Cider too alcoholic and too sweet

[embreedow]

So I have made one batch of 2 1 gallon jugs before this with just some cider and yeast. Turned out pretty good. This time I decided to up the octane and did a 6 gallon batch with 10 lbs of sugar. Racked to secondary a couple days ago and threw away the extra on top of the yeast. I tested the gravity at a little over 1.04
It was way too alcoholic and sweet. So, is there any way that I can save this? Maybe split into two 5 gallon carboys and add apple juice?
It seems like a simple question but I've looked everywhere for about an hour.

 

[embreedow]

Also, if the answer is splitting and adding apple juice, should I pitch more yeast? I used champagne yeast.

 

[SPR-GRN]

I think your only option at this point is to split it, top it and pitch more champagne yeast.

however, even after splitting and topping with more apple juice, it's still going to come out hot (alcohol) and sweet; IMHO you started with too much sugar.

a lot of people on this forum make Edwort's Apfelwein: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/edworts-apfelwein-33986/
and that only uses 2lbs of corn sugar per 5 gallon batch, and comes out hot to start with, after letting it sit the alcohol flavor mellows out however.

good luck.

 

[embreedow]

Thats what I'll do. Thanks!

 

[hbrookie]

You're definitely choking your yeast to death with alcohol. Most apple juice is about 45 points per gallon. 1lb of sugar will also contribute about 45 points. So you have:

45 * 6 + 45 *10 = 720 points in your must. Divide that by 6 to get the points per gallon. 120 points per gallon for an OG of 1.120. With current SG of 1.040 you're already at 10.5% abv. Even some of the heartiest yeasts won't work beyond 12%.

Splitting that in two might not be enough. You may have to split into 3.

3 gal at 120 plus 3 at 45 gives you 495 divide by 6 equals 82.5 or an equivalence of about 1.082 OG. That's still going to get you to over 10.75%abv at 1.000 FG

 

[embreedow]

Hmm so your saying if I divide it by 3 I'm still going to get 10%?? Don't get me wrong I like a strong drink as much as the next guy, but I like my cider around 8% and dry, not really sweet.
I have another 2 5 gal carboys so If it'll still come out to around 10% I'll split the one 5 gal into 3 different 5 gal carboys and top up with apple juice.
Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[embreedow]

I decided to make this into an experiment. I just picked up 11 gals of apple juice. I'm going to split my too sweet and alcoholic batch into 3 5 gal containers. Because I only have a little less than 2 packets of EC1118 champagne yeast left, I am going to do 2 batches with that, and one batch with montrachet wine yeast. Then, I'll be able to see the difference in taste both yeasts produce.

Ill update when I see how it goes.

 

[hbrookie]

The math above was for splitting into two batches. I was assuming that you'd split the original 6 into two batches of 3 and add 3 gallons of AJ to each.

If you split 3 ways and use 2gal each from your original brew you should have about 70 pts per gallon when you're done. Still going to get you about 9.2% abv. At least at that point your yeast should be able to complete their job.