batch of cider I've done, backsweetening is WAY easier than stopping the fermentation. That's why I chose that route. YMMV as always
 
jacob1484 said:
From what I've read and my limited experience with the 1 batch of cider I've done, backsweetening is WAY easier than stopping the fermentation. That's why I chose that route. YMMV as always
Click to expand...

Master cider makers have told me that, too, and I know Wandering Aengus Ciderworks, which uses cider apples and not concentrate, uses juice to back sweeten rather than stopping the fermentation.
 
All you can do is try a pint with lactose. Some people don't like it and people's perception of the sweetness varies tremendously. I prefer to use sorbate and backsweeten with apple juice concentrate.

One approach is to put a teaspoonful in a pint, split the pint and add another teaspoonful to half; then compare the two.
 
If I add more apple juice wont the yeast eat the new sugars and just make more alcohol (not a bad thing) and then wont we be right back where we started with a dry cider?

Forgive my noobness if I'm missing something.

-ArXiX
 
There's no harm in asking questions. Yes, adding juice will start the fermentation again provided that there are healthy yeasties and nothing is stopping them from eating. Aside from non-fermentable sugars, you can add preservatives to stop the yeast and carbonate with CO2. People also bottle pasteurize.
 
jacob1484 said:
ok.... so can anyone describe the taste of lactose or what it tastes like in cider? overwhelming? barely noticeable? aliens took a piece of my liver and cloned me?[/QUOTE

I did this for my wife for the same reason. As far as how it tasted in a cider, my best answer is that it was ok, but not what we were looking for.

In my case the sweetness was mildly noticable (8oz in a 2 gallon batch). It is not as sweet as other sugars. A simple taste test comparing dextrose and lactose will show you that. I heard on another thread that it is 1/5th as sweet, and that sounds about right to me. Other than sweetness, it adds some texture as well. (Milky texture maybe?)
With beers the level of sweetness lactose can provide apparantly seems more pronounced than what I found with my apfelwein, but I don't have direct knowledge of that.
Overall, the wine tasted better to her and took the dryness out, but wasn't quite what she was looking for, however you may find it works just fine.
Click to expand...
 

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