Can I add fresh cider after fermentation is done?

[michaelbelt]

I made a batch of Graff, but due to a noob error, it's too hoppy. Readings (and lack of activity in the airlock) tell me I'm ready to bottle. If I pasteurize a gallon of fresh cider, can I add it in, to sweeten the batch before bottling, or will that kickstart another round of fermentation?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

It will ferment again.

 

[david_42]

Unless you stabilize with sorbate and campden, the fresh juice will ferment. If you do stabilize, it won't carbonate. I'd add the extra juice to dilute the hops and let it ferment out.

 

[michaelbelt]

I was actually thinking of the first option; stabilize and add fresh juice. I might try your suggestion, though. This is supposed to be for Christmas. If I do add the fresh cider in, and it's not done fermenting out by the 22nd or so, I could stabilize then, and bottle on Christmas Eve, couldn't I?

 

[Rowdy]

wont the hoppy bite mellow over time in the bottle?
just read through the graff thread and seems although it can be consumed fairly quickly, that the general consensus is it gets much better with age..
idk just a thought

*edit*
sorry didnt read that it was to be ready for christmas
disregard....

 

[flyweed]

If you want a nice hard cider for Christmas, Give the Southern Sweet cider recipe a go. I've made it twice now with the addition of cinnamon extract. It's very very drinkable right after fermentation. I am just hoping mine lasts until christmas.

 

[PBRNUT]

I guess I now have the same question. I cold crashed my cider in the primary and transferred to secondary cold crashed again then transferred to my keg. I sweetened it with 1/2 gallon of cider. So it will start fermentation again????

 

[Yan]

What kind of yeast did you use? Some yeast is too hardy to cold crash reliably.

And even then, I only trust cold crashing with cider or wine if it's done for an extended period of time (a month or so). I have a small cellar in my basement that I fill with ice from the river or buckets of water that I leave outside overnight to freeze, which makes the job easy.

 

[PBRNUT]

I used cider yeast, was crashed about 3 weeks.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

For my last batch of cider I let it ferment out at 62F and then backsweetened it with fresh cider to 1.010. It worked very well and the alcohol content is stil 4.5% without any adjunct. It has great apple taste and sweetness.

That being said I would not have been able to do it if it was not kegged and kept at 40F. Obviously it would ferment out like others have said.