Best way to back sweeten?

[klowneyy]

I was thinking about starting another cider and I was thinking I would try back sweetening this batch. I have never back sweetened a cider before. I have made a total of 9 batches so still kinda newbie. Thank you

 

[Bauerbrewery1989]

Was this going to be bottled or kegged? I make a still cider by adding potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfate, then back sweetening after about a week, you could keg it with this method as well. I like to use brown sugar, but that's just personal preference. If you're planning on naturally carbing it in bottles, there's a great post talking about pasteurization. Here's the link to it.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

 

[Pappers_]

Or check out www.makinghardcider.com

 

[klowneyy]

Was this going to be bottled or kegged? I make a still cider by adding potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfate, then back sweetening after about a week, you could keg it with this method as well. I like to use brown sugar, but that's just personal preference. If you're planning on naturally carbing it in bottles, there's a great post talking about pasteurization. Here's the link to it.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

I was planning on bottling it. Thank you

 

[caseymac91]

I've had good results with apple juice frozen concentrate.

 

[klowneyy]

I've had good results with apple juice frozen concentrate.

Could you please tell me what was your method and how you went about doing it? Thank you

 

[dobberson24]

+1 for apple juice concentrate. I find the fermentation scrubs out the apple flavour so back-sweetening with the concentrate does both. I thaw the frozen cans and and 2 or 3 per 5 gallon batch. Works great.

 

[pt49]

I was thinking about starting another cider and I was thinking I would try back sweetening this batch. I have never back sweetened a cider before. I have made a total of 9 batches so still kinda newbie. Thank you

I have made 1 brew in a fermenter that turned out like crap, so then bought an Oztops kit and got excellent but dry cider brewed in 2 litre PETE bottles (farm bought apple juice).

My next brew I added Stevia powder before drinking... excellent, definately better than any bottle shop cider I've tried, and I've tried a lot.

Next experiments will be tests with various yeasts, but still using pure apple juice in 2 litre PETE bottles. Once I find a good yeast to replace the expensive Oztops yeast, I'll scale up to 23 litre fermenter again.

The beauty of Stevia powder is that it is as good a sweetner as sugar, but does not affect the carbonation (risk of bottle bombs) and it is 100% natural.

2 litre apple juice in vegetable market is $5.99 but I buy it from the farm that supplies the market for just $2.50 for 2 litres. Stevia is not cheap (health food shop) but it goes a long way.

I might add that my recipe is as simple as removing 2 cups from a 2 litre bottle of juice (creates an airspace), add ½ cup of sugar to get higher abv (shake to disolve sugar), add yeast and 7 to 10 days later refrigerate and drink. I have not tested it but feel the ABV is about 6% - 7% given the effect it has on me.

 

[caseymac91]

Could you please tell me what was your method and how you went about doing it? Thank you

My method is nothing special. I start by fermenting the cider till it's dry and cleared up in primary. Rack straight to the bottling bucket, and back sweeten with frozen apple juice concentrate to taste. Than I follow the directions on Pappers easy stovetop pasteurizing sticky.

 

[boob_brewing]

Be careful with these suggestions if you want a carbonated & sweetened cider. I back sweeten 5 gal of cider with 5 cans of FAJC. In this 100deg Texas heat my house is ~80 so I let the bottles sit for 4 days then crash them (past or crash in fridge). This leaves me with a residual sugar of ~15g/12oz which is slightly less than Woodchuck amber but great in my opinion.


Good luck!
-AH

 

[Cyber36]

Be careful with these suggestions if you want a carbonated & sweetened cider. I back sweeten 5 gal of cider with 5 cans of FAJC. In this 100deg Texas heat my house is ~80 so I let the bottles sit for 4 days then crash them (past or crash in fridge). This leaves me with a residual sugar of ~15g/12oz which is slightly less than Woodchuck amber but great in my opinion.


Good luck!
-AH

How do you feel this would work if only leaving cider in secondary? Yes, I have enough room to put secondary(5 gal.) in fridge.....

 

[boob_brewing]

How do you feel this would work if only leaving cider in secondary? Yes, I have enough room to put secondary(5 gal.) in fridge.....

As long as you cool our little yeast friends down, no matter what the container, they will become dormant and the fermentation will stop. Carbonating in a secondary, short of a keg, may be tough to do as very few secondaries will allow you to build up pressure in the vessel. Drinking 5 gal before it goes flat is a challenge I have yet to take on though. Let me know if you need help with that!