Cider aperitif

[ThePrisoner]

There's a local cider maker who makes a nice cider aperitif around 14%.
It's sort of halfway in between a dessert wine and an ice cider.
Is there anyway to make something like a dessert wine from cider via home brewing? What would i need in addition to just my normal brewing kit for basic cider?

 

[buMbLeB]

I've never done anything like this, but it should be doable - choose a yeast that will quit a few % below 14, fatten up your apple juice must with frozen concentrate for extra flavour and sugars, and then step-feed the remaining sugar additions until the yeast gives up so you can get the right sweetness.

I'm sure there's other ways to go, but this is how I'd try.

 

[ThePrisoner]

I've never done anything like this, but it should be doable - choose a yeast that will quit a few % below 14, fatten up your apple juice must with frozen concentrate for extra flavour and sugars, and then step-feed the remaining sugar additions until the yeast gives up so you can get the right sweetness.

I'm sure there's other ways to go, but this is how I'd try.

I've read a few posts saying not to go above 12% due to off flavours. Why would flavours be off just because you go to 14 or 16%?

 

[buMbLeB]

I've read a few posts saying not to go above 12% due to off flavours. Why would flavours be off just because you go to 14 or 16%?

Ooops, my bad, I misread you! I meant to indicate that you should choose a yeast that will quit at 14% (your chosen abv) and leave residual sugar, but I guess I got confused. But it's hard to find a yeast that quits exactly at any given number, and even the same yeast will do things differently from one time to the next, so it's not an exact science.

I do understand that 14-15% is considered to be the maximum ABV before it produces an unpleasantly "hot" or harsh alcohol character. It's not the flavours going off, so much as being overwhelmed by alcohol. I believe that this is something that mellows with aging, but I'm speculating here.

 

[oldstyle69]

i made a 10% cider that i sweetened with honey and then made an ice cider from. its fairly close to a desert wine.

 

[Paps]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=408610

 

[ThePrisoner]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=408610

Doesn't ec1118 go to 18%avb?

 

[BILTIT]

Potentially yes it does.

 

[globell]

See paps link above

Following!

 

[MindenMan]

Depending upon the temperatures and nutrient levels, ec-1118 can hit 18% ABV. Wyeast 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast makes fantastic cider and generally craps out around 12%. If you keep the temperatures down you can reach 18% without any fusel alcohols or off flavors.

 

[ThePrisoner]

Depending upon the temperatures and nutrient levels, ec-1118 can hit 18% ABV. Wyeast 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast makes fantastic cider and generally craps out around 12%. If you keep the temperatures down you can reach 18% without any fusel alcohols or off flavors.

I thought the problem with ec1118 was it waking up again and making bottle bombs.
I've seen recipes with 5kg sugar, 8kg sugar etc

 

[MindenMan]

As long as all of the primary sugar has been fermented out, the addition of priming sugar will only bring carbonation to the bottles. If you have added enough sugar to kill the yeast, but it not sweet enough for you then adding sugar should cause you no problems. But at that point you are not going to get carbonation anyway. Once again, as long as ALL the primary sugar has been fermented...