What to do with my cider

[bschot]

I have 5 gal of apple cider at about 10-11% ABV, it tastes good but has very little apple flavor. I was planning on diluting it with 5 more gal of apple juice to get it do actual apple cider alcohol levels. Then kegging and force carbing. My question is I want to use Campden tablets and K-sorbate to sterilize and preserve the cider. Do I mix the juice and cider and then treat it with the chemicals or do I treat the 5 gal of cider and then dilute with juice? Also the cider has been sitting in secondary for about 2-3 months should I move it to tertiary, if I do, do I need to top up and with what? Thanks for the any help.

 

[Rynosthe1]

it tastes good but has very little apple flavor

If you are happy with the taste-adding apple juice is going to alter that taste (whatever that might be to you) You could change the sweetness, acidity, balance etc. If apple flavor is the only issue I'd add apple flavor extract from the lhbs. But it sounds like you let the alc get high for the purpose of dilution.

Also the cider has been sitting in secondary for about 2-3 months should I move it to tertiary, if I do, do I need to top up and with what?

If you are satisfied with the cider as is I do not see a reason to rack again. Is sedimant or clarity an issue?

If you want to rack but not top up you could sterilize marbles and drop them in to fill the head space. Either way if you do not want to risk fermentation starting again when you do rack (regarless of topping up) I would sterilize the cider with your chemicals.

I have topped up using a mixure of apple juice and sugar if its needed. (priming sugar, brown sugar, apple juice concentrate or honey)

Do I mix the juice and cider and then treat it with the chemicals or do I treat the 5 gal of cider and then dilute with juice?

I think this is a matter of preference-but I would never add anything to my brew that wasn't properly sterilized first. If I was in your shoes it would depend on what kind of setup I had to work with.

I hope this helps. Good luck.