Perry Cider with a hint of grape

[Waddell]

Currently on a quest to make the greatest apple, pear and grape cider. I got my inspiration from an apple juice sold here in Canada that has an exceptional blend of all three fruits. My first try at a 5.5 gallon recipe went as fallows:


Given name: Grape MacClapp Cider

15 l of pasterized apple juice (brand name (Allen's)
5 l of pasturized pear juice (Heinze)
1 can of concentrate grape juice (Welch's)
2.5 lbs of corn surgar
1 pack of champagne yiest

Initial S.G.: 1.055

Should be ready for tasting in two weeks. I would be greatful for any feedback or suggestions you might have.

 

[FarmBoy530]

My honest guess is it will be dry. First of all a perry is a full pear juice. It seems to me the og should have been a bit higher. I think the best thing to do is to ferment out all the way, kill the yeast, back sweeten to taste, and force carb. I have a feeling if you don't you'll end up with a dry carb'd apple wine flavor. However that doesn't mean it would be bad either.

 

[GinKings]

Like FarmBoy said, I would've expected the OG to be significantly higher after adding 2.5 lbs of sugar. Was it mixed well?

Pear flavors tend to get lost after fermentation. Yours is less thyan 25% pear and will ferment dry with the champagne yeast, so I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes "cider with a hint of grape".

 

[Dicky]

Yeah, perry tends to use certain types of pears because of the flavour loss problem. It sucks, I really like pears.

Dicky

 

[FarmBoy530]

I worked for a cidery who's Peary was pear juice with white sugar. Dono the og but fermented to around 10% abv. Then with pear juice and concentrate it would be cut and back sweetened to around 5.5% to 6% abv. And then pasteurized of course.

 

[Waddell]

Thanks guys, you thought me something.

FarmBoy530: I'm not set up to force carb, so what I think I'll do is kill off the yeist and backsweeten before bottling.

 

[FarmBoy530]

So are you planing on a still cider then? I think that may be a wine.

 

[Waddell]

In the end, I just added a cup of priming sugar. After sitting for a month or two the flavors were alot better. In conclusion would try again with a twist...don't know what? maby some cranberry juice!