Blending for perfect acid, tannins and sweetness in old style cider

[the_menace]

As the topic says: Since I don't have access to cider apples, I'll need to adjust on my own, -and I want to try adjusting with tart or bitter berries. The problem is I don't know how a well balanced cider should taste BEFORE fermentation. Compared to good quality apple juice that you would serve guests for breakfast, should I aim for a taste that is too acidic to enjoy with a touch of tannins? Or shouldn't the acid be off putting, but rather the tannins so high that you wouldn't enjoy drinking the cider pre fermentation?

 

[Grod1]

i think "perfect" is subjective.If you have the ability do a few batches and take good notes.Your preference for taste is going to be the only factor in the end.

 

[Johan]

Grod1 is right! Always make good notes. If you're doing a carbonated cider, it will be a month or more before you taste it.

 

[Albionwood]

First: It is very difficult to tell from the taste of the juice what the resulting cider will be like - at all. You will be much better off making measurements of pH and - especially - titratable acidity (TA).

Having said that: A decent juice for cider will be extremely sweet, and the sweetness will mask essentially all of the tannin; if there is enough acidity to balance the sweetness, such that you might serve the juice for breakfast, it will be far too much acid (IMHO) once the sugar ferments out.

I would not advise adjusting for acidity before fermentation, unless you happen to get an extremely low-acid juice (Red Delicious).

 

[the_menace]

First: It is very difficult to tell from the taste of the juice what the resulting cider will be like - at all. You will be much better off making measurements of pH and - especially - titratable acidity (TA).

Having said that: A decent juice for cider will be extremely sweet, and the sweetness will mask essentially all of the tannin; if there is enough acidity to balance the sweetness, such that you might serve the juice for breakfast, it will be far too much acid (IMHO) once the sugar ferments out.

I would not advise adjusting for acidity before fermentation, unless you happen to get an extremely low-acid juice (Red Delicious).

Thanks, this is exactly what I'm looking for. I will make sure to take good notes as the others have suggested.

It seems I would have ended up outside the ballpark without your reply.