Trying a cyder for first time

[Fozzinator]

Two gallons pasteurized apple cider (store bought no preservatives)
3 gallons Pasteurized apple juice (store bought no preservatives)
1 pound brown sugar (could put two??)
3 pounds frozen blackberries
Ale yeast (what I have)
Pectin ??
1 can frozen cider concentrate


Was going to warm 1 gallon of juice with frozen berries and brown sugar, add that to the rest of the juice, put in 6 gallon glass carboy add yeast and wait. Was going to use the frozen concentrate to back sweeten if necessary. not sure when or how much pectin to add. Would appreciate any advice, this is the first time. Any procedure advice or recipe? Also I most likely will bottle and pasteurize the bottles. when should I back sweeten?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[lonepalm]

Wife hinted at something to drink like a Wood Chuck Amber this past weekend. Going to try as well this weekend.

 

[LeBreton]

One pound of sugar seems like plenty especially when you're adding additional sugar with the blackberries.

I'm assuming that by 'pectin' you mean 'pectic enzyme'. Add this when you put everything in the carboy, wait a day, then pitch your yeast. The pectinase is somewhat inhibited by the presence of alcohol.

 

[Fozzinator]

Thanks, did you know how much pectin enzymes to use for a five gallon batch? Also is it necessary to put the frozen berries in with the warmed up juice and sugar or could they just be added cold?

 

[Fozzinator]

I made up this batch, and it has been fermenting nicely for a week. When I took the initial gravity reading it was about 1.055. I thought that maybe it was lower then it should be. My reasoning is the 3 lbs of blackberries. I do not know how they effect gravity readings. they were frozen berries that I warmed up with one gallon of juice and the pound of brown sugar. they never came to a boil, just got warm enough to dissolve the sugar and thaw the berries. (never hot enough were it was scalding to the touch). I am assuming there is sugar in the berries that stayed in the berries and would add the the gravity of the cider? The batch is still bubbling after a week, at about 8 sec between burps.

My next question is about when should I rack this to a secondary. I would like to separate this from the berries to let it settle and clear a bit. but I do not want to loose out on some of that addition gravity boost if the yeast is eating the sugar in the berries. It is top fermenting and the berries are floating in a cake of yeast.

Any help or Ideas would be great.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[UpstateMike]

My next question is about when should I rack this to a secondary. I would like to separate this from the berries to let it settle and clear a bit. but I do not want to loose out on some of that addition gravity boost if the yeast is eating the sugar in the berries. It is top fermenting and the berries are floating in a cake of yeast.

Any help or Ideas would be great.

Thanks,
Matt

When the blackberries are a light tan or near-white color, they have done all that they can do, the sugar is gone. That would be the time to rack to a secondary and let the cider clear.

 

[Fozzinator]

thanks for the info. Some of the berries are starting to loose color. So it might be time. I'm going to Take a reading today. I Had a thought about Cold Crashing. If my reading turns out to be at a level were I want it. It just happens that it is going to drop into the high 20's tonight were I live. Would I be wasting my time to move this batch to a outside porch let the temp drop and then rack it tomorrow. there is no other way I have to cold crash this cider.( I am a little foggy on the hole cold crash thing any way) My other option was just to rack it. then bottle it then pasteurizer it using either the dishwasher or stove top as I have read on this forum. Just thought I would take advantage of mother nature if possible. Again any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt