Adding sugar?

[bullsi1911]

When adding sugar to the apple juice, how do you do it? Just dump some in? Make simple syrup first to sterilize it?

I know you dont want to heat the juice, but how do you make sure you don't introduce an infection when boosting the OG?

 

[Evilgrin]

I add sugar to a 1 gallon jug of cider with at least half of the cider removed. Then shake the hell out of the jug. I add that to the carboy.

Now i prefer just to use FAJC the same way. You start with a lower potential ABV but end up with more apple flavor.

 

[porterpounder]

With a 5 gallon batch I dissolve the sugar in about a quart of heated cider. Just enough heat to make sure the sugar dissolves, then add it to the rest.

 

[maxtpower]

I added sugar right into the primary with no issues.

 

[snakehipsbrodie]

I diluted it in the juice I was using as it had been open a while and wanted to kill any nasty critters off. I also just poured sugar straight into another batch I was making but found it didn't dilute well and took longer to begin fermenting.

 

[1bottlerocket]

The one time I did it I made simple syrup. It seemed to make the most sense to me. The boiling ensures some of the nasty critters are killed off and your sugar is dissolved.

 

[CKuhns]

Similar to Porter - I dissolve brown sugar in about a quart or two of heated cider. Enough heat to make sure the sugar completely dissolves. Not to boiling and likely does not get above 160 so not really pasteurized either. Never had an issue with infection and a little extra temp in 5 gallons does not hurt to kick start the ferment.

 

[buMbLeB]

Like others, dissolve sugar in heated juice, never boil (well I have, but not because I was worried about the sugar). I think sugar is probably pretty inhospitable to infections.

 

[Maylar]

Even better... don't add sugar.

 

[worlddivides]

I've only added sugar to one batch of cider I made, but what I did was dissolve 2 pounds of brown sugar into between half a gallon and a whole gallon of cider that I had heated up to around 150 or 160. I also added the yeast nutrient and a few other additions to this small portion. Then I put the 4+ unheated gallons into the fermenter and lastly added the heated cider when it had cooled down to around 100 or so (which didn't take that long since it was only between 1 and 2 gallons and didn't even get close to boiling). If I remember correctly, the ambient temperature was around 69 and the heated cider mixed with the ambient temperature cider brought the temperature to somewhere around 73 or 74, I think.

I prefer not to add sugar, though.

 

[Evilgrin]

Can a light DME be used in the primary and leave a little sweetness? If so, do you need to boil it first with a little water? If i understand this correctly, not all the sugars in DME are fermentable?

 

[theDREWery]

DME can be used, not all sugars are fermentable, and the attenuation of any malt sugars will be different based on what yeast you use.

As to OP, the process for refining sugar is boiling under a slight vacuum to remove water; stuff is pretty close to sterile. You have a better chance of getting an infection from the air while mixing.

I've been making close to 100 gallons of wine per year since 2012, have never boiled sugar for wine or cider, and haven't got an infection or contamination. Just clean everything, sanitize whatever equipment you use, RDWHAHB.

Feel free to heat it up to help with dissolving, but I'd suggest just getting a drill-powered mixing rod.

 

[Sagatho]

When adding sugar to the apple juice, how do you do it? Just dump some in? Make simple syrup first to sterilize it?

I know you dont want to heat the juice, but how do you make sure you don't introduce an infection when boosting the OG?

i make the second put some water with the sugar in the stove to sterilize the sugar, this with normal table sugar i also use "piloncillo" that is Raw Sugar Cane they sell them without a proper sealed plastic cover so is a secure trip to the stove.

 

[MindenMan]

I always use FAJC to fortify the O.G. of my ciders. I know it is already sterile, and does add a bit more flavor and a bit more "bite" as well. I have added up to 4 cans of FAJC in a 1 gallon batch, and it really pushes up the ABV to somewhere in the 12% range