Raspberries in Cider

[jaysquared2]

I'm doing a 3 gallon batch right now using US-05 and 3 jugs of Musselman's Cider. My question is should I add the raspberries in together with cider at same time and then pitch yeast, add them in after a few days when say fermentation is around 50% done, or right at the end for only a couple days? I want to get the color and a decent amount of the flavor, but obviously not so much flavor that it becomes too much berry and not enough apple. Thinking of using about 1lb-1.5lb raspberries as well.

 

[MarkKF]

Sounds good. I usually use 3 pounds of fruit in 5 gal. batches.

 

[jaysquared2]

Sounds good. I usually use 3 pounds of fruit in 5 gal. batches.

Ok, so the amount looks good. What about when to add them. From what I've read added in the beginning can strip a lot more of the aroma. I was leaning towards maybe 1lb at about 60% fermentation. And then maybe 1/2lb in secondary or right as fermentation ends.

 

[Greytop]

I did 5 gals. of wild blackberry cider this summer. I put in 5 lbs of berries at the beginning and all they added was color. The fermentation (used nottingham yeast) stripped the flavor. I ended up adding 3 more pounds to the secondary and then the juice of another 3 pounds to the keg before taking it to 40° and stopping any further fermentation. I'd say save the bulk of your berry additions until fermentation is virtually completed and add them more as backsweetening.

 

[JimRausch]

Adding fruit is one of the few times I use a secondary fermenter, because it will kick back in, and mostly because I split a batch into several different fruits (Raspberry, Blueberry and Cranberry was one batch I did last year). I'd wait until fermentation is done then either rack onto the berries, or add the berries to the fermenter, and in either case wait another 2 weeks before thinking about packaging..

 

[MarkKF]

First I freeze and thaw the fruit to break down the cells. I ferment to about 1.010 then transfer to a clean vessel with the fruit. It will continue only slower. When the cider gets the color and the fruit looses it I rack off the fruit and let it age. If you leave fruit with little seeds like raspberry, strawberry, etc. in too long the seeds can cause a bitter flavor.

 

[Silver79]

I agree, wait until completed. You'll be much more satisfied.