Check my plan for a non-alcoholic sparkling cider

[tmfb]

My plan is to make up a cinnamon-caramel non-alcoholic* sparkling apple cider with homemade cinnamon caramel.

My biggest concern is with the bottle conditioning.

I plan to mix the caramel and juice, pitch some yeast, I was thinking 1/2 pack dry yeast, re-hydrated with some apple juice. 2 gallons of apple juice total.

Give it a mixing to mix in the yeast and bottle condition until it reaches the level of carbonation I want. I plan on using a plastic coke bottle to gauge when it's about right.

Then stove-top pasteurize.

I'm also using swing tops for the first time, will there be an issue with gas escaping from the gasket, primarily during pasteurization?


My process seems simple enough to work, but I'm double checking with you all to see if I have any glaring flaws.

*I know that the yeast will make a little bit of alcohol during bottle conditioning, however I think it will be such a small amount it wont be any issue. Please correct me if I'm wrong though.

Thanks all!

 

[AidanSavage]

The main thing I'd be worried about is that you might be adding enough yeast to potentially impact the flavor. Another poster here's had some good results using one of those sodastream things to carbonate a dry cider. I'd imagine you might be able to use something similar.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

As long as you adequately pasteurize you should not have immediate problems with spoilage. Should still observe appropriate sanitation though.

If your cider is a bit insipid, you may need to add some acid to taste... citric acid, malic ... lemon juice etc. Non alcoholic products like soda pop are somewhat acidic to get the right taste.

btw ... there is a forum on HBT for soda makers ...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f95/

Others have had issues with bottle conditioning with swing tops (leaking pressure). I suspect they might not hold pressure like you want. (I personally have not used them for that, though I have a bunch.)

fwiw - I'd probably used 12oz bottles to be sure of a quick and effective heat-through in pasteurizing ... as with all that sugar in there, you wouldn't want any ApfelGranaten

 

[tmfb]

Good point about the yeast affecting flavor, maybe I'll split it with different amounts of yeast and find a good middle ground.

I'll definitely make sure I get a good pasteurization, and quickly within bottling. I had my run in with ApfelGranaten last batch of (hard) cider. About a week after bottling, I had next to no carbonation, about 2 days later, glass. Glass everywhere.

I don't plan on buying extra equipment for a small batch like this, it would eat into my keg system savings :-/

 

[tmfb]

Just an update on this, I went ahead and made a starter with 1/4 packet Nottingham dry ale yeast, and mixed and bottled it. It has carbed well and the yeast had very little if at all any effect on the flavor.