Wanting to back sweeten with apple concentrate?

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Hey guys, new to the forum here. I started my 5 gallon batch of cider about a month ago and sorbated it yesterday. My question is in regards to back sweetening. I would like to get more of my apply flavor back into the cider and also make it so it's not so dry. Currently it's sitting right around 0.990. I was wanting to to back sweeten with apple concentrate but have no clue how much I should add(how many cans) per gallon. Also, I will be bottling these rather than kegging. Any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks guys!

 

[Kula]

If you backsweeten then bottle you will certainly get bottle bombs, or in the very least some very over-carbonated cider.

You can backsweeten then pasteurize in the bottle but it's tricky. Bottles must be completely submerged in near boiling water for probably at least ten minutes.

There are people that swear by this, but I've had very uneven luck with it, and I've had to dump quite a few bottles that were getting dangerously over-carbonated.

Do a search on "stove top bottle pasteurizing" and you should get to some threads that have covered this extensively.

 

[CidahMastah]

If you have a keg system, I can tell you how safely and effectively make a carbonated draft cider. If you don't you have to bottle pasterize - see the sticky that pappers put up at the top of the cider thread.

 

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I was under the impression that by using the correct amount of potassium sorbate and campden tablets that it would cease further fermentation allowing you to back sweeten with real sugar.

I got my info from this website

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/finishin.asp

Unfortunately, I don't have a keg system. So I can't force carb it. I'm only wanting to back sweeten to taste rather than get carbonation. I don't mind still ciders.

 

[dinnerstick]

i assume you let it clear and then racked carefully and then sorbated? if not the yeast can still be active. however much sugar/juice you add i would definitely leave it under airlock for a week to make sure there is no additional fermentation

 

[Beerrific]

Well I guess since you said you added sorbate, you will be bottling still, right?

I made a 5 gallon batch of cider and added back 3 cans of concentrate and to me it was about right. I would suggest starting with 2 and tasting it. You can always add more and taste is really the only indicator that matters IMO.

 

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Strange. My other post was not added to the thread. Anyways, it was cleared and racked proper. I was planning on adding apple concentrate and putting an airlock and keeping an eye on SG for about a weeks time. If it does start fermenting again, is my batch completely wasted or is it still useable?

 

[Jasperrrr]

Strange. My other post was not added to the thread. Anyways, it was cleared and racked proper. I was planning on adding apple concentrate and putting an airlock and keeping an eye on SG for about a weeks time. If it does start fermenting again, is my batch completely wasted or is it still useable?

Well if it resumes fermentation then you have the option to bottle carb? If you want still cider, and dont want to sorbate again, try cold crashing? If it starts up again you'll prob boost ya ABV and it'll only get dryer. So add, wait, use yer hydrometer, and then decide I guess.

 

[Jasperrrr]

If u wanna be sure it doesn't restart fermentation, I would ( and im a noob) only add half a can of apple concentrate every 3 days or so until desired taste and no further ferment is achieved?

 

[oldmate]

Jasperrrr, no, whatever sugar you add back into solution after your primary fermentation will cause another fermentation regardless of how slow you add it in. If you don't mind still ciders then you can always stabilise with sorbate and metabisulphite, or as others have said pasteurise. There is of course an in-between which is finding the sugar concentration of the concentrate and adjusting your addition to bottle carb, similar to carbing with sugar.

 

[CidahMastah]

IMG / Jasper: this was just all answered in this thread:

have a quick read, let me know if you have any questions

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/sparkling-hard-cider-81094/

 

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Alright. Thanks guys for the help. That thread helped quite a bit.

 

[Jasperrrr]

Jasperrrr, no, whatever sugar you add back into solution after your primary fermentation will cause another fermentation regardless of how slow you add it in. If you don't mind still ciders then you can always stabilise with sorbate and metabisulphite, or as others have said pasteurise. There is of course an in-between which is finding the sugar concentration of the concentrate and adjusting your addition to bottle carb, similar to carbing with sugar.

I thought he said previously that he had already stabilized, and adding it slowly will let flavors meld , if you add it all the concentrate at once an taste, 3 days later it won't taste the same IMO and experience, which is little haha

 

[frteach]

I’ve done this many times. 1 can will add approximately 4 points in 5 gallons. I recommend primary and secondary as usual. Rack to tertiary and stir up sediment. Add a well rounded 1/8 tsp of K-meta and 3/4 tsp of K sorbate and stir with a wine wand& drill for 4-5 minutes. Add your clarifying agent by directions. I prefer sparkalloid. Stir again for3-4 minutes. In 10 days it should be stable to avoid refermentation. I rack to keg and add my can(s) of concentrates. Then charge it up. This is a pretty standard stabilization method. Some experts use only meta or sirbate but I use 1/2 dose of each as they do slightly different things. This is how I get my ciders to have 2-3% residual sugar and be carbonated. I suggest finding a commercial brand which you like the level of sweetness. Before you drink it, pour it in your hydrometer and see what the SG reading. Add apple concentrate until your number reaches that, again 1 can is .004.

Hey guys, new to the forum here. I started my 5 gallon batch of cider about a month ago and sorbated it yesterday. My question is in regards to back sweetening. I would like to get more of my apply flavor back into the cider and also make it so it's not so dry. Currently it's sitting right around 0.990. I was wanting to to back sweeten with apple concentrate but have no clue how much I should add(how many cans) per gallon. Also, I will be bottling these rather than kegging. Any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks guys!

 

[Nebraskan]

Add and just taste it. You've added sorbate, so it won't ferment again. Add a little SO2, if it's not already in the concentrate. Taste to your liking, and bottle as a still cider. If you over sweeten a bit you can use carbonated water and this cider and make a lovely spritzer out of the end result.

 

[Nebraskan]

Add and just taste it. You've added sorbate, so it won't ferment again. Add a little SO2, if it's not already in the concentrate. Taste to your liking, and bottle as a still cider. If you over sweeten a bit you can use carbonated water and this cider and make a lovely spritzer out of the end result.