How sweet do you like it? The cider FG thread.

[cheyneco]

I searched the forum and Google but didn't find a thread about this. A lot of threads asking, but none with all the answers in one spot. Everyone has a preference and this may help people choose a sweetness level when brewing for themselves or for friends/family/gifts.

So here it it. Where do you like your finished cider? Do you normally lean towards sweet or dry drinks?

For me, still dialing in my cider but I'm a big fan of the commercial ciders.


Ideal: FG 1.015-1.020, carbed
Preference: commercial ciders (angry orchard traditional dry, Crispin import)...not a real big beer drinker.


What's yours?

 

[phug]

The sweet spot for my wife and myself is around 1.010-1.012 and carbed to at least 2.5


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Just made one at 1.010. Swmbo declared it too dry. I'll split it and go to 1.015 and 1.020 next time with some apjc.

 

[romitaz]

Wife likes it around 1.020. I like it around 1.015. I do my best to split the difference at around 1.017.

 

[Homercidal]

I have no idea what gravity. I used to think I like it a bit sweeter, but lately I've appreciated it drier. I like it sparkling.

Really, this thread is begging to be turned into a poll...

 

[mysteryshrimp]

Standard cider, no additional spices or fermentables: my favorite batch that I've made finished at 1.006, but it had huge apple aroma which gave the impression of something a bit sweeter than that.

Heavily spiced needs to be more sweet. The most recent award winning cider was a heavily gingered cider, and I back-sweetened to around 1.020.

 

[tomb1]

Standard cider, no additional spices or fermentables: my favorite batch that I've made finished at 1.006, but it had huge apple aroma which gave the impression of something a bit sweeter than that.

Heavily spiced needs to be more sweet. The most recent award winning cider was a heavily gingered cider, and I back-sweetened to around 1.020.

Did you post a recipe for that favorite batch?

 

[Randzor]

Dry as it finished. I tend to get really bad stomachs from sweet stuff.

 

[mysteryshrimp]

Did you post a recipe for that favorite batch?

The recipe was simple. 4 gallons of the best pasteurized sweet apple cider I could find, some nutrient, some O2, a vial of WLP775, and added another gallon of the same juice after primary had slowed. Just like a fruit beer, adding juice after primary saves quite a bit of the aromatics.

 

[Renoun]

I find the commercial macro-brew ciders to be way too sweet. I like 1.005-1.008 for semi-dry ciders. On the sweet side I have made a bottle pasteurized apple-cherry that should be around 1.012 and seems to be well balanced without being overly sweet.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

I go back and forth from around 1.005 to around 1.010. Depends on the batch/spices/added fruit etc.

 

[BanditBrewCo]

Now I feel a little weird, lol. I prefer my ciders around 0.995-1.000 dry and tart but not too acidic. Yet then again I am not a really big fan of sweets in general.

 

[podz]

I sometimes like to start at 1.085 and cold crash at 1.020, but usually I start at 1.065 and let er go right down to .996.

I never carb, but with cold crashing at 1.020 I get a little bit of carbonation anyway.

 

[JackofME]

Just like I don't want to drink the same beer every day and night, I like many different sweetness levels. Also higher carbonation levels kind of neutralize the sweetness level to me.

Currently, my favorite started at 1.072 and finished at 1.005, it is a cyser, and has great balance of flavor and sweetness to me at only 3 months. This was kind of an accident as I added the honey first and was caught off guard by how high the SG was. Tested some extra juice and it had a higher starting gravity of 1.06 than I "assumed."

 

[cheyneco]

Added the poll!

 

[Rockyflats]

The recipe was simple. 4 gallons of the best pasteurized sweet apple cider I could find, some nutrient, some O2, a vial of WLP775, and added another gallon of the same juice after primary had slowed. Just like a fruit beer, adding juice after primary saves quite a bit of the aromatics.

Filtered or unfiltered cider? How long did you leave in primary and secondary?