Flavored ciders

[KBradt83]

I'm new to making cider but have made wine for years. I've been wondering what the best way to make different flavored ciders (cherry in this case) is and thought of a few ideas:

1. Mix apple juice and cherries (or juice) to primary fermentation
2. Back sweeten apple cider with cherry concentrate after fermentation
3. Blend finished apple cider with a finished cherry wine

I plan to force carbonate prior to bottling. Can someone offer feedback on these methods? Are there other methods that are better? Thanks in advance!

-Keith

 

[stella_tigre]

Down in Huntsville AL the Straight to Ale brewery had a really nice blood orange cider. It wasn't overpowering, and the brewer said he used the blood orange to just backsweeten some regular cider. It was off-dry, and quite yummy. Have a can being delivered today of the puree to make some for our summer sipping pleasure!

Putting things in primary tends to mute their flavors, which is all right if that's what you want. I have put mixed berries in both primary and secondary, let the mix go dry, stabilized with Kmeta and Pot sorb, and carbed with a little AJ concentrate to backsweeten to off-dry. It was quite good!

 

[bmd2k1]

Ur #2 is my go to methodology. I've been using Tart Cherry & Wild Blueberry concentrates from Brownwood Acres....and 100% FGJC. (So far! [emoji41]) All with excellent results.

Cheers & Good Luck [emoji111]

 

[KBradt83]

Ur #2 is my go to methodology. I've been using Tart Cherry & Wild Blueberry concentrates from Brownwood Acres....and 100% FGJC. (So far! [emoji41]) All with excellent results.

Cheers & Good Luck [emoji111]

Great info! What is your ratio for back sweetening with the concentrates (oz/gal)? What is FGJC?

 

[bmd2k1]

For the tart cherry & blueberry I tend to go 1oz per gal...though I have done 1.5oz on occasion.

FGJC = frozen grape juice concentrate (Concord)...and I use 1/2cup per 1gal.

 

[bmd2k1]

Great info! What is your ratio for back sweetening with the concentrates (oz/gal)? What is FGJC?

These are the tart cherry & wild blueberry concentrates...

 

[KBradt83]

These are the tart cherry & wild blueberry concentrates...
View attachment 564947

Thanks. I just checked out their website. Looks like about $1 per oz. I'll definitely be giving those a try. Too bad they don't have pineapple. I'd love to make an Ace Pineapple Cider clone.

 

[bmd2k1]

Looks like Old Orchard has a FPJC...Google em up. I haven't tried it yet...but would be similar to FGJC I'm guessing.

Cheers!

 

[KBradt83]

Looks like Old Orchard has a FPJC...Google em up. I haven't tried it yet...but would be similar to FGJC I'm guessing.

Cheers!

Awesome. Will do. Thank!

 

[bmd2k1]

Awesome. Will do. Thank!

I typically make a 5 or 6gal batch...here they are after adding the fruit concentrates & cinnamon sticks.

 

[KBradt83]

I typically make a 5 or 6gal batch...here they are after adding the fruit concentrates & cinnamon sticks.

View attachment 564948

Very nice. How much cinnamon do you generally put in?

 

[bmd2k1]

Very nice. How much cinnamon do you generally put in?

I really like cinnamon....so I typically toss in 2 sticks per gal.....on occasion 3.

I'm looking at an all natural Hot Cinnamon flavoring to try too....for a Fire Cider[emoji111]

 

[MarkKF]

These are the tart cherry & wild blueberry concentrates...
View attachment 564947

I’m really interested in using natural, organic fruit concentrates. My fear is that the amount needed for fruit flavor may be vastly different than the amount needed for desired sweetness.

 

[bmd2k1]

I’m really interested in using natural, organic fruit concentrates. My fear is that the amount needed for fruit flavor may be vastly different than the amount needed for desired sweetness.

Both of these concentrates are on the tart side....so they have blended well with my semi-sweet S04 ciders.

 

[AkTom]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/paa-pineapple-apple-apple.414557/
Here’s a pineapple apple cider recipe. It’s pretty good. I need to make another batch. Some how it didn’t carb up very well... taste is very good with a little age.

