How much sugar??

[Bucknerj81]

I want to make one gallon of very strong cider, I was wondering how much sugar I could put in to get the abv as high as possible. Also if anyone else has done this what yeast did you use... I know I'll need one with a very high alcohol tolerance. Thanks

 

[Jilaman]

How strong is really strong? what alcohol %? I'd say 1lb-2lbs of sugar should boost it a lot. I'd use champagne yeast or wine yeast.

 

[Freezeblade]

after a certain amount of sugar added, I'd class it as more of a Wine than a cider. That said, if you really want to boost it up to >16% you're going to be looking at 1-2 years of aging required so it doesn't taste like lighter fluid with apples floating in it. Yeast to use would be EC1118, that one has an abv tolerance of around 18% but I've heard BK say he's had it go up to 20%

 

[Yooper]

after a certain amount of sugar added, I'd class it as more of a Wine than a cider. That said, if you really want to boost it up to >16% you're going to be looking at 1-2 years of aging required so it doesn't taste like lighter fluid with apples floating in it. Yeast to use would be EC1118, that one has an abv tolerance of around 18% but I've heard BK say he's had it go up to 20%

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It would taste pretty good up to about 12-13% ABV, but it would definitely taste like a dry white wine, NOT cider. (I make apple wine, and it makes a nice dry wine, but not really apple-y at all. More like a pinot grigio). If that is what you want, I have a recipe posted for making apple wine with juice (I've used cider). It's pretty drinkable in 9-10 months, but better with age.

Once you get over 14%, it'll taste like rocket fuel. So, I guess it's up to you. If you bring the SG up to 1.120 with sugar, you'll have 17% or so ABV. You'd need champagne yeast. If you bring the SG to 1.085, you'd have a 12% apple wine.

How much sugar you add would depend on what you choose for your target SG.

 

[Nurmey]

Why and what are you trying to do? If you're going for a quick buzz, there are much easier and shorter ways to do it. Maybe you have some special project in mind for your cider but as Freezeblade mention, it will be a couple years until you can drink it.

 

[Bucknerj81]

Well I have made a lot of cider and now I wanted to make more of something I would drink like a shot... maybe even freeze it and scoop the ice out so its really really stiff. Just thought it might be cool to make a drink that I would serve as only a shot... I drink the heavy stuff anyways so if its real stiff I wouldn't mind

 

[Bucknerj81]

So i guess what im getting at is how much sugar should I put in for one gallon to reach an abv of 17 or 18%?

 

[Yooper]

So i guess what im getting at is how much sugar should I put in for one gallon to reach an abv of 17 or 18%?

Do you have a hydrometer? You'd add sugar to 1.120.

Or, you can buy some Everclear and not waste your time and some good cider.

 

[Bucknerj81]

Well yes i do have a hydrometer... but everclear was not what I was going for. Thats why I was asking if anyone had ever done something like this.

 

[Yooper]

Well yes i do have a hydrometer... but everclear was not what I was going for. Thats why I was asking if anyone had ever done something like this.

The highest I ever went with apple cider was 12%. But, like I said, you could just bring the SG up to 1.120 or so and hit your desired ABV.

Trust me, though, it won't taste good. It'll taste like lighter fluid, or rocket fuel for about 2 years. Then, it might taste ok. After 5 years, it'll taste pretty good.

That's why I mentioned Everclear for shots- by the time you add up your costs for the cider, and the sugar, and the yeast, you're looking at more than what a liter of Everclear would cost. And the Everclear would taste better, at least for the first couple of years. If you are patient, though, and can wait for it to mellow out, you might have a decent high ABV drink. The higher the ABV, the longer it would take. For 17% and up (like a port wine), plan on 2-3 years before sampling.

 

[Bucknerj81]

I see your point... thanks guys

 

[Tusch]

Polite suggestion, not a judgment or threat, but don't ever mention freezing your brew on this forum. It is a form of distilling and is illegal in the US where this forum (and most likely yourself as well) is from. Any mention of distilling will pretty much get the thread locked immediately.

Having said that, Yooper is of course right. Shoot for an sg of around 1.120 for 17% abv if you take it to dryness. My current calc program only does honey as it is for mead, but you can find a few online if you would like to calculate how much sugar that equates to. Having said that you could add 3lbs per gallon of cider have some 17% cyser. Now that would take a REAL long time to mellow out.

 

[Yooper]

I see your point... thanks guys

I'm sure you meant "guys" in the general "folks" sense, right?

 

[lapaglia]

I have fermented water and sugar up to 24% alcohol so it would work with apple juice also but It tastes really bad. You would need to carbon filter it and a few other things just to make it drinkable. We are not talking tasty just drinkable. Honestly its not worth doing. It takes special techniques and additives. Get some vodka and put in some apple flavor and make a liqueur. Fermenting is not the way to get to what you want.

 

[Tusch]

Yooper, one of my very first posts here was calling you a guy! haha I think maybe you should change your avatar back to the scary hot chick or give some other warning.

 

[Bucknerj81]

wow this board is really touchy tonight or maybe i've had to much of my own cider tonight.... Its all good though, yes I did mean "Folks"

 

[Tusch]

If you are referring to me, I was just being nice. I have seen several threads go down because people talked about that.

And Yooper is always kidding, most of the new guys assume she's a dude (I messed that up too)

 

[Bucknerj81]

well thanks all for the info... I guess I'll stick with my favorite apple Jack... Jack D mixed with apple Pucker... now thats good stuff

 

[ChshreCat]

This thread made me want to ferment up something totally over the top and put it away for about 10 years just to see what comes out of it...

 

[Nurmey]

This thread made me want to ferment up something totally over the top and put it away for about 10 years just to see what comes out of it...

In another thread I talked about drinking some 20 year old cider my FIL made. He originally made about 50 gallons and was still sipping it on special occasions after all those years. It was really incredible. A little thick like a liqueur and as strong as distilled liquor but still cidery. I plan on keeping some of the cider I've made for as many years as I can. I don't think I'll have as good of luck as the FIL because his was made from fresh pressed apples, fermented and stored in a wood cask and mine are store bought juice and in beer bottles. I'm don't think mine will age as well as his but I'll give it a shot. You should do it too.