Back sweetening cider- options

[Philmycup]

I’m currently making a vanilla pear/apple cider. I hoping to get a sweeter cider w/o back sweetening. I’ve heard vanilla beans can do that. My normal cider that I make is great no complaints, I just feel it’s missing that little extra to really get it to retail cider quality. Wondering what people add/ back sweet w to get cider a little sweeter? Suggestions

 

[RPh_Guy]

I’ve heard vanilla beans can do that.

They don't.

You could try an artificial sweetener like sucralose (Splenda) or xylitol.

 

[GnenieGone]

Why don't you ferment with White Labs Sweet cider yeast?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Why don't you ferment with White Labs Sweet cider yeast?

It dries out cider just like any other yeast.

 

[GnenieGone]

The only other thing I've done is back sweeten with a can or 2 of concentrate This is how I do the hard lemonades, essentially the same thing. 2 cans and 2 cups of sugar for a 5gal batch of completely dry batch seems to make folks happy.

 

[bleme]

The only other thing I've done is back sweeten with a can or 2 of concrete. This is how I do the hard lemonades,

Concrete would certainly make HARD lemonade

Seriously though, I'm going to vote for sweetening with monk fruit.

 

[GnenieGone]

Concrete would certainly make HARD lemonade

Seriously though, I'm going to vote for sweetening with monk fruit.

Drinking all day and auto spell..nice combo!

 

[jcav]

I agree with Piano Man. I back sweeten using cans of concentrate to taste. Comes out fantastic......


John

 

[GnenieGone]

I cold crash to drop the yeast and add potassium sorbet. Important!

 

[Maylar]

FAJC works for me. The small amount that's needed to reach semi-sweet (1.008-ish) has zero effect on clarity, which is important to me. Recently I used some honey for sweetening, and it left the cider cloudy Should have filtered it, but that's a lot of work.

 

[Philmycup]

FAJC works for me. The small amount that's needed to reach semi-sweet (1.008-ish) has zero effect on clarity, which is important to me. Recently I used some honey for sweetening, and it left the cider cloudy Should have filtered it, but that's a lot of work.

What is FJAC?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

What is FJAC?

Nothing. What's a FJAC with you?



*FAJC = Filtered Apple Juice Concentrate

 

[Philmycup]

Nothing. What's a FJAC with you?



*FAJC = Filtered Apple Juice Concentrate

Bahahaha thanks

 

[Philmycup]

Bahahaha thanks

Are you adding the FJAC in secondary fermentation? And do you pasturise?

 

[Maylar]

Frozen apple juice concentrate. Add at bottling / kegging time.

 

[RPh_Guy]

^ right, Frozen.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Crap. Why did I say filtered? Typing one thing, thinking another. Yes... "frozen".

No, you do not need to pasturize. A potassium metabisulfite (campden) tab should be fine to neutralize the yeast.

If you keg, you could also throw in your freezingfilteredfrozen apple juice concentrate in right before you put it in the kegerator.

 

[RPh_Guy]

@Philmycup
Are you bottling or kegging? People are making assumptions, which may be causing confusion.

. A potassium metabisulfite (campden) tab should be fine to neutralize the yeast.

It certainly is not.
https://***************.com/wiki/Sulfite

Should have filtered it, but that's a lot of work.

How much work?

 

[ericbw]

@Philmycup
Are you bottling or kegging? People are making assumptions, which may be causing confusion.


It certainly is not.
https://***************.com/wiki/Sulfite


How much work?

The work is buying or making a filter and then running it from one keg to another.

 

[Maylar]

How much work?

Probably an hour's worth. I have a Buon Vino Mini and it takes some prep cleaning, sanitizing, and purging it before use then cleaning again afterward. Works well but a real pita.

 

[dwhetz]

What happens if you start with a mixture of apple juice and FAJC?

 

[Maylar]

What happens if you start with a mixture of apple juice and FAJC?

FAJC has a specific gravity of about 1.200, which makes it ideal for back sweetening since you need very little of it. Adding it to apple juice will raise the SG and increase ABV level, lots of people do that to make apple wine etc.

 

[dwhetz]

FAJC has a specific gravity of about 1.200, which makes it ideal for back sweetening since you need very little of it. Adding it to apple juice will raise the SG and increase ABV level, lots of people do that to make apple wine etc.

Well..since i followed what my brewing supply guys said to do, I am stuck with it. Fingers are crossed. I will keg it in 1.5 weeks, they said to let it sit 2 more...veey curious now! First time making a cider btw. Thanks for the advice!

 

[CKuhns]

Jumping in here. "What to use to sweeten hard cider?"

- Fruit. I have found that fruit additions do bring sugars but also kind of "ttrick" my toungue into thinking the cider is sweeter than it really is.
- Non-fermentables. Lactose, sucralose or xilytol etc... (No concern about restarting fermentation)
- FAJC or other sugar additions honey etc.... (Like fruit could result with additional fermentation. But my favorite option.)
- Vanilla and Tannins don't make it sweeter but I believe give it better mouth feel and rounds out the flavor. Again, like fruit kind of tricking you into thinking its sweeter than it is.

Options to consider for stabilizing if using fermentables to sweeten:
- Pasteurize (Prefer this if bottling)
- Filetreing to 0.45 micron or less.
- Potassium Metabisulfite.
- Cold crash and time prior to adding FAJC. (Prefer this when going to the keg.)