LowCarb/Keto friendly cider?

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Firestix

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Ok. I've been making cider for about a year now. I love it. It's great. Blah, blah, blah. Now, I am thinking of doing a lowcarb/Keto diet. I know that alcohol is not optimal on this sort of diet. However, there are "Keto friendly" alcohol lists out there. The problem is, the list gives liquors, wines, and beers, but no keto friendly ciders. I would normally just skip the drink for a couple of weeks but I have some of my buddies visiting soon.... and well, marines like to have a few cold ones and shoot the breeze around a fire. (And I'm not about to break tradition)
Any ideas?
 
If it's sweet, it isn't on plan. Do you have any you haven't back sweetened? Ciders usually ferment out pretty dry, which makes them about as friendly as anything else.
 
I do have some that I have not back sweetened. However, those are the ones I haven't allowed to ferment out until dry. Bottling them early allows me to use some of that unspent sugar to bottle condition without adding extra sweetener.
Hmm ... as much as I dont like liquor, maybe I should stick with tequila or bourbon.
This is a tough one.
 
You could let it ferment out completely and add sugar to carbonate when you bottle along with a non-fermentable sweetener (xylitol maybe?).

Then you can have a dry cider (with all of the sucrose turned into alcohol and co2) with a touch of sweetness from the xylitol (or splenda, or whatever else you choose to use)
 
You could let it ferment out completely and add sugar to carbonate when you bottle along with a non-fermentable sweetener (xylitol maybe?).

Then you can have a dry cider (with all of the sucrose turned into alcohol and co2) with a touch of sweetness from the xylitol (or splenda, or whatever else you choose to use)

canehdianman, We cant do the artificial sweetners, (migrane trigger) and the stevia/xylitol aren't well received. I think I have a nearly impossible situation. I will just probably just let it ferment almost completely out and then bottle & pasteurize.
 
canehdianman, We cant do the artificial sweetners, (migrane trigger) and the stevia/xylitol aren't well received. I think I have a nearly impossible situation. I will just probably just let it ferment almost completely out and then bottle & pasteurize.

Or, let it ferment out completely, and add a teaspoon of sugar per bottle to carbonate. Drink it dry (totally unsweetened), and carbonated. No sugar and no artificial sugars either.

I only drink dry wines and ciders, and never sweeten them. I'm sort of an anti-sugar nazi, and even drink my kombucha that way.
 
Or, let it ferment out completely, and add a teaspoon of sugar per bottle to carbonate. Drink it dry (totally unsweetened), and carbonated. No sugar and no artificial sugars either.

I only drink dry wines and ciders, and never sweeten them. I'm sort of an anti-sugar nazi, and even drink my kombucha that way.

Yooper,
This is kinda what I was getting at. but without having to add extra sugar. Just let it almost ferment fully, then bottle and allow all/almost all the residual existing sugars ferment out for carbonation. Then pasteurize.

:( I cant believe I'm doing all of this sugar/carb reduction "hand wringing" for some silly lowcarb/keto diet.
 
Yooper,
This is kinda what I was getting at. but without having to add extra sugar. Just let it almost ferment fully, then bottle and allow all/almost all the residual existing sugars ferment out for carbonation. Then pasteurize.

:( I cant believe I'm doing all of this sugar/carb reduction "hand wringing" for some silly lowcarb/keto diet.

Then do what Yooper suggests. No need to pasteurize at all. And no guessing at when it's done fermenting .

Easier and no sugars left. I prefer my ciders dry as well.
 
There are a couple ways to do this, not all of them make consuming your cider fun.

Low alcohol cider, wine, and beer? Sure.
One way is to ferment cider and wine out to your taste, then use sorbates. The evaporation rate of alcohol is higher than water, so that means the boiling point is lower.
Ethyl alcohol will boil off around 173-175F at sea level. Heating at this temp for 20-30 mins will give you low alcohol, mulled wine or cider - or if you have a distiller, well ... you know...
The process works the same for uncarbed fermented beer. The original yeast dies and you might want to decant the liquid so your new low alcohol version doesn't taste too odd. Carb in the keg or bottle with a new yeast starter.

One of the reasons diabetics have to give up drinking is because alcohol metabolizes into your bloodstream as simple sugars. My dad had to go with no beer or alcohol or monitor his blood sugar carefully by watching his intake of low carb, low alcohol beer.
To get something, sometimes you have to make concessions.
 
Last edited:
There are a couple ways to do this, not all of them make consuming your cider fun.

Low alcohol cider, wine, and beer? Sure.
One way is to ferment cider and wine out to your taste, then use sorbates. The evaporation rate of alcohol is higher than water, so that means the boiling point is lower.
Ethyl alcohol will boil off around 173-175F at sea level. Heating at this temp for 20-30 mins will give you low alcohol, mulled wine or cider - or if you have a distiller, well ... you know...
The process works the same for uncarbed fermented beer. The original yeast dies and you might want to decant the liquid so your new low alcohol version doesn't taste too odd. Carb in the keg or bottle with a new yeast starter.

One of the reasons diabetics have to give up drinking is because alcohol metabolizes into your bloodstream as simple sugars. My dad had to go with no beer or alcohol or monitor his blood sugar carefully by watching his intake of low carb, low alcohol beer.
To get something, sometimes you have to make concessions.

I'm not sure what question you are answering (was he looking for how to lower alcohol in his cider?), but the assumption your information is based on is incorrect.

Alcohol does not metabolize into simple sugars. In fact, your blood sugar will go down when you drink, as your liver has a higher priority for alcohol (a toxin) than it does for sugars.

Most beers are extremely low in simple sugars (as are unsweetened, fully fermented ciders). Some beers are even low in carbohydrates (usually light beers).
 
You're right.
I was wrong about ethyl alcohol metabolism.

...what I'm NOT wrong about is alcohol aggravates a low blood sugar condition, especially if you're diabetic or fasting several days. So the point is, reduce the alcohol and carbs.
 
Maybe a LowCarb/Keto diet cannot coexist with tasty ciders. I fear I may be wanting to "have my cake and eat it too".
 
Seattle Cider Dry has 3g of carb per 16oz can. While by no means amazing, it's drinkable. That may work within your low carb diet, depending on how many carbs you have to work with. I know a diabetic who drinks it. Even a lot of dry ciders have 6-12g carb per serving. When I cut carbs I usually have a shot or two, then sip on a single cider that I like.
 
Isastegi Basque cider has zero carbs.
 

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