Adding back apple flavor

[Aileran]

Sorry for the newbie question...

I recently finished a basic cider using store bought apple juice and ec-1118 yeast. The SG dropped from 1.05 to about .995 and produced a very drinkable cider that I jugged as opposed to bottling. I really liked the cider, but I have to admit, it really didn't taste like apple at all. I've now started a 5 gallon batch of the same that I plan on bottling.

I'm wondering if there is a way to add a really slight apple flavor back in to the cider without taking away the ability to bottle. I assume if I just add like a table spoon of apple juice per bottle that the remaining yeasts will just eat through it as well?

 

[Sagatho]

Sure you can use k-meta Potassium Sorbate and metabisulfite,

metabisulfite will kill the yeast.
Sorbate will stop the yeast reproduction.

and then you can sweetback at your taste, doind this will stop the fermentation and all the sugar you add will not by converted to alcohol, this will make a nice Still cider, is you want carbonation you will need a force carb equipment.

regards.

 

[JimRausch]

The apple taste tends to come back in about 6 months. Adding frozen apple juice concentrate at bottling time helps add some flavor, but you have to take the sugars into account or you might get bottle bombs. I use 1 can per 5G batch and that's safe for me.

 

[jmcquesten]

I've read that malic acid is what gives the sour apple flavor, and that adding it post fermentation gets the apple flavor back.

 

[thelema5]

Some yeast strains leave more apple flavor than others; the best I've used is WLP775 which definitely allows the apple flavor to shine through. Frozen concentrate added to primary also helps carry the flavor, I like to use 12 ounces per gallon.

I agree with jmcquesten- malic acid helps define the flavors significantly in ciders made with culinary apple juice; malic acid is the same acid that gives fresh cider apples their zing.

Low temps are also crucial for retaining apple flavors in cider- keep things low and slow. Warm, fast fermentation will strip the aromatic esters which give apples their signature flavor from your cider, leaving it dull and lifeless.

 

[IrocChris]

Sure you can use k-meta Potassium Sorbate and metabisulfite,

metabisulfite will kill the yeast.
Sorbate will stop the yeast reproduction.

and then you can sweetback at your taste, doind this will stop the fermentation and all the sugar you add will not by converted to alcohol, this will make a nice Still cider, is you want carbonation you will need a force carb equipment.

regards.

Get into kegging, and go this route. Super easy and consistent.

 

[MindenMan]

Bottle pasteurizing wasn't mentioned here. If you bottle pasteurize you can have cider that is both sweet and fizzy, or sweet and still w/o adding chemicals to your cider(s).

I use FAJC to boost the flavor of my ciders. From my personal experience low and slow is the way to go. Low and slow is the way to go. Did I mention low and slow is the way to go? I guess I already did. And don't use aggressive yeasts that will strip the aromatics out along with the CO2 that is being produced. I pitch big starters and add nutrients and ferment at low temperatures.

 

[dmtaylor]

I agree with using sorbate and sulfite to prevent refermentation, and add apple concentrate to backsweeten. Monitor for a few weeks to ensure refermentation does not occur, adding more sorbate & sulfite if needed, then bottle.

For what it's worth, Cote des Blancs yeast leaves the most apple flavor of any yeast I have ever tried, and I've used about a dozen different ones.

 

[MindenMan]

I racked my latest batch off of the lees today, after cold crashing for two weeks (I was really busy.) The flavor is amazing and it's intended purpose is to make apple jack. Six pounds of mashed Granny Smith apples, three and one-half gallons of Tree Top 3 juice blend and twenty cans of concentrate. There is definitely a large percentage of alcohol in this batch as the O.G. was somewhere north of 1.086.