Getting Flavour Into Cider

[Verb77]

I understand that when making Cider, all the sugar / Honey & Apple Juice added will turn to alcohol and this is why the Cider tastes dry.

But is there anything we can add at any stage to increase the flavour. I've read in some places about adding Vanilla Essence during the bottling stage.
- Would this work??
- How much should I add??
- Are there any alternatives to this??
:wha:

 

[RobWalker]

It's pretty flavoursome, so don't worry about it being "plain."

If you're after flavourings, the world is your oyster. Vanilla Extract (don't use essence it's a chemical substitute, extract is actual vanilla) should be added after primary fermentation. Play it by ear and taste as you go :)

You can also swap out some apple juice for other juices, pomegranate and cherry are popular choices. Go for about 1/5th other juice to apple juice, so 4 apple juice cartons to 1 pomegranate etc :)

you can also add spices by steeping them in - make a pounch out of muslin, suspend it in the brew using fishing line. sterile of course, but that way you can guage how much you want in.

So er, where do you want to start? :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

+1 to pomegranite. Not tried cherry yet. Good results with cranberry. A bit of white grape can work.
You can simmer some root ginger in a bit of the juice (or the tea you made to provide tannin), too - around 280g/gallon
If you want more actual apple flavour, you could simmer off some of the water from your juice or switch to AJ concentrate. This unavoidably ups the sugars and hence the alcohol too.

 

[Gayle]

I found a mixed-fruit juice tastes nice, and have also tried blueberry and currently brewing up a pear and raspberry cider.

I tried a "pomegranate" cider but I didn't realise before buying, that there was only about 1% pomegranate in the juice - there was also a bit of apple and other fruits, and the total fruit juice was only 10%, so I doubt there'll be much flavour. Next time I'll make sure to use a juice with a high proportion of actual fruit! I'm also adding the flavouring juices after the cider has been fermenting a couple of days, in the hope that the flavour will be better.

Have a browse around the juice sections in the supermarket next time you go, most stuff is worth a try. You could also try making a christmassy cider with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg etc. You can also use different sugars, such as brown sugar, honey, maybe even a little treacle (not much as it's very strong flavoured). You can whizz up tinned or thawed, frozen fruit like pears, peaches, mangoes etc, and add them to the brew, though they'll probably need strained out when racking. Fruit syrups and liqueurs can be added after fermentation too. Have fun experimenting!

 

[graysalchemy]

Depends on what sort of flavour you are wanting. If you feel the cider lacks apple taste then it may well be that it needs to mature. Cider does take 2-3 months for flavours to develop.

 

[felerty]

Ive a TC maturing at the mo with 15 litres of apple and 3 litres of grapefruit.

I like the dry slightly bitter taste.
Couple more months and it'll be perfect! :drunk:

 

[Verb77]

What does "Tannin" do for you're Cider??

Is it as simple as adding some brewed tea??

If so how much??

Also (so many questions, I know)

When wanting to add some Vanilla Extract, how much would I use as a starting point. I dont want to over do it on the first go??

:pray: