Black Cherry Apfelwein?

[oldstyle244]

I really am not a big cider fan, but I do keep Apfelwien in my rotation, last night I tried a McKenzie Black Cherry Hard cider and thought it was pretty good. So would I just have to substitute some heavy black cherry syrup (assuming I can find some) for some of the apple juice? I currently just do the basic Apple Juice, 2 pounds corn sugar, Montrachet yeast and wait 3 months, then keg and everyone seems to enjoy

 

[Maylar]

Dunno about black cherry, but tart cherry concentrate is pretty popular in cider.

 

[MarkKF]

Dunno about black cherry, but tart cherry concentrate is pretty popular in cider.

Do you use cherries or cherry juice? How much per gal.?

 

[TandemTails]

I'm doing a test batch right now with black cherry juice (and some other stuff).

My current ratio is 1 gallon of apple cider, 1 quart of black cherry juice, 1 quart of pomegranate juice and 1 pound of orange blossom honey.

When I tasted the must it was fantastic. It's been in primary for a little over 3 weeks now. It'll probably be another 2 months before it's bottled and ready to drink though

OG was 1.080 and it's down to 1.007 after a week of primary fermentation. I'm hoping it stays around there but if it does ferment down to 1.000 I'll back sweeten to about 1.010

 

[oldstyle244]

Ok, so here is what I ended up doing:
2 15 ounce cans of dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup
64 oz of dark cherry juice
2 pounds corn syrup
4 gallons apple juice
I package of Montrachet yeast

Will let you know in 3 months how it turned out

 

[Daemon]

I am interested in how both those recipes turns out. I just bottled a batch of half Apple and half black cherry juice. Apr 12th is when I can drink it, but it was incredibly dry.

 

[TandemTails]

I am interested in how both those recipes turns out. I just bottled a batch of half Apple and half black cherry juice. Apr 12th is when I can drink it, but it was incredibly dry.

I added stabilizers to mine and plan on back sweetening to around 1.015

 

[worlddivides]

The first time, I used cherry puree. The second time, I used cherry syrup. The cherry syrup didn't leave as much of a cherry flavor as the puree did, but I suppose I probably should've used a lot more cherry syrup. Next time I think I'll use cherry juice, which just makes more sense with apple juice, really. But I wasn't going for a 50/50 kind of thing. I mainly just wanted a noticeable taste of cherries, but nothing overwhelming.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

 

[oldstyle244]

I am interested in how both those recipes turns out. I just bottled a batch of half Apple and half black cherry juice. Apr 12th is when I can drink it, but it was incredibly dry.

I wont know until the beginning of May, I never touch my ciders until 3 months, then force carb a couple days. Mine are usually very crisp and dry, I like mine that way, don't care for the sweet "angry orchard" type ciders

 

[MindenMan]

I have used cherry/apple concentrate and did not realize how acidly high the concentrate was. It was both pucker and sour. Last night I opened a bottle of 9 month old cherry cider and I had to really sweeten it to drink it. No, I don't like alco-pop cider type drinks, but it was just too tart to drink yet. I will try another in 6 months or so.

 

[Evilgrin]

Adriatic Sun offers a sour cherry syrup that is really good in Club Soda. Ive been tempted to try a little added to the secondary. One bottle is enough for a mild tart cherry flavor in 2 gallons.

 

[Daemon]

The first time, I used cherry puree. The second time, I used cherry syrup. The cherry syrup didn't leave as much of a cherry flavor as the puree did, but I suppose I probably should've used a lot more cherry syrup. Next time I think I'll use cherry juice, which just makes more sense with apple juice, really. But I wasn't going for a 50/50 kind of thing. I mainly just wanted a noticeable taste of cherries, but nothing overwhelming.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

I went 50/50 because I watched a YouTube video (West Hayes Homebrew) where the guy did 75/25 with 25 being cherry (he used a cherry juice drink) and it wasn't very cherry. I wanted noticeable cherry but with Apple.

 

[oldstyle244]

Well, I poured one tonight and not happy with the results, it is more like a wine taste and not as much cherry as I had hoped. Need to go with more cherry flavor and probably sweeten up a little bit. May not be what I wanted, but have 5 gallons of it, so heres to you!

 

[MindenMan]

oldstyle, in my experience cherry is a hard flavor to either not think "fake" or so tart it is almost undrinkable.I don't see your mention of which yeast you are using, which one is it?

 

[oldstyle244]

oldstyle, in my experience cherry is a hard flavor to either not think "fake" or so tart it is almost undrinkable.I don't see your mention of which yeast you are using, which one is it?

My normal cider recipe is simple and I think awesome, basic 4.5 gallons Apple Juice, 2 pounds corn sugar, Montrachet yeast and wait 3 months.

Wanted to get something like the McKenzie black cherry cider, but think I ended up with something more like a wine this time