Need an easy Sweet Sparkling Cider Receipe!

[JunkTruck]

Hi to all

I'm a long time lurker but first time posting.

I want to make a sweet sparkling cider that's ready to drink fast (By Christmas or maybe Thanksgiving?)

I have read soooo many threads my head is spinning LOL! and i,m still confused about bottle carbing a sweet sparkling cider.

I have a hectic work schedule this time of year so I don't think i can do a pasturized cider.

So i think my only option is to ferment dry, back sweeten with a non fermentable sugar (confused as to what to use?) and bottle carb with priming sugar.

Am i correct? and if so can anyone help me out with a simple 5-6 gal receipe?

I would like to work with what i have on hand

5 Gals fresh pasturized cider
1 gal motts
Northern Brewer cider yeast
Muntons gold ale yeast

5 and 6 gal better bottles and 7.9 gal wine bucket

I also have plenty of brown, white and corn sugar, honey, frozen AJ concentrate and plenty of spices like cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, etc

I don't need to use everything just listing what i have to work with

I sure would love a fool proof easy to follow receipe for a sweet or semisweet sparkling hard cider.

Thanks tons from a newbie (and a bad speller LOL!)

 

[acemannw]

To be honest it sounds like you got everything perfect. I did basicly the same thing except that I added some extra apple flavor.

My next batch I am making 4 gallons that will be about 10% abv then I am adding 2 Gallons of Fresh Cider to flavor and Sweeten then I will be either cold crashing or pasteurizing it to keep form having bottle bombs.

 

[madscientist451]

Look at your juice labels and make sure there is no sorbate in the juice.
Put the cider and motts together into your bucket, take a gravity reading, and decide what your alcohol target is. You can add campden tablets or just skip the sulphite because your cider is pasteurized.Add honey or sugar to get your gravity where you want it, I wouldn't go above 1.060.
Pitch your yeast, get some yeast nutrient and add 1/2 what the directions on the bottle say, add the second half when the gravity hits about 1.040. Try to ferment the cider at about 65 degrees.
After one month, rack to your 6 gallon carboy, discard the sediment.
After another month, rack again and taste what you have.
I think its best to let it age another 3-4 months, but if you are in a rush, go ahead and bottle it if the taste is acceptable. Bottle condition at room temp or in a warm room for two weeks and drink or let it bottle age.

 

[andrewmaixner]

Easy fast recipe: http://www.brulosophy.com/2014/06/23/simple-summer-sipper-a-hard-cider-how-to/

HOWEVER: if you are trying to bottle-carb a cider that is SWEET, you must either: sweeten with non-fermentable sugars (xylitol, etc),
OR
open a bottle every day or two to check carb levels, then PASTEURIZE the rest of the bottle.
(Here's your excuse to buy a CO2 system, if you need one)