Low Alc Cider?

[stef]

Hi there,

i was just wondering if anyone has managed to make a low % cider- like, 3% or something. I understand when using either fresh apple juice or just store bought stuff, it tends to go from 1.050ish all the way down to 1.000 or thereabouts. However, i'd quite like to make a cider that ferments fully out, but ends up with less aclohol.

Is it possible? Is the only way to do it to water down the cider and make it some feral half water half cider concotion?

Cheers,

Stef

 

[J Grimmer]

Hi there,

i was just wondering if anyone has managed to make a low % cider- like, 3% or something. I understand when using either fresh apple juice or just store bought stuff, it tends to go from 1.050ish all the way down to 1.000 or thereabouts. However, i'd quite like to make a cider that ferments fully out, but ends up with less aclohol.

Is it possible? Is the only way to do it to water down the cider and make it some feral half water half cider concotion?

Cheers,

Stef

not personally but i did read a post on bottling at a higher gravity and pasturising the beverage to kill the yeasties when the desired carbonation is reached i would imagine that you would end up with a sweeter cider in the end though. you could either water down the cider but from my expeirence with cider they all have turned out very dry.

 

[pk.sax]

use a largish % of pear juice as a fullly natural alternative. It really doesn't ferment nearky as well as apple juice.

3L/8.4L pear juice/Total juice gave me a finishing gravity of 1010.

 

[stef]

interesting. One i put down a week and a half ago was 75% apple and 25% pear. Start at about 1.048 and is now at 1.020 and has been for a couple of days. I think i'll rack it tomorrow to shake up the yeasties a bit. Kind of expecting it to finish at about 1.005 or something.

 

[beerbrewer76543]

I'm cold conditioning a batch of 50/50 apple pear right now, it has finished at 1006 so that's about 5.4% or so...

The 70/30 apple pear finished at 1002, both on US05

I did straight juice this time (super lazy) so it is somewhat bland but will keep me hydrated on a warm Perth day

I must finish the BIAB rig this weekend to get a batch of English Pale Ale on the go!

edit: I reckon watering down juice for a weaker alc % will make it super tasteless... Probably better to brew it normally to around 6% then mix 50/50 with apple juice upon serving

 

[stef]

50/50 pear apple sounds like it'd be good. I've used US05 as well, so hopefully it turns out ok. And yeah- i think mixing apple juice when serving is probably the only alternative.

Did yours take a long time to ferment out fully? Its been 13 days in primary. THink i'll rack soon cos it doesnt seem to be doing much. I've heard it takes up to 3 weeks to fully ferment though. Especially seeing as its in my cellar at about 16 degrees...

Cheers!

 

[beerbrewer76543]

Did you add yeast nutrient? Apparently it is essential for cider as the yeasties need some help munching through those apple sugars...

Mine reached FG by 14 days... I didn't check it any earlier than that

I had mine at 16*C as well but then let it rise to 19 for a few days at the end just to make sure it all fermented out

 

[stux]

50/50 pear apple sounds like it'd be good. I've used US05 as well, so hopefully it turns out ok. And yeah- i think mixing apple juice when serving is probably the only alternative.

Did yours take a long time to ferment out fully? Its been 13 days in primary. THink i'll rack soon cos it doesnt seem to be doing much. I've heard it takes up to 3 weeks to fully ferment though. Especially seeing as its in my cellar at about 16 degrees...

Cheers!

My 100% Apple took 3-4 weeks. It was about 999 at 3 weeks, gave it another week... i think it was pretty close to 999 or 998 at that stage.

It then seemed to mature in the keg for a few more weeks.

 

[stef]

I read that its beneficial to put some yeast nutrient in, but as i didnt have any at hand i just used a little bit of DME. when i rack later i might add some boiled bakers yeast.

3-4 weeks eh Stux? Not one for the impatient then...

 

[stux]

I read that its beneficial to put some yeast nutrient in, but as i didnt have any at hand i just used a little bit of DME. when i rack later i might add some boiled bakers yeast.

3-4 weeks eh Stux? Not one for the impatient then...

I seem to have developed a patience doing Lagers

I was getting a bit antsy by the last week...

I used a tablespoon of boiled bakers yeast in mine

 

[grantsglutenfreehomebrew]

Make your cider as per normal but when the sg hits about 1.025 (3.2%) bottle straight away. Do not prime the bottle. Place one bottle aside (a plastic coke bottle is great) and let the rest secondary ferment. Check the bottle put aside everyday for the right carbonation. When correct carbonation acheived put all the other bottles in your laundry tub and cover with 80 degree water. This will kill the yeast and stop fermentation. Real pasteurisation temps are around 65 degrees but 80 should allow for temperature compensation. Bottles will only have to sit in water for 4 to 5 minutes once they reach correct temp.

Please note I haven't done this but from all the brewing books I've read and from all my experience, this would be the easiest way that I can think of.

Flash pasteurisation is 72C held for 30 to 60 seconds.

Tunnel pasteurisation is 60C held for 10 minutes.


The above is an extract from Beer. Tap into the art and science of brewing. 2nd edition.

I hope this is of some help Stef

Grant

 

[stef]

Good idea grant. Keen to give it a shot at some stage! I wonder if all the bottles would carbonate exactly the same amount... Sounds easy enough. Except i suppose it'd be pretty annoying to open a bottle every day or 2 to check they've carbed enough but arent gonna blow up before pasteurising. I reckon i'd want to open a bottle, rather than just rely on feel etc to check for carb levels.