All concentrate?

[buckeyeintexas]

I have been reading a lot of threads and was wondering if I can just make cider from cans of concentrate. It seems a lot cheaper than buying gallons of juice

Also I started by reading howtomakehardcider.com and she suggests using xylitol to back sweeten. Does anyone agree with that?

Finally she suggests green apple extract from natures flavors. Has anyone tried that before?

 

[jackfrost]

I use both jugs and concentrate. Love it

 

[swampcider]

Done more than 50 gallons so far outa maybe 450 with FAJ...I feel it dosent store as well as fresh pressed. gets a bit dull after a yearish.So if you want quick cider, use it. But if you have a desire to make killer cider,use unfiltered,unpasturized,organic juice...and in the middle of that is storebought unfiltered/pasturized with no sorbate added.
You have a very general post i.e. do you have a hydrometer? How would you know its time to back sweeten? What is your desired %?
But,just go for it and get your feet wet and your whistle wet... its a blast and its not rocket science. Xylitol will sweeten but not give you any bubbles.Check it out and if you want carb than you need to add a wee bit of fermentables. Sounds like youre going to drink it outa the jug when ready tho..

 

[UpstateMike]

Also I started by reading howtomakehardcider.com and she suggests using xylitol to back sweeten. Does anyone agree with that?

Xylitol is known to cause stomach problems and diarrhea if used in large amounts. That's why I don't use it.

Finally she suggests green apple extract from natures flavors. Has anyone tried that before?

For what, tartness? If that's the case, just use powdered malic acid, your LHBS should have some. 9-12 teaspoons should do for a 6 gallon batch.

 

[JtotheA]

I have been reading a lot of threads and was wondering if I can just make cider from cans of concentrate. It seems a lot cheaper than buying gallons of juice

Also I started by reading howtomakehardcider.com and she suggests using xylitol to back sweeten. Does anyone agree with that?

Finally she suggests green apple extract from natures flavors. Has anyone tried that before?

Try a gallon to start if you're going to use alot of tap water. Minerals are good, but you'd have to try it out first and see how it tastes. You would want to get your SG around 1.06 to start.
I'd start with the basics before you add "fake" stuff like you mentioned. Get a baseline first. I'm familiar with what you read because I did to when I first started experimenting.

 

[mike_in_ak]

Navigate to the recipes sections of this forum and click "cider"

 

[buckeyeintexas]

I do have a hydrometer but no beer thief so it hits the bottom of my one gallon jugs. I have 2 one gallon batches going so far. I sweetened the one with 2 tbsp xylitol and used 1/3 cup frozen concentrate to prime. I will probably drink it young and keep the initial sg low to avoid too much alcohol. If I use concentrate I would filter the tap water. Would that take care of the mineral taste?

How important is clarity? My first batch was not very clear but I figured it wouldn't matter if I pour my ciders in a glass like I do with my beers to avoid the sediment at the bottom.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

How important is clarity? My first batch was not very clear but I figured it wouldn't matter if I pour my ciders in a glass like I do with my beers to avoid the sediment at the bottom.

To some, clarity is everything. To me, as long as it tastes good, who cares if it's cloudy or not. It won't effect the taste. My larger aged batches are usually pretty clear, but my quick one gallon batches...it's hard to see through them. They never clear all the way...but they taste pretty good.

As for sediment, on my one gallon batches, I don't even use an auto-syphon. I just pour from the original fermenter into the original (sanitized) juice container. With an ale yeast, most of them flocculate so well they stir up very little on the bottom. (nottingham creates a nice tight yeast pudding at the bottom)

So...that all said...clarity is probably a personal preference.