Using Concentrate as Primer

[beerdeddude]

I've been reading that you can use apple juice concentrate as a primer, which will help add some sweet flavor back into the cider as well. Has anyone had experience with that? How much concentrate should be added to five gallons? I'm asking because I already racked the cider to secondary and want a bit more of a sweet taste to it.

Thanks!

 

[noggins]

depends on the sugar in the concentrate, but 13 fl oz concentrate should work for 5 gallons according to this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=106943

these may help also:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=155872
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=433995

 

[Randzor]

I use one can per 5 gallons. If you are running 6 then you'll want to do the more traditional primer. Also this just adds extra apple flavor not sweetness. See the stickies post on pasturation for sweet bubbly cider

 

[Maylar]

Priming for carbonation doesn't add sweetness, unless you go beyond what the yeast will convert and then either pasteurize or refrigerate to stop further fermentation.

 

[phug]

You absolutely can use ajc for priming. Post a pic of the nutritional info on your can and can size ( sugar content is the info we need ) as well as your batch size and we can help. Usually though about 1 can for five gallons is about 2.5 ish volumes. Make sure it's thoroughly thawed and shaken/stirred prior to putting it in your bottling bucket

 

[beerdeddude]

Thanks. Have a good month until bottling. Cider was very dry when I racked to secondary so I'm just trying not to figure out a plan to get some of the sweetness back.

 

[MindenMan]

Fizzy dry cider, no problem. Sweet still cider, no problem. Sweet fizzy cider, time to start doing research. It isn't technically difficult to make a sweet fizzy cider, you need to be really hands on until the cider has been pasteurized.

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Add some non fermentable sugars when you prime it for bottling. I use maltodextrine and ive gotten good results so far.

 

[Maylar]

If you can refrigerate what you bottle, you can use FAJC as both priming and sweetening sugar. Toss 'em in the fridge when they're fizzy and enjoy. I bottle one gallon at a time and there's always room for a 12 pack in my fridge.