Looking for advice on sweet carbonated cider

[JackofME]

So far my attempts at a sweet carbonated cider have been disappointing. Between always losing some bottles during pasteurization to always having some bottles under carbonated this does not seem the hassle when you can keg.

So I had a new thought, that I hope someone out there has tried.

Thinking of making a essentially a fortified apfelwein, ferment dry to 12 - 14% ABV. Then prime to carb to a high level say 3.6. I would then use bottles of this apple champagne to mix in equal amounts with fresh pressed cider when available in the fall.


I think this would give me a sweet, slightly under carbonated 6% - 7% final product. The product should be relatively shelf stable, although I have never bottled anything above 2.3 volumes so I am a little nervous about this aspect as I intend to use regular beer bottles.

Anyone tried something similar that can describe their results? I think I need to start soon if I want the alcohol hotness gone by the fall.

Thanks,

 

[podz]

Why use glass when it is such a pain in the ass?

I drink a lot of this cider and save the bottles. They are green, 0.75 litres, and built to withstand pressure.

 

[cheyneco]

Never heard of that Swing cider. Where do you get it? How's it taste?

 

[Nossie]

If that is carbonated pear cider, commercial at that, I might just have to do some searching; I adore pear aroma and flavor.

 

[podz]

Never heard of that Swing cider. Where do you get it? How's it taste?

Swing is a brand of "Pernod Ricard, Finland". Pernod Ricard is the largest alcohol production and distribution company in the world, so chances are that they might also be selling it somewhere else than Finland and maybe under a different brand name. At least their Dry Apple is very good. The other flavors have some artificial sweeteners in them and I don't like them too much because of that.

If that is carbonated pear cider, commercial at that, I might just have to do some searching; I adore pear aroma and flavor.

It is indeed carbonated pear cider. I can't drink pear cider myself or I wake up with stuffed up sinuses and a sinus headache. There are about 6 or so different ciders in the Swing line. The one I drink is called "Dry Apple".

Anyway, I find those plastic bottles invaluable for bottling my own cider. They are not flimsy and they have a shamrock bottom that prevents then from wobbling if they get overpressurized. The shamrock bottom also functions very well for catching any residual yeast.