Nonfermentable Sweetener and PH

[BFD175]

Im interested in maybe adding some non fermentable sweetener before I bottle. Thoughts on any particular one?

I made my first 15 gallons of cider last year. I have one that is about 8 %. I feel like it is a little bitter. I have thought about checking the PH. Thoughts on PH Kits? I want to make a great tasting dry carbonated cider but feel like it is a little off.

 

[bernardsmith]

I think that eating apples have more malic than cider apples and malic is a strong acid (low pH) but if you ferment with 71B that yeast metabolizes the malic and transforms about 40 % of the malic it into a less strong acid (lactic). Time also smooths out the sharpness associated with malic, but my sense is that 12 months is about as long as that takes. If you have not added sorbate what you might consider is adding a pack of bacteria that will do what is called MLF (malo-lacto fermentation). But you may want to by a chromatography kit a) to determine that you do have malic and b) to determine that the cider will have undergone MLF successfully (the different acids will stain the paper at different places and you should be able to identify the location of malic if malic is present. After you add the bacteria and give them enough time and you do the test a second time you will see nothing or very little where malic would form and you will see evidence of the presence of lactic acid where there was none previously.

 

[BFD175]

Thanks.
I used White Labs English Cider Yeast. After I bottled it, it didn't fully carbonate. Probably due to not having a lot of yeast left. I am trying to address that. I may buy that kit for this new Cider that I started in OCT.

I used a local Cider Mill and bought pressed, untreated Cider. I wonder if it was the apple combination they used.

 

[Maylar]

If you bought the cider from Beardsleys, I tested their early November pressing and it was nothing out of whack. pH was 3.50, TA about 5 g/l and SG 1.060. Very sweet. I made cysers out of it, which are still clearing. If you want to sweeten yours try a bit of Xylitol.

 

[BFD175]

If you bought the cider from Beardsleys, I tested their early November pressing and it was nothing out of whack. pH was 3.50, TA about 5 g/l and SG 1.060. Very sweet. I made cysers out of it, which are still clearing. If you want to sweeten yours try a bit of Xylitol.

I did purchase it from Beardsley sometime around the last week of October. I ended up using S04. I just racked that cider last week again and has cleared nicely.

I sort of did the same thing and made Cyser. I feel like my year old cider I made that was bought from them is a little bitter. Not sure why.

 

[MarkKF]

I feel like my year old cider I made that was bought from them is a little bitter. Not sure why.

Malic acid perhaps? When it warms up if fermentation restarts it might fix that.

 

[BFD175]

All of it has been sitting in a temp controlled room that is set for 70 degrees. I am guessing that it is Malic Acid. Its hard for me to describe. Tart/Sour but its an 8% very dry cider so I have that going on as well.