Refermenting store bought cider

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Britinusa

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My wife has some cider we bought she thinks its a little too sweet, is it possible to empty some bottles into one of my small fermenters, add some yeast and ferment out the sugar? (making it stronger in the process)
I have a liquid champagne yeast i bought so i can try a cider some day.
 
Britinusa said:
My wife has some cider we bought she thinks its a little too sweet, is it possible to empty some bottles into one of my small fermenters, add some yeast and ferment out the sugar? (making it stronger in the process)
I have a liquid champagne yeast i bought so i can try a cider some day.

I just did that with a half gallon of my home brew for a test. I added about 3 tbs brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp yeast and in 8 hrs. It was burping at every 8 sec.
Should work unless maybe the have preservatives that hinder the process
 
As long as it doesn't have preservatives in it, it should ferment. I assume you mean it's just apple juice, correct? Not a commercially produced beverage?
 
Pickled_Pepper said:
As long as it doesn't have preservatives in it, it should ferment. I assume you mean it's just apple juice, correct? Not a commercially produced beverage?

No I saw it was commercially made product but I wondered if at bottling they added a nitrite or something, it should work
 
You are going to take a six pack of some store bought hard cider, empty the carbonated bottles into a fermenter, add yeast, try to ferment further, then prime and rebottle to adjust the FG of the product?

Wow. That is dedication.

I doubt there are any fermentation inhibiting products added to woodchuck or the like. But the likelihood of your only reducing the perceived sweetness and not affecting other parts of the flavor profile seems slim to me. And for a lot of work.
 
chefmike...I just sent you a PM. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! Can't wait to see a new brewery open in Cherokee County!

(Sorry to hijack the thread...just got excited)
 
After reading your replies I think we will have to leave these as they are and I will get some fresh pressed cider and brew my own!
Thanks for the replies
 
chefmike said:
You are going to take a six pack of some store bought hard cider, empty the carbonated bottles into a fermenter, add yeast, try to ferment further, then prime and rebottle to adjust the FG of the product?

Wow. That is dedication.

I doubt there are any fermentation inhibiting products added to woodchuck or the like. But the likelihood of your only reducing the perceived sweetness and not affecting other parts of the flavor profile seems slim to me. And for a lot of work.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Buy a gallon of cider 2 cups sugar some yeast an air lock and away you go.
 
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