Back Sweetening Cider with fruit cordial

[Olden]

Hey all.
Can you back sweeten cider with fruit cordial like Robinson’s summer fruits before bottling?

I didn’t take an initial gravity reading before fermentation but it’s around 1.00 now so can assume it’s a weak 4%?

Anyway would like to take some away on a trip and like the idea of adding fruity cordial to the bottles.

Any thoughts?

 

[Nicks90]

Yes, but with one caveat.
Some cordials are loaded with preservatives which can inhibit yeast and therefore won't carb up.
I've had great success with vimto and the usual lowizc syrups.

Use the info on the side of the bottle to work out how many ml constitute 5gm of sugar and use a syringe to prime the bottles.

 

[Olden]

Vimpto sounds awesome. How much did you add to 1 litre bottles? Also same with the syrups?

 

[GerritT]

Worth a try:

Cologran 1200 Pack Sweetener Tablets - £1.39 @ Lidl

I use it in the coffee and it's very reasonable.

 

[Olden]

Would you add the tabs to the bottle?

 

[Banbeer]

I've been making summer fruit TC for a few years on and off and always back sweeten in the secondary FV with Robinsons Summer fruit double concentrate cordial (sugar free) and had no problems with carbonation at all, I add around 250g to 5L

 

[Olden]

Cool. So syphon off to 5l and add the cordial and that’s it? Would this work with pressed apples you think?

 

[Banbeer]

Syphoned the 5L into the secondary with the cordial in but you will still need to add the carbing sugar (half to one spoon per 500ml bottle) unless you like it flat of course then no priming sugar needed. Not sure as I've only used supermarket juice, should be the same though.

 

[Olden]

I guess if I’m keeping it flat I can rack it straight away with the cordial in the bottles. Have about 20 1 litre bottles so in theory can add cordial to taste. Making it drinkable.

 

[Banbeer]

I guess if I’m keeping it flat I can rack it straight away with the cordial in the bottles. Have about 20 1 litre bottles so in theory can add cordial to taste. Making it drinkable.

Yeah, I would leave it in the bottle for a few weeks tho' just to age a while, unless you like it as it is it's entirely your choice. It's a steep learning curve but in the end it becomes second nature, sometimes we forget to add ingredients etc but as long as you remember your mistakes all is well, Make notes as you do different stuff i.e. experiment and you will hopefully note your good brews and bad so you can reflect in the future

 

[GerritT]

Would you add the tabs to the bottle?

After trying some for sweetness, yes. One tab per pint should already remove a lot of dryness . But as I said, try some in the tea, compare it to sugar.