No sugar added higher ABV

Has anyone tried cutting Apple Juice concentrate with 2 cans of water and 1 of Apple Juice? Looking for more apple flavor and no added sugar to raise the ABV of the final cider. Would this have adverse effects on the cider?

Yes, if you're using apple juice concentrate, use more concentrate and less water and you'll have a higher original gravity (which will lead to higher abv). Good luck!

Would this also give a stronger apple flavor as some of my past batches lacked apple flavor? It may have been the yeast I used, is their a yeast that lets the apple flavor shine through, or does that come with aging?

In my experience, the drier the cider, the longer you need to let it age to gain an apple flavor. If you leave it semi-dry, around 1.010, then lots of apple shine through. I usually use ale yeast, usually dry Nottingham. If you look at the sticky threads at the top of the forum, you'll find that cvillekevin has done a lot of experimenting with different yeasts, its a great resource.

It would work but by using less water to concentrate, you're basically just adding natural apple sugars instead of your added sugar (glucose etc.) So there will be more sugar - but that's home brewing - more sugar equals stronger!

There is another way

punkin said:

There is another way

Click to expand...

Yes - freeze concentrating. It's legal and worthy of discussion.

Yuri_Rage said:

Yes - freeze concentrating. It's legal and worthy of discussion.

Click to expand...

It's not legal everywhere, not sure where you are pointing to it being illegal. I know all forms of distilling are legal in NZ for personal purposes as well as a few other places around the globe. Distillation of water or essences under a 5 litre volume is legal in Australia.

Discussion is legal everywhere.

I find the 'worthy' of discussion a little offensive, as something i take great pride in being considered 'unworthy'

edited to remove polarising remark.

Apologies for the way that came across. I meant no offense. We do allow discussions concerning freeze concentration here. For the protection of our members, our hobby, and our site, we do not permit open discussion about actual (heat) distillation.

No probs. it's your forum and you can make whatever rules you like.

thanks for the reply and the apology, it's just something that's important to me. (assume you googled me

Yuri_Rage said:

Yes - freeze concentrating. It's legal and worthy of discussion.

Click to expand...

At the risk of being offensive, I freeze concentrate my cider PRIOR to fermentation quite often. Since it is not a fermented beverage, I don't think there are any legal issues. This raises the gravity and concentrates the apple flavors.

Using apple juice and apple concentrate basically accomplishes the same thing. Adding sugar to apple juice raises the gravity, but adds little or no flavor. I feel adding extra sugars by using apple concentrate has the added benefit of adding apple flavor as well. The concentrate will also add a little malic acid, which is lacking in most apple juice. I say go for it.