back sweeten Cider question

[nordoe]

So I am on my third Cider and looking to back sweeten it a bit. I have never done this before. The first time I used ale yeast and did not need to, the second time i used champagne yeast and it really dried it out. this time I am using wine yeast "cote de Blanc". It has been in the primary for a month now, I dont really like using a secondary. The OG was 1.084 and I checked last night and it is at 1.004. Went lower then I thought. I was hoping it would have stopped around 1.02 to 1.01, so now i want to back sweetin it a bit. I was thinking of using thawed frozen concentrate and transfer it to a Keg and let it sit for another month or so before force carbing it. Do you think the concentrate will ferment because I dont want any more alcohol, just sweetness? I dont like adding chemicals to drop out the yeast. what else can i use to sweeten that will not ferment?

 

[Kayos]

It will ferment if it's not in the fridge. Either keep it in the fridge kegged until served, add pectic enzyme to kill the yeast before adding concentrate, use Splenda, or back sweeten as you serve it.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Yes, the concentrate will ferment out. It is apple juice with less water. You could add concentrate or apple juice, force carbonate and put it in the keggerator. The cold will also prevent additional fermentation.

Adding lactose, aspartame or splenda will sweeten the cider. None are fermentable sugars.

 

[nordoe]

thanks guys, now i just have to research the amount of Splenda to add to a 4.5 gallon batch.

 

[IXVolt]

Oh it's way easier than that. Just add some potassium sorbate, 1 can of frozen concentrate and keg.

I've done 7 batches this way,.

 

[nordoe]

Oh it's way easier than that. Just add some potassium sorbate, 1 can of frozen concentrate and keg.

I've done 7 batches this way,.

Dont have any time to get to the home brew shop, do the sell potassium sorbate any where else? Is it used for other things?

 

[AR-Josh]

If it were me (and I plan to do this at some point) I'd make strong cider (around 3 or 4 gallons or 10% abv). Then transfer it to secondary and let it age for 6-8 months minimum. Then buy a gallon or two of fresh apple juice and rack the cider on top of that in a keg. Test for sweetness and sweeten to taste. Then put it in the keezer under pressure to carb up. Right now it's all talk as I am too into beer to do a cider.

 

[IXVolt]

Dont have any time to get to the home brew shop, do the sell potassium sorbate any where else? Is it used for other things?

I get mine at a local hardware store that has a few homebrew & wine supplies in the back. I'd imagine they sell it at a few places, call around.

The frozen concentrate has the sugar, and more apple flavors than just adding sweetener. It's the best way I've found to back-sweeten by far.

I never liked the flavor splenda gave to cider. My first batch I bottled, so I would add sugar or splenda to the glass of cider after I poured it.

 

[howabouttheiris]

For hard lemonade (1.005) , I use 2 cups of splenda on a 5 gallon batch.
It should be much less than that for cider.

 

[nordoe]

I actually thought it was pretty sweet. When I took a gravity reading I drank the results. The wife wanted it sweeter. I was just going to add the concentrate but I didnt want it to ferment any more, it is already 10.6 %. I dont need to carry her to bed.

 

[IXVolt]

I actually thought it was pretty sweet. When I took a gravity reading I drank the results. The wife wanted it sweeter. I was just going to add the concentrate but I didnt want it to ferment any more, it is already 10.6 %. I dont need to carry her to bed.

If you like it the way it is, than it might be best to sweeten to taste per glass.

carrying her to bed isn't all bad. Just sayin.

 

[CidahMastah]

I would recc that you do it like this (how I do it, and I do it often):

1. cold crash 24-48 hours
2. rack into a bottling bucket onto sorbate.
3. Add your concentrate to taste (woodchuck is 1.024)
4. once you have your sweetness set, rack onto camden tablets into your keg and carb.

I go through a lot of draft cider for my wife (we don't buy any store bought). So likes it in the 1.024-1.026 range. But this is to taste.

Based on your cider things change. For example, if you have an acidic/too alcoholic cider, you might need to add a little water to mellow it or bring the ABV down. I tend to add about 1-2 tablespoons of malic acid to my cider if it is lacking a tang. That is the acid in apples. I like my finished draft ciders no more than 6-7 percent, tops.

My draft cider is way more interesting and tasty than woodchuck IMO and from the mouths of others who have drank it.