first cider

[hicups]

Hi can any one tell me how to sweeten cider I have just brewed my first cider useing apples from the orchard and from the side of the road it tastes very sharp it is 6.3abv so it is quite strong any hel much appreciated.
cheers Steve

 

[Marrsy86]

Wrong section of the forum mate but you can try adding Sugar dissolved in water. This will sweeten it up and lower the ABV % at the same time so two birds with one stone :thumb:

 

[Wraeccan]

Do not add any sugar at all unless you are 100% sure it is fully stablised. Adding sugar will raise the abv.

Your options are to add sugar or aj immediately prior to drinking, or backsweeten with 1 tsp of splenda per pint before bottling or kegging.
Using sugar before bottling should only be done for carbonation purposes (1/2 - 1 tsp per pint)

 

[Marrsy86]

Do not add any sugar at all unless you are 100% sure it is fully stablised. Adding sugar will raise the abv.

Schoolboy error on my part there forgot to mension about stabalising it first.

 

[Moley]

Wrong section of the forum mate

Moved.

 

[RobWalker]

how much do you have? an easy solution is Xylitol, it's the cleanest tasting non-fermentable sugar.

you could also bottle it with sugar, wait until it's carbonated correctly (probably 1 week) and pasteurize the bottles on the stove to stop them carbonating or fermenting any more...i'll tell you how if this interests you :p

 

[graysalchemy]

If you are bottle or cask conditioning then you really need to use splenda as it won't ferment as you can't stabalize like wine as you need live yeast to fizz the bottles. One other thing to remeber cider will mature and become more rounded with time. What may seem sharp now will probably mellow with time as the malic acid in the juice will undergo change to lactic acid with less harshness. If you back sweeten you are stuck with it. If you leave it and it is still a little sharp you can back sweeten when you serve with a little sugar or apple juice.

 

[Marrsy86]

If you are bottle or cask conditioning then you really need to use splenda as it won't ferment as you can't stabalize like wine as you need live yeast to fizz the bottles.

Am I the only one who prefers Cider Flat then fizzy ?

 

[pomme homme]

No, you're not. I'm a still cider devotee. I've got about 350 litres of it fermenting at present - and when I've picked, crushed, pressed and fermented all the apples available to me this year, I hoping to have 600 to 800 litres of cider which, when it matures over the winter months, will give me a very happy 2012 (and possibly 2013)!

 

[Marrsy86]

No, you're not. I'm a still cider devotee. I've got about 350 litres of it fermenting at present - and when I've picked, crushed, pressed and fermented all the apples available to me this year, I hoping to have 600 to 800 litres of cider which, when it matures over the winter months, will give me a very happy 2012 (and possibly 2013)!

haha sounds like you had a good harvest then! Im planning on trying to make a Apple Press over the winter as I have a fair supple of Apples come next year so hopefully I will be around your scale, 800 Litres is 1600 Pints!!!!! :

 

[graysalchemy]

800 Litres is 1600 Pints!!!!! :

1407.8 english pints :whistle: :whistle: we haven't gone completely continental yet.

 

[pomme homme]

I have. Look at my location!

 

[Marrsy86]

800 Litres is 1600 Pints!!!!! :

1407.8 english pints :whistle: :whistle: we haven't gone completely continental yet.

I have. Look at my location!

Still wouldn't mind brewing 1407.8 worth myself though!