How much sugar?

[thiessenace]

Hey. I am just starting my first cider. I got fresh crushed apples from the local orchard. How much sugar per gallon do you add to your ciders?

 

[jerrodm]

I don't--I find that what you get is alcohol with limited apple flavor. OTOH, I have a buddy who puts all kinds of fermentables--honey, brown sugar, molasses, etc--in his ciders. He probably puts in at least 3-4 lbs of fermentables in a 5 gallon batch. That's probably on the high end of the spectrum, but I don't know. Maybe split your batch and try two different amts, then compare?

 

[thiessenace]

Hmm. Sounds like a plan. I was considering putting in a half pound of brown sugar and a cinnamon stick then pitching yeast. I am only making a one gallon batch my own way and making another 5 gallon batch following a recipe. Any suggestions? Btw I will split and post with results. Since I am very new to brewing in general. What does the yeast have to ferment then? The natural sugars in the apples?

 

[tristan1220]

When I do a 5 gallon batch I put in 2.5 cups of corn sugar. The more fermentable, like sugars, honey, syrup, etc. means there'll be more alcohol content. Not a bad thing as long as your careful.

 

[jerrodm]

Yes, fresh cider will usually have an OG between 1.045-1.06 in my experience, which means if you use a dry yeast (like the champagne yeast most people use) you'll probably ferment pretty much all the way down to 1.0 and end up with about 6% ABV. If you want the cider to retain a little sweetness, 1 lb. of honey will do it--honey takes a couple of months for yeast to convert, so if you let primary fermentation complete you'll be left with some residual sweetness. However, the yeast WILL continue to eat the honey and produce CO2, so keep your cider stored in a cool place (ideally a fridge) or pasteurize your bottles (check out the method here). You can make some VERY alcoholic ciders depending on how many adjuncts (sugar, honey, etc) you add to the cider, but as I said before the danger is that the alcohol and sweetness will at some point overtake the apple flavor, and you'll end up with something that tastes like malt liquor. I prefer my cider a little less alcohol-y, so the apple flavor really comes through. Most of my ciders end up between 5 and 6% ABV, which is fine for my taste. Do what tastes right to you.

 

[thiessenace]

It has been really helpful hearing all your ideas it is much appreciated! I made my first abd second batch tlday and followed a mixture of inatructions. I really appreciate everyones in put.

 

[MarkKF]

I've done anywhere from two to five cups per 5 gallons juice. Seems like more sugar makes a higher alcohol drier cider. I might try none next time.

 

[thiessenace]

Hmm let me know how no sugar goes for you? I am really interested. I started my first two batchs today. I might do a one gallon batch without sugar. Would the yeast just use the natural sugars from the apples to ferment then?

 

[ThorGodOfThunder]

I just bottled a batch using no sugar at all, just pure, unpasteurized cider.

When I tasted some before bottling it was very tart, as one might expect from fruit juice with no sugar in it. I backsweetened with stevia to taste (still a little tart, but it should smooth itself out over time), then primed with cane sugar.

I'll post results when it is done carbonating and I'm actually able to taste the final product.

 

[Sewer_Urchen]

I start out with a pound per gallon, often add more when I rack, some batches have ended up 1.5 lbs per galon of juice. This does make what purist brewers call "apple wine" rather than traditional "hard cider". I just call it hard cider and don't care what people think. It generates a wine around 13-14% ABV. The key with this cider is, like wine, it needs time to age, so there is no instant gratification. Paitience is key. My cider ends up being almost a year before it's really hitting it's prime, and the apple flavor does come back with bottle aging, but yes, as some have mentioned if you open a bottle a week after you bottle it, it will taste more like a mixed drink with lots of alcohol burn...but if you leave it in the bottle for 4-6 months, that taste mellows a lot and the apple flavors come back. I'll leave in the fermenters for almost six months (2-2.5 months in primary, 3 months in secondary, and around 2 months in a tertiary to really get it crystal clear). I start right about this time of year, and won't end up bottling until early May, and then wont start drinking that until late July or August, and the dryer wines from last year are only just starting to get really good right now. I make a cider champagne that's great and I'm just barely starting to crack open the 2011 batch right now.

And champagne yeasts that I've used have fermented all the way down to .996, last year I had two batches get down to .992, that's BONE dry! If you're looking for sweetness to remain, you might want to consider using an ale yeast or an English Cider yeast. I go dry and use champagne and dry wine yeasts (Red Star Champagne and Lalvin D-47 are my go-to's, though I might start experimenting with a few other Lalvin wine yeasts)

So if you're looking for something you can drink much quicker, go for the lower sugar recipe's that end up more like a beer ABV, around 5-7%. They, like beer, are ready to drink much quicker. But if that's what you're already doing and want an experiment batch, go big! And if you're racking, freeze a couple half gallons of fresh cider to top off the carboy with when you rack.

 

[lazyninja]

I just bottled a batch using no sugar at all, just pure, unpasteurized cider.

When I tasted some before bottling it was very tart, as one might expect from fruit juice with no sugar in it. I backsweetened with stevia to taste (still a little tart, but it should smooth itself out over time), then primed with cane sugar.

I'll post results when it is done carbonating and I'm actually able to taste the final product.

ThorGodOfThunder, about how much stevia did you add to what volume of cider?