 

[pwortiz]

I typically make a 5 or 6gal batch...here they are after adding the fruit concentrates & cinnamon sticks.

View attachment 564948

I hadn't thought of splitting the cider back into their 1 gallon containers. I usually do a 4.5 gallon batch and follow 1 of three paths:
- 16 oz of tart cherry juice concentrate with 1.5lb honey and keg (1.5 lb of honey was also added during primary).
- 8oz tart cherry juice concentrate and 8oz elderberry juice concentrate with honey and keg
- dry hop and keg no back sweetening

Just got a 16oz bottle of pomegranate juice concentrate that I will be using in the next weeks for my most recent batch. I have so far used Notty as my go to yeast and reuse cake 3x.

Seeing your pic makes me think of all kinds of opportunities - I have never made one gallon batches before despite how long I have been brewing.

For adds like cinnamon sticks, do you pull them out or just leave em sit as you drink away one gallon at a time?

 

[bmd2k1]

I hadn't thought of splitting the cider back into their 1 gallon containers. I usually do a 4.5 gallon batch and follow 1 of three paths:
- 16 oz of tart cherry juice concentrate with 1.5lb honey and keg (1.5 lb of honey was also added during primary).
- 8oz tart cherry juice concentrate and 8oz elderberry juice concentrate with honey and keg
- dry hop and keg no back sweetening

Just got a 16oz bottle of pomegranate juice concentrate that I will be using in the next weeks for my most recent batch. I have so far used Notty as my go to yeast and reuse cake 3x.

Seeing your pic makes me think of all kinds of opportunities - I have never made one gallon batches before despite how long I have been brewing.

For adds like cinnamon sticks, do you pull them out or just leave em sit as you drink away one gallon at a time?

Just let em sit! I get a decent carb for the entire gal...beginning to end. This approach gives me alot of variety...which I & others all enjoy [emoji111]

Cheers!

 

[InvaderZim]

What do folks use to stop fermentation from any post ferment additions? I've heard potassium metabisulfite and sorbate are often used. I've tried cold crashing with mediocre results, fermentation continues just at a slower rate.

 

[S-Met]

If using fresh fruit (like cherries) I would add to both primary and secondary. Primary letting it go dry and sit for 1-3 weeks on the skins. Then rack and add more to secondary.

Concentrate: add to either.

Delicate flavors sometimes get lost from primary additions, but primary extracts more from the pulp and skins for color and dept of flavor.

 

[bmd2k1]

What do folks use to stop fermentation from any post ferment additions? I've heard potassium metabisulfite and sorbate are often used. I've tried cold crashing with mediocre results, fermentation continues just at a slower rate.

I've had Great success cold crashing S04....and I keep my 1gal containers of cider refrigerated...this has been very successful for me. I serve right from 1gals.....or sometimes toss into EZ cap bottles from 1gals for transport. [emoji111]

 

[pwortiz]

What do folks use to stop fermentation from any post ferment additions? I've heard potassium metabisulfite and sorbate are often used. I've tried cold crashing with mediocre results, fermentation continues just at a slower rate.

If I keg, nothing is done. I just keep it in the keezer after the sugar addition. The Carmel Apple cider I make using 2cups of brown sugar and fjac, on the other hand, I toss into the dishwasher for a sanitary cycle as a form of pasteurization.

 

[bmd2k1]

Another fav of mine is cinnamon ginger......I use the fresh cut ginger from a sushi order...and a couple cin sticks in 1gal....fabulous flavor!

 

[homebrewer_99]

What do folks use to stop fermentation from any post ferment additions? I've heard potassium metabisulfite and sorbate are often used. I've tried cold crashing with mediocre results, fermentation continues just at a slower rate.

I use PotSorb with no issues. I just let it go for 2 days (versus 24 hrs). What's the rush, right?


I too, am thinking about splitting up my current 5 gal batch...or I could just make another 5 gals???

Now...on my way to that Pineapple recipe...