Cran-Apfelwein with fructose? Possible?

I've seen others talk about experimenting with cranberry juice, but my head is spinning trying to find posts with results!

I am bottling a batch of Ed's original recipe Apfelwein today and was looking around the store so that I can refill my empty carboy when I found that I am SOL for ingredients - No dextrose and short of apple juice (No, I didn't think it was possible either - someone else locally must be making apfelwein...)

I found three gallons of Tree Top 100% Apple Juice and thought about adding two gallons of Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail (Ingredients: Filtered Water, Cranberry Juice (Cranberry Juice from Concentrate and Cranberry Juice), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). What am I missing here? In the thousands of gallons of Apfelwein made I know I am not the first one to think of this. Does cranberry juice provide off flavors? How does the High Fructose Corn Syrup affect fermentation/flavor?

In addition, I am about two hours from my LHBS and even my impatience won't allow me to drive that far for two pounds of dextrose. So, I realize that I am left with the option of table sugar, brown sugar, or how about fructose? I recognize the very basic design of different sugars and that fructose is derived from fruit and can give beer a fruity flavor. What I am curious about is 1) is fructose fermentable to the extent other sugars are and 2) does it really matter if there is a fruity flavor byproduct in a cran-apfelwein? Since Fructose is sweeter than table sugar, would the ratio be the same?

I am still learning so those with a stronger chemistry background, please chime in! I am all for experimentation, however, I would hope to at least start out knowing that I am not just mixing juice, sweetening it, and letting it sit for six weeks!

Opinions?

I did this, and it is SUPERB.

Edworts recipe except I subbed 1 gal cran-apple, and 1 gal pomegranite. Here is the breakdown.

3 gals 100% apple juice
1 gal 100% cran-apple
1 gal pomegranite juice
2lbs dextrose
1 packet Redstar montrachet

Its very clean, dry and flavorful. The cranberry and pomegranate are there, but not overpowering.

I think if you dont over-do the cranberry, or any other fruit juice for that matter you can tweak Eds recipe and it will turn out great.

As far as the outcome in using brown sugar or fructose, I couldnt tell you specifics with cranberry. I have used brown sugar before with plain apfelwein and it comes out good, a little more tart, and it also takes longer to clear.

Ah-HA! I found some dextrose that I had stockpiled! I am still curious however, about the usefullness (or uselessness) of fructose. I almost picked up a gallon of the pomegranete juice earlier...hmm, I may have to go back to the store. Thanks for the feedback mr_stimey!

YC57 said:

Thanks for the feedback mr_stimey!

Click to expand...

No problem, good luck!

PS Try doing a forum search for "fructose"

From what i've learned. Sucrose is glucose and fructose with an extra bond. An acid will release the bond or what you can do is boil the sucrose and it'll release the bond. Use two parts table sugar, one part water. Boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes. So no dextrose, no problem. This will make sugar more fermentable for the yeast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextrose

notice how dextrose is more bite sized

What I made a while back was:

6 gallons Cran/grape guice from CostCo (nothing but cranberry and grape juice)
Kilo of corn syrup
Champagne yeast
In primary for six weeks.

Then bottled with 3/4 cup of sugar to prime and artificial sweetener to taste and right now its a lovely tart pink/light red bubbly wine that's much much stronger than it tastes. Its only been in bottles for a month and it's already awesome.

Makes awesome Sangria too, the tart cranberry goes great with the sweet sliced fruit