Bland cider

[regjill]

This batch was around 3 gal. and I was getting a starting Gravity reading of 1110 so I added enough distilled water to bring the volume up to 23 liter line. Now have a reading of 1030 and it tastes very bland and watery. I have not yet added the yeast.

I started out with about 6 pounds of crushed crab apples and two gallons of cider. I then added about 1/2 tsp of pectic enzyme and then, To to this I added 6 pounds of sugar/water ( a solution that I brought to a boil on the stove, cooled and added to the cider) and 3 Camden tablets.This I left for around 18 hours. It was at this point that I read the starting gravity at 1110.

I then added the water and now have a very low reading. I like to have a little zip to my cider.

Can anyone give me any suggestions as to make a richer flavor and also to achieve a higher alcohol content after fermentation?

Should I just start over?

 

[Yooper]

There's not much you can do know that you've added the water except to add more crab apples to it. The reason it tastes watery this because it is severely watered down.

You could try making a bigger batch and adding no water at all but I think that is throwing good money after bad. I don't think there is much of a fix for a batch that is half water and half juice.

 

[Newsman]

Add apple juice concentrate -- 4 to 5 cans of it, to start, I would think. Might need to add more.

 

[LakeErieMonster]

In the future, do the simple math required to hit your target OG via dilution.

 

[Malted-Anarchy]

I agree with Newsman, try some apple juice concentrate. One can at a time, mix well, check your gravity after each can until you hit your target OG.

Remember, it's easy to add to a batch, much harder to take away. Step it up slowly and check your hydrometer, or as LakeErieMonster suggested, math can help with your quantity.

Hope it turns out alright.