Dave's Carmel Apple Cider

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ellicit

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This is a sweet cider and it tastes just like drinking a caramel apple pie :ban::

Ingredients:
5 Gal. Apple Juice (Treetop or Mott's)
5 – 12 oz. cans of Apple Juice Concentrate
2 lbs. Dextrose
5 campden tablets
12 oz. Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
Nottingham Yeast

Recipe for Cinnamon Dolce Syrup:
2 cups of water
2 cups of brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil, at boil reduce heat and simmer for approx. 5 minutes (until volume is reduced to half). Cool & bottle for future use.

In carboy add 2 gal of apple juice, then add the 2 lbs. of dextrose then swirl (you want to mix the dextrose in well as to dissolve), then top off with the remaining 3 gallons of apple juice, pitch the yeast, sit back and wait.
When the fermentation has ceased and it now looks like apple juice once again, re-rack and add the 5 crushed campden tablets, and let the mix sit for 12-24 hours.
Siphon into your bottling bucket and now add the 12 oz. of Cinnamon Dolce Syrup & the 5 cans of Apple Juice concentrate. Bottle and enjoy.
 
I'll be trying this on the weekend. Always looking for a new caramel recipe, will post back with results :)

P.s. I always get mixed up with the brown sugar differences between here and America, is it possible to get a picture of what yours looks like?
 
imgres

Also, for some reason I had something different on my mind at the moment I guess when I mentioned using Campden tablets.... you can also use Potassium Sorbate in place of the campden tablets to stop the fermentation in order to back sweeten.
 
This sounds awesome! I have two batches going at present and I am going to add your
Cinnamon Dolce syrup to one of them as well as the extra concentrate. Dark or light brown sugar?
 
K-sorbate doesn't stop fermentation, it inhibits yeast reproduction. The viable yeast will still eat away any sugar you put in. Use both to effectively stop a re-fermentation.

Thanks for the pic!
 
I'm new to the whole brewing game.. Im looking to brew some hard cider for the fall and liked this recipe.. My question is as ive read through other hard cider recipes, they always say the longer you let it set the better.. Could you do that with this one. For instants let it set like 2 months the put I the sauce and concentrate and bottle it?
 
Has anyone tried to keg this and force carb with the cinnamon syrup? We went through a whole batch of this over Thanksgiving and I would like to keg a batch for Christmas.
 
This sounds really sweet, would you say you can have a few or is it too sweet to drink multiples?
 
Force carb with the cinnamon syrup? You can inhibit the fermentation by adding 5 campden tablets and 2 1/2tsp K sorbate to the mix and then simply keg and force carbonate or as I did just add the 5 campden tablets, 5 cans of apple concentrate and the 12-15 oz. of cinnamon syrup into the bottling bucket, mix well and bottle.
 
Am I missing something ? It says 2 cups water for the syrup but then you reduce by half. The recipe calls for more than that are you making 2-3 times that amount you have listed?
 
Did anyone take an O.G. of this? I'm at 1.030 after a little over a week of activity. I thought I would be closer to 1 by now! Tasted a small sample and it tastes like Apple cider champagne, pretty darn sweet right now, but to be expected.
 
Bookem15 said:
Am I missing something ? It says 2 cups water for the syrup but then you reduce by half. The recipe calls for more than that are you making 2-3 times that amount you have listed?
Click to expand...

12oz = 1.5 cups. 2 cups of water + 2 cups of sugar = 4 cups reduced to half is 2 cups, that should be plenty of syrup to use for the recipe.

I think I'm going to whip some of this up tonight. Wish I found this sooner so I could have some ready for xmas!

D_Nyholm said:
Did anyone take an O.G. of this? I'm at 1.030 after a little over a week of activity. I thought I would be closer to 1 by now! Tasted a small sample and it tastes like Apple cider champagne, pretty darn sweet right now, but to be expected.
Click to expand...

The OP shows OG as 1.054 and FG at 1.010.
 
Bookem15 said:
Am I missing something ? It says 2 cups water for the syrup but then you reduce by half. The recipe calls for more than that are you making 2-3 times that amount you have listed?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's is just the measurements I use to keep it simple and it leaves me with extra syrup which I use at a later date.
 
Also to limit any confusion I only use campden in the recipe, by adding the syrup and concentrates then bottle they carbonate perfectly and the co2 pressure inhibits the yeast from further carbonating to the point of bottle bombs. Chill before opening. If you add the K sorbate to the mix you will have a very sweet and flat (still) cider.
 
Any idea when the F.G. was taken? Is that before or after the addition of the concentrate and the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture?
 
