Sweeter cider without sweetener?

[Genghis_Kong]

Hi guys

New this brewing game - have done a few 5g batches of hard cider, just using store-bought juice.

I find that left to its own devices, my cider is fermenting to about ~7+% ABV, SG ~0.996, and is absolutely bone dry. I've been experimenting by back-sweetening with sucralose (Splenda), which kinda works, but still kinda ends up tasting like dry cider and sucralose.

Any tips on how I can persuade my cider to ferment a little sweeter naturally? I haven't really got the means to pasteurise it before the fermentation finishes. Or is ti just a case of trial and error with different yeasts and juices?

Cheers
GK

 

[axivanax]

Well if you want carbonated, sweet cider, the only way to do this properly in my opinion, is like you mentioned above, pasteurise it before it ferments dry and then keg it.

But maybe u can use different yeast, that doesn't ferment for example above 3%(if there exists such yeast) so the sugars will not be eaten by the yeast and the whole batch turns out sweeter ?

Also u could try sweetening with Lactose, I guess it all comes down to testing.

I myself did a blackcurrant cider once and it did turn out very sour and dry, basically like yours.Instead of dumping the stuff, I bought some sirup and sprite and added them to my drinking glass, was pretty good to be honest.

 

[HopZombie99]

Let me first say that I have never brewed cider before but plan to do so this summer. So I guess this is a question related to the OP.

Is it possible to "cold crash" it then rack to another vessel?

 

[roadymi]

you can determine abv tolerance of your yeast than formulate your recipe to slightly exceed that level. You can do it all in the primary or preferably some in primary and the remainder in the secondary. I say preferably because you can shock the yeast by exposing it to too much sugar all at once.

 

[levifunk]

Look into keeving.