hifall2001
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- Feb 28, 2016
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I recently tried a couple of test batches of hard cider and I thought I had it dialed in but I've run into a problem. My last three batches were WAY too sweet and had low alcohol content.
Here's what I started with:
1st batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
4 cups confectioners sugar (It was on sale)
21 days fermentation time.
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and slightly carbonated
Cold crashed, racked and added the remaining 2-3 cups of juice after fermentation.
Fairly sweet with good apple flavor.
"Strong" alcohol but didn't have hydrometer to get any numbers.
2nd batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
3 cups confectioners sugar (I ran out of sugar)
21 days fermentation time
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and very slightly carbonated.
This one was tart and dry with less apple flavor. Reminded me of Granny Smith apples and sour cherry's.
I agitated this one and set it back to ferment another week.
Agitation just made it cloudy and removed all carbonation without a resurgence of fermentation.
Cold crashed, racked and added the remaining 2-3 cups of juice after fermentation. this sweetened the final cider somewhat but didn't increase the "apple flavor" very much.
"Strong" alcohol but didn't have hydrometer to get any numbers.
3rd batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
4 cups - Granulated Sugar (Changed from confectioners sugar to granulated sugar because THIS was on sale)
21 days fermentation time.
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and very slightly carbonated
Cold crashed and racked. Did NOT add straight juice.
THIS one turned out syrupy sweet with very low alcohol. It was almost cough syrup sweet.
Started 4th and 5th batches with higher yeast amounts, but two weeks in, and it seems like they are going to turn out just as syrupy!!
Here's my QUESTIONS:
1. Does changing the TYPES of sugar have that much of an affect on the outcome?? I didn't think it SHOULD HAVE!
2. If these two batches turn out to be as syrupy sweet, is there a way to "save" them and restart the fermentation to dry them out??
Here's what I started with:
1st batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
4 cups confectioners sugar (It was on sale)
21 days fermentation time.
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and slightly carbonated
Cold crashed, racked and added the remaining 2-3 cups of juice after fermentation.
Fairly sweet with good apple flavor.
"Strong" alcohol but didn't have hydrometer to get any numbers.
2nd batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
3 cups confectioners sugar (I ran out of sugar)
21 days fermentation time
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and very slightly carbonated.
This one was tart and dry with less apple flavor. Reminded me of Granny Smith apples and sour cherry's.
I agitated this one and set it back to ferment another week.
Agitation just made it cloudy and removed all carbonation without a resurgence of fermentation.
Cold crashed, racked and added the remaining 2-3 cups of juice after fermentation. this sweetened the final cider somewhat but didn't increase the "apple flavor" very much.
"Strong" alcohol but didn't have hydrometer to get any numbers.
3rd batch
1 gal pressed apple juice (put all but about 2 or 3 cups into my fermenter jug)
1/4 tsp Wyeast Beer Nutrient
1/2 tsp Lallemand Windsor Yeast
4 cups - Granulated Sugar (Changed from confectioners sugar to granulated sugar because THIS was on sale)
21 days fermentation time.
I had infrequent bubbles in my airlock and very slightly carbonated
Cold crashed and racked. Did NOT add straight juice.
THIS one turned out syrupy sweet with very low alcohol. It was almost cough syrup sweet.
Started 4th and 5th batches with higher yeast amounts, but two weeks in, and it seems like they are going to turn out just as syrupy!!
Here's my QUESTIONS:
1. Does changing the TYPES of sugar have that much of an affect on the outcome?? I didn't think it SHOULD HAVE!
2. If these two batches turn out to be as syrupy sweet, is there a way to "save" them and restart the fermentation to dry them out??