How much sugar(if any) do I need to add?

[blandeena]

I've seen many different cider recipes with very different amounts of sugar added. Is there a standard OG/ beginning sugar content I should be striving for? I'm assuming this will vary based on my desired alcohol content and strain of yeast used. Is there a chart out there that lists suggested beginning sugar content(OG) based on yeast strain and/or desired final % alcohol?

If I want to add more sugar(another fruit) at secondary fermentation, would I just subtract that amount of sugar from the initial amount I put it?

I don't want to put in so much sugar that the yeast eventually give up, making it impossible to bottle carbonate. It seems like a delicate balancing act.

 

[Tusch]

Well if this is your first attempt at cider, I would go with no sugar added. The formal for calculating abv is (OG - FG) x 131. You can estimate your desired OG using this formula and a desired abv. Cider's have very simple sugars, so almost any yeast can take them dry, so assume it will drop down to between .990 and 1.000. Also, keep in mind that adding sugar will also help to take the cider dryer.

So no there aren't any standards, as everyone's goals are different, as are everyone's ciders.

 

[blandeena]

Thanks again for your response. I think you're my personal cider consultant! I think I'll follow your advice and just pitch my yeast into my cider without adding anything else. If I feel like experimenting a little, I might just separate out 1 gallon and dump some cherry into it during secondary fermentation. I'll leave the rest as is, and be able to compare a little that way.