A question about alcohol content

Hi,

I've brewed cider the past two falls but really didnt have any idea what I was doing. It seemed that each batch I made tasted much more dry and alcoholic than I wanted it to. Is there a way to convert sugars in the cider prior to fermenting that allows fermentation to stop, say, around 5% and allows the cider to retain some of its sweet taste?

I prefer my ciders a bit sweet as well, but it is a post-fermentation adjustment. Once the cider completely ferments out, you can sorbate and sulfate, then back sweeten with regular sugar. Or, skip the stabilizers and back sweeten with a non-fermentable like lactose. I usually go from a 0.990-1.000 FG to 1.010-1.015 drinking gravity.

You could cold crash the cider once it reaches a point you're happy with, then rack and cold crash again. That might stop the fermentation process. I've also heard of people pasteurizing the bottled cider to stop the yeast.

I guess I forgot to ask:are you planning on carving the cider? Cuz my understanding is that with both methods I mentioned, you won't be able to naturally carb the cider.

Can't you sweeten to taste and bottle, then check carb and pasteurize when it's good? I don't understand how people make bottle bombs even after pasteurization. It seems like a simple method.

Do you want a still cider or sparkling?
Do you know what the SG is of the preferred sweetness you are seeking?

To achieve at least a 5% ACV then you would need an OG of 1.040. There is really nothing you can do preferment to change how the alcohol is produced, pretty basic...sugar + yeast creates alcohol and CO2.

If you like the sweetness at 1.010, and you want a sparkling 5% cider then I would start with OG of 1.055, bottle at 1.015; assume you will achieve appropriate carbonation with 0.005, so set up 1-2 control bottles in same volume PET bottles. When they are firm, open one to check carbonation, and promptly pasteurize the glass bottles. Refrigerate any remaining control bottles and drink sooner rather than later. You should have a residual sugar, even if it used more than .005 to carb because you had the 0.010 you accounted for in initial structure and there is always available sugar below 1.000. So you have various options to achieve what you want.