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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> High-ABV, High-Flavor Cider

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rayfound
Charter Member
Riverside, CA
313 Posts


Hey, so I don't really like ciders, but I have this idea, and I am wondering if anyone has ever tried.

Basically, It would be to brew an apple cider, like brewing a tripel.

So I am thinking, store bought apple-juice, with maybe added concentrate for a total of like 1.065-1.070 + Yeast nutrient. But then like feeding a super high abv beer with sugar, just keep dosing it with apple concentrate until the yeast craps out or you get a 12-14% abv.

Then keg, and backsweeten to taste, carbonate.

That being said, in the course of writing this, I lost interest in it. Such is my interest level in ciders.

cheers.




Posted 34 days ago.

CentralCalBrewer
Fresno, CA
89 Posts


How drunk are you trying to get?




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Lol @ losing interest. This would be apple wine, no?





Posted 34 days ago.

Necropaw
Charter Member
Central WI
608 Posts


ive been meaning to make some sweet cider, but minus the high ABV part. Was just planning to campden, backsweeten with concentrate or something and force carb.




Posted 34 days ago.

Necropaw
Charter Member
Central WI
608 Posts


Actually, its one of the projects that im totally psyched to be able to do now that im kegging, and tbh it'd be a great project for one of my 3 gallon kegs. Just need to pick up another gallon of cider....(already have 2 at home that i was thinking about making graff with, but meh).

I made a cider when i first started brewing, but i just cant do super dry wine/cider because of heartburn. hoping the sweetness and carbonation would make it easier on my stomach.




Posted 34 days ago.

brulosopher
Charter Member
Fresno, CA
167 Posts


A local buddy, Brad, makes high ABV cider using a similar method. I think the last one shared with me was close to 12%... you really couldn't tell. Aaron, am I way off here?




Posted 34 days ago.

CentralCalBrewer
Fresno, CA
89 Posts


Nope - it was close to 12%... It was really smooth too...




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


I need to make some cider again soon. That last batch turned out pretty darned tasty, even if I did get some on the ceiling when pastuerizing.





Posted 34 days ago.

rayfound
Charter Member
Riverside, CA
313 Posts


I am kinda, somewhat interested in a drinkable, enjoyable 10+% abv sweet drink... mostly for the fun of it. See if it could be done. Going to be expensive though, dunno if I am THAT interested.




Posted 34 days ago.

Necropaw
Charter Member
Central WI
608 Posts


I wonder if you could cheapen it a bit by using simple sugar to up the ABV? Backsweetening with concentrate might get you more than enough flavor to make up for not using concentrate for all the extra fermentables. Would probably also make it significantly cheaper.




Posted 34 days ago.

KidMoxie
Charter Member
San Elijo Hills, CA
405 Posts


Sounds like apfelwein, stuff is pretty high-octane. Your best best for sweet cider is to back sweeten with more juice at the end. 10-20% is right on the sweet spot as it were.

Though I prefer using low attenuating English yeast instead of boosting gravity with sugar.





Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


> I lost interest in it.

Then don't.

With the right yeast (champagne) and staggered nutrient additions - you can easily achieve 14%. I do it all the time with just honey. The trick is how to create something drinkable from the boozy mess that doesn't taste like apples at all. I would use concentrate with the SNA over the course of the first week to hit your expected ABV. I like a little brown sugar and honey or corn syrup for backsweetening - after you stabilize. You don't want the yeast to die from the alcohol - they will crap out with some really nasty flavors. So I highly suggest using metabisulfate to stabilize before backsweetening - even if kegging.




Posted 34 days ago.

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


I think you have an interesting idea, to say the least, but one other thing to consider is a cyser. especially sweet cyser does taste like apples and you can get it pretty high abv with 71b or D47.

On your idea I think an ale yeast would help and a belgian yeast that produces lots of glycerol and sweet alcohol would be a great idea.




Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


I would avoid 71B unless you intend for a malolactic fermentation during aging. It can be nice on cider, but you will need to adjust the acidity after backsweeting.




Posted 34 days ago.

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