Apple Cider looks and tastes like OJ

[Morrisj86]

First time doing a cider, so I looked up a youtube video for a recipe. Ingredients were 5 gal Kroger brand apple juice, 2 cans Kroger brand apple juice concentrate, I did add some Pectic Enzyme and yeast nutrient. Yeast was Danstar Nottingham Ale Dry yeast. I did let if ferment for just over 10 weeks(@ 68degrees F) and it came out about as cloudy as a Mimosa. Had a very acidic bite, not quite sour just a acidic bite. It currently in a keg with more apple juice concentrate for sweetness.

Is this just a yeast, since I used ale yeast, I was hoping for something similar to angry orchard? The trub was the runniest lite pink/yellow I've ever seen as well, at least compared to my beer patches. Is that normal with cider brew?

 

[Maylar]

Cider isn't beer. All the sugars in cider are fermentable, and when they're gone you have a dry tart cider. The tartness is from the malic acid in the apples. Sweetening should counter that.

The sediment in cider (and wine, mead) is lees, not trub. Nottingham makes a tight compact lees that's easy to rack off of.

Have you taken any gravity readings?

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

sounds to me like an infection. You probably have apple vinegar in the making.

 

[kraizter]

It is either an infection (which would be more sour tasting) or you are tasting the excessive vitamin C in the concentrates and store brand juices. When I make batches with store bought juice (that uses Vitamin C as a preservative) I notice they have a bit more acidity and bite to them.

According to online nutritional facts you have approximately 6672mg of Vitamin C in there...even for 5 gallons that is quite a bit.

~1334mg/gallon or around 125mg/200% DV per 12 oz serving.

Try the same recipe but use fresh pressed juice instead of store bought juice, especially this time of year. Hopefully, you have an orchard near by.

Good luck!