Just wanted to give a response as I made this for the holidays and it was a hit. I did made a change of only using 1 can of concentrate per 2 gallons of juice. Otherwise it was way too sweet for my tastes and everyone who tasted it seemed to love it. At a holiday party, i brought a 12 pack and a growler and they were gone very quickly. I will be making this again, just a little drier next time. I haven't tested the final product, but when i was testing how much concentrate to add, i brought it up to 1.022.
 
Does it matter how hard I mix it up ay this point (after fermentation+campden tabs). I do not want to mess it up by adding o2 from the mixing.....Should I just let it dissolve.
 
I usually let the concentrates sit out so they are liquid before I add them and simply stir in with my mash paddle. A little stirring and it will be thoroughly mixed, no need to put it in a paint shaker :)
 
RelicBrewingSupply said:
I usually let the concentrates sit out so they are liquid before I add them and simply stir in with my mash paddle. A little stirring and it will be thoroughly mixed, no need to put it in a paint shaker :)
Click to expand...

+1

Just made my second batch of this for a party, again not making it as sweet as.the original, big hit with everyone and it is all gone, good thing i have another 6 gallons fermenting as I write this!
 
Hi all. I just started brewing so forgive me if this is a less than intelligent question.

I made this cider as the recipe called for. When I bottled 3 weeks ago I noticed that some of the syrup wouldn't dissolve in the bottling bucket. Not thinking too much of it i added the concentrate and bottled. It had a good flavor right from the bucket. A week later I tried it and it was excellent. At 2 weeks it was like eating a freshly dipped caramel apple.

Now for the problem. It's week three, I haven't had any for a week so I'm at work really looking forward to a nice cold caramel cider. I get home and pop one. After the eruption of bubbles (luckily I was in my basement) I figured out that it carbonated itself in the bottle. Now this wouldn't be a problem but it mixes up the sediment at the bottom of the bottle and is really, really fizzy. I don't know what to do. I have thought running through reanging from pop all the remaining bottles (30) and filter to drink quickly (not good when I just started a new job a week ago and have been told i will be made foreman in a couple more weeks).

Basically I'm new to brewing and don't know what to do, please help.
 
Soggyfoot said:
Hi all. I just started brewing so forgive me if this is a less than intelligent question.

I made this cider as the recipe called for. When I bottled 3 weeks ago I noticed that some of the syrup wouldn't dissolve in the bottling bucket. Not thinking too much of it i added the concentrate and bottled. It had a good flavor right from the bucket. A week later I tried it and it was excellent. At 2 weeks it was like eating a freshly dipped caramel apple.

Now for the problem. It's week three, I haven't had any for a week so I'm at work really looking forward to a nice cold caramel cider. I get home and pop one. After the eruption of bubbles (luckily I was in my basement) I figured out that it carbonated itself in the bottle. Now this wouldn't be a problem but it mixes up the sediment at the bottom of the bottle and is really, really fizzy. I don't know what to do. I have thought running through reanging from pop all the remaining bottles (30) and filter to drink quickly (not good when I just started a new job a week ago and have been told i will be made foreman in a couple more weeks).

Basically I'm new to brewing and don't know what to do, please help.
Click to expand...

First of all, be VERY CAREFUL, sounds like a recipe for bottle bombs. Did you pasteurize or anything to kill the yeast? If not, I would open them all up and get them out of there before they open themselves in glass grenades. What yeast did you use? If you get them super cold, they may not continue to ferment, but I think you'd be taking a chance!
 
I did not pasteurize but i did use Campden tablets after the fermenting stopped.

Also last night when i opened 2 bottles both erupted with carbonation. Today i opened 2 and they were carbonated but not more than I would expect if I was trying to bottle carb them.
 
Soggyfoot said:
I did not pasteurize but i did use Campden tablets after the fermenting stopped.

Also last night when i opened 2 bottles both erupted with carbonation. Today i opened 2 and they were carbonated but not more than I would expect if I was trying to bottle carb them.
Click to expand...

Hopefully someone else will chime in since i am nowhere near an expert, but I do not think that Campden tablets are enough to stop fermentation, you also need Potassium Sorbate.

I would be careful and store those suckers really really cold and drink them FAST.
 
You are correct, however. When I made the recipe though I had no intention of stopping fermentation as I wanted a carbonated cider not a still cider. If you let them ferment all the way through they don't make bottle bombs, or if you prefer to keg then YES also add the K sorbate and force carb.
 
Soggyfoot said:
I did not pasteurize but i did use Campden tablets after the fermenting stopped.

Also last night when i opened 2 bottles both erupted with carbonation. Today i opened 2 and they were carbonated but not more than I would expect if I was trying to bottle carb them.
Click to expand...

I also had a similar issue once, not sure if it was a bottle cleanliness issue or the yeast, I only use Nottingham. However when I first made this the first 3 batches were with White Labs Nottingham and came out great but I did have then next batch with Danstar Nottingham explode half my bottles but I've done 4 more batches since then, some with White Labs and some with Danstar. Not sure really what the reason was but it hasn't happened since. I can only think something wasn't properly cleaned, someone was down shaking bottles or I had a bad batch of yeast.
 
