Back sweetening how much sugar is too much?

[nbstl68]

I have made my first batch of cider ever and have been doubting myself a lot along he way from lack of experience.
this is another case.
I have a 6 Gal batch of (pear) cider that is quite tart IMO, (is tart the same as "dry"?) that i wanted to sweeten.
I'm expirimenting as some suggested, by sweetening, (in this case with brown sugar), small samples, (12oz water bottle) until I though it tasted good.
I added 1tsp sugar at a time mixed it up and let it sit in the fridge a day or so each time before tasting.

Well I found to get it to where I could stand to drink it took 2-3 tsp and to get it to where I actually enjoyed it, (knccking out most but still not all of the tartness or whatever it is I'm tasting) took 4-5 tsp of sugar!

Doing a little math with some conversion calculators on line that comes out to having to add approx 4.5 cups, or the equivalent of over 2lbs of sugar to my 6 gallon batch for it to taste the same as my preferred 12 oz sample.

That seems like a whole lot of suar to me to make something taste good.

What do you think?
Is that a cazy amount of sugar to add for back sweetening or is it a normal amount?

I have not found any threads talking about actual amounts, just "to taste" discussion.

Also it appears most people like to use FAJC, and suggest amounts by the 12oz can of concentrate at a time, but I have no idea how much sugar that would actually equate to for determining if maybe I'm on track or way overboard from "normal".

Any thoughts or personal experiences with how much sugar anyone else has used to make their cider palatable would be appreciated.

The assumptions here are at this point the cider is done fermenting with no plans for future fermentation eating any of the sugar, (I'll be keeping it cold and/or pasterurizing right after back sweetening to taste).

 

[sfgoat]

How long has this cider been aging? What yeast did you use? I've found that pear cider requires a lot of aging to mellow that tartness on its own but it is well worth the wait. But if you are not into waiting then the backsweetening is a method that is totally to your taste and if 2lb sugar is what it takes to make it good to you then that is what it requires.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I like a little cider in my sugar too.

 

[nbstl68]

I like a little cider in my sugar too.

Good one FK.
I'll take that as one vote for way too much sugar
Thx.

Problem is I just could not drink it without at least that amount.
It was just not enjoyable, not that I have any idea what another home brew cider tastes like.

As far as FG, it only fermented down to about 1.018 prior to racking and stayed there, but I've been reading that is pretty common for pear ciders as they have a lot of unsociable sugars and such.

With almost 3-4 tsp sugar I re-checked and it was only showing 1.02ish I was expecting that much sugar in a 12 oz. bottle to raise it higher but maybe I don't really understand how that works.


As to the 1st question, it has been aging about 3 months at this point.
I used the Wyeast for cider and wine.
(http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyeast-4766-cider.html?gclid=CIKn1_fBoMMCFQGDaQodDA0Avw)
Wyeast 4766 Cider

 

[nbstl68]

I did not get a lot of input on this one.
Anyone else have any experience with sugar back sweetening that could weigh in?

 

[Silentdrinker]

I did not get a lot of input on this one.
Anyone else have any experience with sugar back sweetening that could weigh in?

No one can give you a solid answer. Pull a measured sample and add measured amounts of your sweetening solution. Once it's where you want, take a hydro. Then scale up your sweetener to the remaining cider. Add it and take a hydro. If it matches, your good.

Some won't back sweeten. Some will use a cup some will use 5 cups per 5 gallon. Just as some use honey, juice concentrate, brow sugar or even male syrup... It's all to taste.

I like just over 1 cup sugar to 6 gallons for my dry hopped ciders. But that's on the dry side.