How much Splenda to use to sweeten Cider

[Calder]

I'm making my first batch. I think I will probably prefer it dry; I prefer dry wines, dry sherry's, do not like sweet deserts, no sugar in drinks, so I'll go ahead and bottle/carb most of it when finished fermenting.

But ......... my better half prefers things slightly sweeter, and if I could get her something she would like too, life would be easier. So I would like to sweeten some of it to see how it turns out.

I read a lot of the threads that talk about how to get a sweeter cider and quite frankly, the methods scare me, and seem very 'hit-or-miss'. The only method that seems reasonable to me is to back-sweeten with Splenda or lactose. I'm not sure what lactose is, or where to get it, but am familiar with Splenda. The thing missing with all the references to Splenda is how much to use.

What I would like to know is how much should you use to get something like a medium sweet cider. I'm not looking for anything absolute, just a stating guideline, which I could use to start out with and then adjust myself for any subsequent batches. I don't know if you would put a couple of ounces in a gallon, or a pound! Any guidance would be a great help. Please also provide the volume of cider you are talking about; I can calculate what I need for whatever volume I decide to do.

 

[Bobby_M]

It's so easy to overdo it with splenda.1/2 cup max in 5 gallons. By the time you get though the bath, you'll think its too sweet.

 

[cvstrat]

Lactose is milk sugar. It's used to sweeten certain ales, usually stouts. The reason it is popular is because it's sweet, but it's not fermentable. Even if you were to ferment the cider/wine to total dryness the lactose will remain. It is also supposed to add a creamy mouthfeel to ales.

Splenda is easy to find and can work just fine. You're gonna want to use very little, then work your way up until you find the right sweetness. Maybe 1/2 cup in a 5 gallon batch, then add quarter cups until you get the desired level. I have used lactose in a breakfast stout, but never splenda.

Just be careful, a little goes a long way. Add it right before you bottle to taste and run with it. I would be conservative though.

 

[Bobby_M]

Oh, also, you can add splenda at serving time so that you don't have to oversweeten the whole batch. Mix like a 1/2 teaspoon with a bit of water, then pour the cider on top.

 

[Calder]

Oh, also, you can add splenda at serving time so that you don't have to oversweeten the whole batch. Mix like a 1/2 teaspoon with a bit of water, then pour the cider on top.

I like that idea, especially since I think I'm going to prefer it dry. I suppose you could use real sugar, or apple juice at this point if you wanted, or one of those flavored syrups (yuk).

I like simple.

Thanks for the help

 

[krisagon]

Oh, also, you can add splenda at serving time so that you don't have to oversweeten the whole batch. Mix like a 1/2 teaspoon with a bit of water, then pour the cider on top.

Just a thought -
if you're sweetening at serving time, there's no fear of bottle bombs, is there any reason not to use regular sugar instead of splenda?

 

[notjustgc]

Just a thought -
if you're sweetening at serving time, there's no fear of bottle bombs, is there any reason not to use regular sugar instead of splenda?

No reason at all... except that Splenda dissolves a bit easier than regular sugar in cold liquids, which makes things easier.