Sweet cider without backsweetening

[linemen71]

My goal is a good sweet cider with plenty if apple flavor, and carbonation. I would like anywhere between 5-8% alcohol.
To do this my plan is to add extra sugar at the beginning as too have have a potential alcohol around 10% then when I hit the 5% remaining. I wanted to stop fermentation bottle and pasteurize.
Does this sound like a good method and can anyone give me any potential warnings.

 

[JtotheA]

By adding "extra" sugar, you will most likely end up with a more wine-like cider that may require aging for some apple taste to come back. You would be better off going simple and adding some juice concentrate to get the SG to 1.06 (3 or 4 cans to 5 gallons), and then letting it go to between 1.01-1.02. You'll still get 5-7% abv but it'll taste better much sooner. Hope this helps.

 

[linemen71]

That makes total sense. How long should I ferment for using that method? And would if have a cold amount of carbonation?
Thanks do much got the input.

 

[linemen71]

^ would it have a good amount of carbonation

 

[JtotheA]

Fermentation time will vary depending on which yeast you use and temperature. Could be less than a week or even 2 weeks. I personally ferment in my cool basement with mainly ale yeasts. The cooler (and the longer the ferment) the better IMHO. There will definitely be plenty of active yeast to carb up if you don't let it go all the way dry. You can fill a plastic test bottle to monitor carbonation.