Ok so i popped all the remaining bottles open. A few of them sounded like opening champagne bottles, there was so much pressure built up. Once i cleaned my basement of all the mess from the eruptions of each bottle i now have roughly 1/2 a batch left.

I am now waiting for it to finish out the renewed fermentation before proceeding. This has now become an experiment to see what happens.

I am heading out to get the materials for a second batch. I really enjoyed this recipe, and got nothing but compliments, before this fizzy fits problem started.
 
Yep, I did a smaller batch test and for some reason this Danstar Nottingham is making bombs and my batches with WhiteLabs Nottingham are coming out great. I'm sanitizing the hell out of everything with hot water and iodine.
 
I didn't get the chance to pick up the supplies for the second batch yet. I've been working 10 hour days and the HB shop isn't open on Sundays.

I didnt realize there was a difference between danstar and whitelabs(thats how new i am to brewing). I will be sure to use the whitelabs for my next batch. Thanks for the tips.
 
So I've not used campden tabs or this recipe, but how does it carb up if the yeast is halted? Do the tabs just slow the yeast down, and these must be consumed in a certain timeframe or they'll blow?
 
Soggyfoot said:
I didn't get the chance to pick up the supplies for the second batch yet. I've been working 10 hour days and the HB shop isn't open on Sundays.

I didnt realize there was a difference between danstar and whitelabs(thats how new i am to brewing). I will be sure to use the whitelabs for my next batch. Thanks for the tips.
Click to expand...

There really isn't other than one is a liquid yeast and one is a dry yeast. I'm not an expert so I couldn't say what could possibly change that would cause this, I'm only reporting on the results in which I had.
 
Hey guys, just a heads up. I brewed this a while back, used about 2 cups of the syrup and 3 frozen juice cans for the 5 gals I had. I entered it in the Mid Winter comp up here in WI and ended up taking 2nd in cider with this recipe. Its damn good stuff!
 
xsists said:
Hey guys, just a heads up. I brewed this a while back, used about 2 cups of the syrup and 3 frozen juice cans for the 5 gals I had. I entered it in the Mid Winter comp up here in WI and ended up taking 2nd in cider with this recipe. Its damn good stuff!
Click to expand...

So when you added the syrup and 3 cans did it carb alright or was it bottle bomb material? I am trying to make this for the wife and she likes it sweet and carbed. I understand the whole adding the Camden tabs to stop yeast reproduction but will adding the syrup over carb?
 
ellicit said:
This is a sweet cider and it tastes just like drinking a caramel apple pie :ban::

Ingredients:
5 Gal. Apple Juice (Treetop or Mott's)
5 – 12 oz. cans of Apple Juice Concentrate
2 lbs. Dextrose
5 campden tablets
12 oz. Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
Nottingham Yeast

Recipe for Cinnamon Dolce Syrup:
2 cups of water
2 cups of brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil, at boil reduce heat and simmer for approx. 5 minutes (until volume is reduced to half). Cool & bottle for future use.

In carboy add 2 gal of apple juice, then add the 2 lbs. of dextrose then swirl (you want to mix the dextrose in well as to dissolve), then top off with the remaining 3 gallons of apple juice, pitch the yeast, sit back and wait.
When the fermentation has ceased and it now looks like apple juice once again, re-rack and add the 5 crushed campden tablets, and let the mix sit for 12-24 hours.
Siphon into your bottling bucket and now add the 12 oz. of Cinnamon Dolce Syrup & the 5 cans of Apple Juice concentrate. Bottle and enjoy.
Click to expand...

I've been wanting to make this for a week now but am a little confused on carbing... I put all of my brew straight into a keg.. so do I use both potassium sorbate and campden tablets? Furthermore should I still add the 5 cans of Apple juice concentrate? I'm making this primarily for the girlfriend... And she likes sweet hard Apple cider.
 
I would skip potassium, but yes to tabs.
And if you want sparkling cider, the concentrate is a yes also. Unless you plan on force carbing.
 
RobbyBeer said:
I would skip potassium, but yes to tabs.
And if you want sparkling cider, the concentrate is a yes also. Unless you plan on force carbing.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
No force carbing... Was just gonna carb it and let it sit
and age a little
 
Bookem15 said:
So when you added the syrup and 3 cans did it carb alright or was it bottle bomb material? I am trying to make this for the wife and she likes it sweet and carbed. I understand the whole adding the Camden tabs to stop yeast reproduction but will adding the syrup over carb?
Click to expand...

Sorry for the late response. I kegged and force carbed mine. The potassium and camden prevent it from fermenting anymore and if you bottle it, it will just be still cider.
 

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