Making Concentrate for Cider

[Jordan Aschaber]

It seems to me that this isn't a problem for you folks down in the states, but I've tried looking up here in Canada in about 5 stores so far and online at their inventory but can't find any frozen apple juice concentrate here in Toronto. Perhaps someone knows where to get some there or maybe they could also benefit from making concentrate.

I'd like to share my experiment and also see if anyone has any experience as well in making concentrates.

So as far as I can tell there are two methods you can use. Unless dehydration is another possible method. The first method being to boil the water out of the cider. The second being to freeze the water and allowing the juice to thaw.

If anyone knows better please correct me. And since my purpose is to make a frozen juice concentrate that you would buy in store, I'm merely using an already prepared apple juice to create it(ironically the juice is from concentrate). My purpose for the concentrate is so that it can be added to juice to boost apple flavor.

Boil Method:

Initially I began with 4 Cups of straight apple juice in a pot and turned the heat to low-medium.

I chose not to put the heat to high so as to make a rolling boil, as I thought I saw that heating juice can damage the fruit flavor. This may or may not be as much of a problem because caramelization may not be the worst thing in the world for apples, but I'll let you know what each method does to the finished cider.

The apple juice did develop some bubbles in the process but nothing too crazy. After about two hours there was quite a bit less volume in the pot, so I decided to stop it there. I imagine you probably could stop the boiling at what ever concentration you like, although at some point you may just make a glaze.

And here it is the finished product. And it tasted very sweet and potent! So I had 4 cups initially and ended up with 1 cup of concentrate. You can see just how much darker the concentrate turned out then it's original juice!

Freezing Method:

So again for this method I'm using about 4 cups of juice, and as you can see I've decided to put it into containers I can easily thaw later.

I'm still freezing the Apple juice so I'll update you more later!

 

[Harleybrew32]

why not just add some sugar to the apple juice and ferment it then freeze it and drain it off.
seems like alot of work to make a concentrate to save to make a cider, IMHO.
but hey i like the experiment.

 

[Jordan Aschaber]

It's possible but I'm not sure if that has the same effect as I would like, perhaps it will though!?

My purpose for the apple concentrate is to add it to un-concentrated apple juice pre-fermentation to boost flavor, added sugars is merely a bonus for ABV.

 

[madscientist451]

Start with a better quality juice, not from concentrate, like this:

Which is available in Metro and other supermarkets, and freeze concentrate it. Add the concentrate after fermentation is complete.
I've boiled fresh juice and fermented it and the taste definitely changes.
It didn't taste bad, and would be fine mixed with beer into an apple ale, but its not the flavor I prefer.

 

[Jordan Aschaber]

Thanks, madscientist for the input I had a feeling the boiled wouldn't be as good. Hopefully, for as cheap as this juice is, it turns out okay. Since boiling takes so many fewer hours I am kinda bummed though, but what's best isn't always easiest!

 

[doublejef]

I did both.

Boiled 35l until 10l SG 1045 to SG 1145.
Frozed 20l until 8l SG 1045 to SG 1125.

With my homebrew equipment is way easier with the hot way but it ofc change the taste even tough both taste good.