Question: forgot to add sugar

[Dhelderman]

So I started my second cider today. My plan is to make a raspberry ginger cider. I started with one gallon Lewisburg apple cider, added 3 grams of belle saison yeast rehydrated into 4 oz water, per package directions. The thing I missed was adding sugar. I wanted this to be a little higher alcohol content than my last batch. Can I let this primary fermentation ferment out, rack to another 1 gallon jug, add sugar and just essentially do another primary fermentation before racking to the final ferment where I'll add raspberries and ginger? Any tips appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Maylar]

Yes, but I would add the sugar now. Let it be part of your primary ferment. Otherwise you'll get more lees in secondary which will affect your yield.

 

[Dhelderman]

Yes, but I would add the sugar now. Let it be part of your primary ferment. Otherwise you'll get more lees in secondary which will affect your yield.

Thanks for your reply. My one gallon jug is almost totally full and fermentation is going pretty hard. I'm thinking since this is such a small batch I'll just run this one out at a lower ETOH content and not be an idiot the next time.

 

[bernardsmith]

What was the starting gravity? If it was around 1.050 or thereabouts then your cider ought to give you about 6.5% ABV. That is solid cider. If you are looking for wine then that is rather low.

 

[Dhelderman]

Yeah it's just a cider. I didn't take the OG but it's the same cider I always use, which with no sugar added is around 1.045-1.050. It'll work. Was just wanting to make something a little more potent. Oh well-an excuse to make more cider!

 

[MindenMan]

You could use FAJC to fortify your ABV, that way you would be adding flavor, not potentially thinning it out.

 

[Dhelderman]

You could use FAJC to fortify your ABV, that way you would be adding flavor, not potentially thinning it out.

I'm going to add some raspberries and ginger to secondary. That'll restart a little fermentation. It's just a gallon batch so I'm just gonna let this one ride. I'll make the next one good and strong.