Fig Cider Help

[Jrockerboi]

I was wondering for anyone familiar with mr. beer, how I would go about trying to make a fig cider using their apple cider base to start. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[bernardsmith]

Do you have a recipe? Here's what I would do - and I am unfamiliar with Mr Beer kits or equipment - For every gallon of apple juice I would add 3 lbs of dried figs (or 4 lbs fresh). I would blend the figs and the juice in a blender (no heat!) and add the appropriate amount of pectic enzyme to help break down the pectins in the fruit. After 12 - 24 hours I would pitch the yeast and add nutrient. I might also add tannin. Let the must ferment dry and rack every couple of months onto about 1/8 teaspoon of K-meta per gallon until there is no evidence of sediment dropping out of suspension. I would then stabilize (k-meta and K-sorbate) and backsweeten to taste. If you have a recipe that is tried and tested I would follow the recipe and ignore my suggestions.

 

[Jrockerboi]

Thank you for your help! Mr. Beer is sort of like this predone kit that does alot of the work for you. So not from scratch like a recipe you mentioned. But I will definitely keep that in mind. I do have another question though. If you wanted to add a flavor, be it cinnamon or even sugar or some other sweetner for the cider, when might you add it in? And how much might you use?

 

[bernardsmith]

Sugar doesn't add flavor unless you mean something like honey or maple syrup. Sugar adds alcohol. The more fruit you add WILL increase the flavor, so if you like you might add concentrated fruit juice to increase both flavor and the sugar content. To add more flavors - eg cinnamon, I would add a little AFTER the primary fermentation is over - so that you are adding the additional flavor after the most vigorous part of the fermentation is over. That will help prevent the flavor molecules from being expelled from your wine with the CO2. But the secret to wine making - or at least one of the secrets is the more fruit and the less water you use the richer the taste.

 

[Texasrookie]

Lots of questions as making a fig cider is on my "to do " list. I have 6 fig trees and have made lots of fig wine, mead and a dandy fig ale. I use fresh and or frozen figs. Wonder if they would work making 5 gallons at a time> here's my thought and I welcome input: Boil 1 gallon of water and add 4 lbs corn sugar until dissolve/stirred, then , say add the initial 1 gallon apple juice/fig mix to the 1 gallon boil and add water up to 5 gallons. After 24 hrs pitch the Cider yeast. My thoughts on the initial mix is 1 gallon apple juice and blend with 5 lbs of fresh figs.