Dry Cherry Cider

Tbagger · May 15, 2018

I'm thinking about trying my hand at adding cherry to a dry cider. I was wondering if anyone has used Vintners Harvest Sweet Cherry Puree with any success? Anyone have bad experience? I was thinking of adding 2 cans (6lbs) late in secondary or maybe during an early aging rack to try and get more flavor to carry through.

gunhaus · May 15, 2018

I have not used Vintners - But i make a cider my son calls Cherry Darling. It is a basic cider, we simply boost the basic apple juice or cider to 1.060 - 1.065 with a little simple syrup. It is fermented with SO4. When it finishes, we back sweeten with an organic sweet cherry juice we get locally. It is fairly potent stuff, and we use normally 2 - 32oz foir a 5 gallon batch. That adds enough cherry flavor. If it needs to be sweeter, we finish the job with simple syrup. I am good with it, but the wife and kid positively love it! It does have a nice fruity taste. I have to say this is NOT a long term project. I have had this in the keg in 2 weeks or so a number of times and no one complained. It is generally pretty sweet and i think that covers flaws a bit. If this ferments 2 weeks, then we sweeten and flavor and put it in the keg, a week or two at serving pressure to carb, lets the flavors meld about as much as they are going to.

Tbagger · May 15, 2018

I thought about back sweetening but I’ve never done it and wanted this to be champange dry with a hint of cherry. I plan on using it instead of champange for my wedding toast. I’ll definitely have to think more on it. Thanks for the advice.

bmd2k1 · May 15, 2018

Tbagger said:
I'm thinking about trying my hand at adding cherry to a dry cider. I was wondering if anyone has used Vintners Harvest Sweet Cherry Puree with any success? Anyone have bad experience? I was thinking of adding 2 cans (6lbs) late in secondary or maybe during an early aging rack to try and get more flavor to carry through.

I've added tart cherry juice concentrate from Brownwood Acres to both my regular & ice ciders...post fermentation. Typically about 1oz per gal is just right for me.

Cheers! [emoji111]

Maylar · May 16, 2018

Tbagger said:
I'm thinking about trying my hand at adding cherry to a dry cider. I was wondering if anyone has used Vintners Harvest Sweet Cherry Puree with any success? Anyone have bad experience? I was thinking of adding 2 cans (6lbs) late in secondary or maybe during an early aging rack to try and get more flavor to carry through.

I made a one gallon batch with that. My notes say:

Fermented primary 3 weeks to 1.002 with Nottingham. Racked onto 1 cup cherry puree, SG = 1.008. Secondary for 2 weeks to 1.002 FG. Racked to tertiary, aged for 2 months.

It was quite good. Too much sweet cherry can overpower the cider and make it like cough syrup, so go easy with it.

Tbagger · May 16, 2018

Maylar said:
I made a one gallon batch with that. My notes say:

Fermented primary 3 weeks to 1.002 with Nottingham. Racked onto 1 cup cherry puree, SG = 1.008. Secondary for 2 weeks to 1.002 FG. Racked to tertiary, aged for 2 months.

It was quite good. Too much sweet cherry can overpower the cider and make it like cough syrup, so go easy with it.

I'm planning on making 10gal (probably should have mentioned that) so 2 cans will probably be less than 1 cup a gallon. But yeah, that's what I'm worried about.