something missing from my caramel apple cider

[candlejack]

So i just gave my caramel apple cider after starting it about 8 days ago. Its the first cider ive ever made. heres my very loosely organized notes

caramel Cider
3 gallons apple juice
.75 lb sugar
.5 lb honey
1/4 teaspoon of ginger, anise, caraway, nutmeg, coriander
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar with vanilla extract
4/14 caramelized sugar and honey on stove with water. Added to the fermenter with chemicals, nutrients, spices etc. og 1.05
4/15 pitched yeast (stupid me forgot to write it down and i have quite a few things going, i think i used red star montrachet)
4/23 sg 1.01

so it tasted very light and almost watery (is this how something that is lacking body tastes?). I feel like something is missing. I really dont want to back sweeten with apple concentrate (woodchuck is too sweet for me) I dont know if it needs more time to mature, or clear up, or if i should back sweeten with something else. (maybe caramelize more honey and sugar) I'm definately going to carbonate it when i bottle it, so maybe thats what its missing?
thank you for your input in advance!
anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[JtotheA]

I wonder if the wine yeast stripped the flavors away. I've found that wine yeasts tend to do that. There was a big drop within 8 days. Might have to let that hungry yeast finish doing it's thing and backsweeten or move to a secondary and try to add some flavor. If you attempt to do it again, try using Nottingham or Safale S-04. You'll notice a big difference in what's left behind as far as flavor goes.

 

[candlejack]

kk cool. since its a cheap recipe im going to give that a try. i should probably get some one gallons going and do a test with different yeasts

 

[gratus fermentatio]

+ 1 on the ale yeast (Nottingham rocks!), I'd also switch from the dried & powdered spices to whole/cracked/sliced spices. You might try adding a wee bit of molasses, 1 or 2 oz in 5 gallons will be noticable without dominating, depending on your taste of course.

You could also try steeping a bit of crystal 60 malt in 155* water for 30-45 mins & adding frozen apple juice concentrate to make up for the water. Crystal 120 works well too, but it's much less sweet. You could also add 1 oz of torrified wheat for added body/head retention.

I know the grains will make it more of a "caramel/apple graff" but you might like it.
If you do a "micro-mash" with a bit of 2 row, you can add a couple oz of flaked oats for added body & a smooth creaminess in your cider/graff.
Regards, GF.

 

[candlejack]

mmmm, those are some cool ideas. Right now im probably gonna wind up going with a bit more caramel sugar and honey.

I recently located a store that has alot of whole spices for really cheap, so im going to stock up and use them with the next batch.

also, the flaked oats sound like a great idea! would i be able to use them by themselves or would i need some base malts?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

You'll need to mash the oats with a base malt, but it won't take much to mash a couple oz of oats; go 1:1 quick oats:2 row, I doubt you'll be able to taste either oats or malt in the end product, but you'll notice the added body & smooth, creaminess.
Regards, GF.