first hard apple cider

Well i just bottled and sampled my first hard apple cider. i kept it very basic and did make a few errors along the way.

i used 1gal of store bought apple juice.
5gr of US-05 yeast
350gr of dextrose or around 1 cup i believe.
2 sticks of cinnamon
2liters of apple juice to backsweeten

my OG for just the juice was 1.046. decided to add some dextrose and then forgot to take another reading. maybe someone can let me know how many points the dextrose adds.

I sanitized everything as per normal. added just shy of 1 gal to my 1 gal growler and pitched my yeast. bubble after 18hrs or so and i left it ferment for 2 weeks. after that i racked to another clean and sanitized 1 gal growler and added 2 sticks of cinnamon. i left it for another week and it really started to clear. i then added potassium metabisulfate and potassium sorbate and racked on top. i left it for another 2-3 days and back sweetened with the remaining apple juice.

filled approx 10 grolsch bottles. i then pasteurized then at 160f for 12min. some of the rubber gaskets were nearly out so i opened them and pushed the gaskets back in place. hope i didn't screw it up too bad.

tasted like apple juice with some cinnamon and turned out very clear. my wife really liked it because there is no hint of alcohol and should come in around 3.5% i'm guessing.

The dextrose wouldn't do too much, maybe .008 additional points (thus 1.054).

Nothing 'wrong' with your process, but the potassium additions would be more than enough chill the yeast out and let you backsweeten, no need to pasteurize.

If your going to go through the pasteurization process, might as well let it bottle carb in the grolsch bottles and then follow the stovetop pasteurization methods such as in the sticky at the top of the cider forum.

Unferth said:

The dextrose wouldn't do too much, maybe .008 additional points (thus 1.054).

Nothing 'wrong' with your process, but the potassium additions would be more than enough chill the yeast out and let you backsweeten, no need to pasteurize.

If your going to go through the pasteurization process, might as well let it bottle carb in the grolsch bottles and then follow the stovetop pasteurization methods such as in the sticky at the top of the cider forum.

Click to expand...

i didn't know if the pasteurizing would allow me to store the bottles for a longer period of time. i know when i make beer i boil the wort to help sanitize it.

i did follow the stick at the top of the page other then i went for 12 min instead of 10. the timer on my propane burner is max 12 min so it's just easy that way.

Thanks for you for the input.