Roland's Marvelous Mixed Berry Cider

[RolandD]

So, this was my first experience using fruit in my cider. This turned out really delicious.

Mixed Berry Cider

5.25 Gal Great Value Apple Juice
1.00 Gal Old Orchard Mixed Berry Juice
3 Tbls Yeast Nutrient
1 Tbls Yeast Energizer
1 tbs Wine Tannin
1 Pkt Lalvin D-47
5 lbs Frozen Blueberries
2 lbs Frozen Raspberries
2 Cups Old Orchard Tart Cherry Juice (for sweetening)
4 Cups White Sugar (for Sweetening)

Apple juice, berry juice, nutrient, energizer, tannin, and yeast into fermenter. I let the berries thaw, smushed them in the bag with a rolling pin and refroze. Thawed and added to the fermenter using a mesh bag, after seven days. On day fourteen, I squeezed as much juice as I could from the berries in the bag and racked to Secondary. Day twenty-nine, added 1/4 tsp of Potassium , and twelve hours later, Potassium Sorbate. After one month, I made a simple syrup from the cherry juice and sugar, poured into keg and racked cider onto it. Refrigerated overnight and force carbonated at 40 psi while agitating for two minutes. Reduced to 12 psi and began drinking it.

I needed the keg, so I bottled the last 3 1/2 liters, as seen on the right in the picture. On the left is my Pineapple Cider.

 

[Sleepy_D]

This sounds great. Did the tartness of the cherry juice you made the simple syrup with come through in the end?

 

[applescrap]

Awesome recipe. I want to try it. Different is I will secondary the fruit, experimentation, questions and experience I think they will have more flavor from secondary. Or I will sorbate then add them or maybe blueberry juice and raspberry juice. With the tart cherry juice sounds amazing. How did the simple syrup taste btw, sounds amazing! Great recipe.

 

[RolandD]

The tart cherry simple syrup does taste amazing. I add fruit in Primary, because it's easier to put it into and clean out the Fermonster than the narrow neck carboys.