Apple Cider & Cranberry Combo
- Thread starter TheHermit
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Every fall for the last few years I've made a batch of cider using Craisins. It's 5 Gallons of local cider, 2 lbs of dark brown sugar, stick cinnamon and 3 lbs of Craisins. My eldest son dubbed it SuiCider for the 11+% ABV the 1st year I made it. Since then I've been refining my recipe and my cider making process to avoid continuous in-bottle fermentation (year 1), too much cinnamon (year 2), etc.
Anyway, I think the end product is very tasty. The craisins give a nice tartness to it and add a beautiful color. The brown sugar ups the fermentables and the cinnamon (used in moderation) just goes will with the other flavors.
Anyway, I think the end product is very tasty. The craisins give a nice tartness to it and add a beautiful color. The brown sugar ups the fermentables and the cinnamon (used in moderation) just goes will with the other flavors.
Thanks jcoxen, I am new at this and think of flavors that I could call a mix and match. And I can see how your son can dub your cider as a SuiCider lol. I am on my 2nd batch of cider but am rdy to move on with different combinations.
Just purchased 10 gal of cider and 2 gal of Ocean Spray Cranberry was going to try a 3 gal of Cider and 2 gal of cranberry juice. But now that you mentioned it and which I have on hand I will toss in a stick of Cinn. into the secondary jug.
Have to say that sounds good, but will try the crasins in a future batch. Thanks so much for the reply.
Just purchased 10 gal of cider and 2 gal of Ocean Spray Cranberry was going to try a 3 gal of Cider and 2 gal of cranberry juice. But now that you mentioned it and which I have on hand I will toss in a stick of Cinn. into the secondary jug.
Have to say that sounds good, but will try the crasins in a future batch. Thanks so much for the reply.
I just pitched a cider that had 3G of Apple Juice, 3/4G of Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 2 Cans of Cranberry concentrate, 1 can of Apple Juice Concentrate and 1lb of sugar for a 5G batch. It is sitting in primary right now, so I am not sure how it will turn out.
What yeast are you using and do you want a dry, sweet or semi-sweet cider? You might consider upping the OG by adding concentrate or sugar (white or brown) to bump up your ABV.
What yeast are you using and do you want a dry, sweet or semi-sweet cider? You might consider upping the OG by adding concentrate or sugar (white or brown) to bump up your ABV.
I am still new to this but have learned a few things mostly from reading posts from forums just like this. I have doing a basic recipe that has worked well so far. My yeast of choice is White Labs WLP775 English Cider along with a yeast nutrient and energizer. Now I know what I am going to get with my current mix. But what I will do this next time is add 3 gal of cider 2 gal of cranberry juice and see where my gravity will be before I start adding sugar.
I will add my sugar till I get around 1.075 to 1.080 I do like the higher alcohol content if the yeast drys it out that's ok back sweetening is no pblm just another step in the process.
Looks like you off to a good start. I believe WLP775 goes up to about 14% ABV, so you will probably have to backsweeten a 1.075 or 1.080 OG cider.
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Xantus954
Well-Known Member
I have one going that I'm hoping to have ready this thanksgiving.
3 gallons of apple juice
2 gallons of cranberry juice
2 lbs dextrose
White labs English Ale yeast
SG: 1.064
Been going for two weeks, hoping to backsweeten with 2 cans of cran-apple concentrate and then bottle in the next few days. When carbed up I'll pastuerize.
3 gallons of apple juice
2 gallons of cranberry juice
2 lbs dextrose
White labs English Ale yeast
SG: 1.064
Been going for two weeks, hoping to backsweeten with 2 cans of cran-apple concentrate and then bottle in the next few days. When carbed up I'll pastuerize.
Now that is what I trying to achieve except I don't have any dextrose. I have already made one batch just something simple and it didn't last long. Word got out, and my friends became better friends if you know what I mean. Have another batch going right now its rdy for the secondary as soon as I get the time to rack it. This is when I will add cranberry juice a couple quarts and see what happens and let it sit for a few weeks to see how it clears up.
I've done the following:
5 gallons juice
3 cans of cranberry/blueberry APC(can't remember if it was cranberry juice or applejuice mix...)
Champenge yeast. Yeast nutrient.(for safe measures). ABV should be around 6% with all this... I added more sugar to get to 9%. Note that it will not ferment down to 1.000, due to something...
Enjoy. It was called panty dropper cider... it umm has interesting effects.
5 gallons juice
3 cans of cranberry/blueberry APC(can't remember if it was cranberry juice or applejuice mix...)
Champenge yeast. Yeast nutrient.(for safe measures). ABV should be around 6% with all this... I added more sugar to get to 9%. Note that it will not ferment down to 1.000, due to something...
Enjoy. It was called panty dropper cider... it umm has interesting effects.
My batch just finished fermenting out in 8 days OG was 1.080 FG is at 0.0998. Tastes really good but much like a dry wine right now. Should I kill the yeast and add my cranberry juice? Last batch I had enough space that it took me at least 1/2 gallon to get it to top off. I do want a little flavor and cranberry right now is my choice. Little decisions like this I don't quite have a handle on yet.
Xantus954
Well-Known Member
Sure you have it figured out by now but it depends on whether you want a still cider or carbonated. I back-sweetened mine with 1 can aj concentrate and 1 can cranberry juice concentrate and bottled, waited for them to carb up and then pasteurized so the bottles didn't explode.
If you want a still cider you'll need to add campden and postassium sorbate to kill the yeast or they'll just eat the sugars in the juice and cause bottle bombs.
I used a can of AJ and raspberry concentrate to back sweeten mine. My main issue was that I also used TOO MUCH bitter apple extract in this batch and had to jump thru hoops to make it drinkable. Diluted it with some boiled water, added a can of concentrated AJ and a can of the AJ/raspberry blend concentrate and let it carbonate. It now has a good flavor and still quite potent. I'll do another FG check when I open the next bottle.
