Dry Caramel Cider

[RPh_Guy]

I generally like sparkling dry or semi-dry cider (apfelwein?) and I bottle carb. I definitely make some great ciders already, but still looking for some variety.

All the recipes for caramel cider I can find are sweet. Would there be a problem making a dry caramel cider by adding a bit of caramelized sugar? Do you think I should reduce the amount? I'm thinking I'll also add half a vanilla bean (per gallon). Would this probably be better still rather than carbonated?

Has anyone done this? I don't want to waste my time if it will be terrible.

I have an experimental dry cinnamon cider still aging from last year because apparently a month's worth of half a cinnamon stick (per gallon) is too much. I'd rather not repeat failures like this if possible.

Thanks everyone.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I've given this a little more thought...

I think adding additional (caramelized) sugar to a fully fermented cider will cause too much drying & loss of apple flavor. Caramel "extract" is a thing so I might add some to a few bottles and see how it does with conditioning.

 

[Yooper]

I've given this a little more thought...

I think adding additional (caramelized) sugar to a fully fermented cider will cause too much drying & loss of apple flavor. Caramel "extract" is a thing so I might add some to a few bottles and see how it does with conditioning.

Let us know! The idea of "caramel" always brings "sweet" to mind to me, so I'm wondering how the caramel flavor and a dry cider will play out.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Hey maybe I could use caramelized sugar for bottle priming.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Let us know! The idea of "caramel" always brings "sweet" to mind to me, so I'm wondering how the caramel flavor and a dry cider will play out.

That's true, but apples are normally sweet too. I'll definitely post back after trying it.

 

[RPh_Guy]

UPDATE
Today I bottled a dry cider primed with sugar I caramelized (26grams per gallon). For good measure I added some vanilla extract I had made.

Tasting didn't really reveal any caramel, however maybe it will come out after conditioning. My goal is subtlety but I hope I didn't go through all that for nothing.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

How about trying a bone-dry cider backsweetened in the glass (to semi-dry level) with caramel and vanilla? I do most of my cider now in bottles with no additional flavours or sweetening (dry - about 1.000), so that I can back sweeten with whatever I feel like (to about 1.008). I might give some caramel a go! Currently my favourite is ginger, lemon and honey.

 

[RPh_Guy]

How would you add caramel flavor?

It was a lengthy process dissolving the caramelized sugar I added probably because I didn't crush it like I should have.
I didn't want to use my "extract" because it is an imitation. Maybe some kind of caramel sauce could work in the glass, or even just a rim of crushed caramelized sugar.

I don't really want it sweet, just wanted to have some flavor variety. I have 2 other batches just plain dry cider (using different apple juices).

 

[bmd2k1]

How would you add caramel flavor?

It was a lengthy process dissolving the caramelized sugar I added probably because I didn't crush it like I should have.
I didn't want to use my "extract" because it is an imitation. Maybe some kind of caramel sauce could work in the glass, or even just a rim of crushed caramelized sugar.

I don't really want it sweet, just wanted to have some flavor variety. I have 2 other batches just plain dry cider (using different apple juices).

Did ya ever come up with a good way to add the caramel flavor w/o too much added sweetness?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Nope, sorry.
Been working on more basic techniques.
This year 9 different 1 gal batches with different variables but no added flavors besides oak.

The caramelized sugar idea was a bust, at least the way I was doing it.

A small amount of steeped crystal 60 malt seems like a good idea. Glucoamylase can help dry it, if needed.

Alternately, could consider adding some caramelized honey (aka bochet).

 

[ten80]

I did something similar last year, added about 4 lbs of homemade dark candy syrup to a 5-gal batch of cider. The adjusted OG was around 1.100 and it finished at... 0.992. DRY DRY DRY! Not a bad taste and some good candy syrup notes, but dang, I wish I'd stopped the fermentation around 1.010.

 

[bmd2k1]

Made up a batch of caramel syrup to experiment with in some of my ciders [emoji111]