Cider/ Wine/ Mead Recipe Builders/calculators

[JP Smajda]

Ok, i've looked around a little bit and I am trying to find a reliable way to build a recipe.

Allas, i've found plenty of really complicated calculators for beer brewing but not much for wines/and ciders. Though I did find one that seemed really helpful for meads.

This was inspired by my desire to back calculate a cider I had made to see what my ABV was. (Didn't take readings at the time, I just mostly remembered what I put in it.) I also want to see what else I can do in the future.

I found a table or two with weight of sugar to the gallon and what that get me.

http://www.brsquared.org/wine/CalcInfo/HydSugAl.htm

So I opened excel created a bunch of formulas to figure out how to attain a starting gravity and... something didn't seem right!

If I want 5 gal cider that will dry out at 18%, I would have to get a starting gravity of about 1.140. According to my excel sheet, to reach that SG I would need 2.75 gal of juice, 1.125 gal of juice concentrate, and 1.125 gal of Brown Sugar. I am thinking... that can't be right?


I was also thinking, this shouldn't be this hard! I shouldn't have to make all these formulas, surely there is a tool out there I just haven't found yet. Its 2018, the internet has been around for over 2 decades and nobody has made a calculator for this yet? Or is my google-fu lacking?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Not many people want to mix juice and concentrate and sugar together.
Adding sugar is called chaptalization.

Try this on for size:
http://fermcalc.com/FermCalcJS.html
Sugar > Chaptalization for adding sugar.
Or use the blending tool for adding concentrate.

Hope this helps

 

[madscientist451]

Wine and Cider aren't the same as beer and although people do use specific recipes, there are too many possible variables in grapes and apples to get a consistent result.
I avoid adding sugar to wine and cider, I don't like the flavor of fermented refined sugar, but everyone has different tastes and it might be fine for you.
Here's an article that may be helpful:
https://www.homecidermaking.com/chaptalization-adding-apple-concentrate-to-cider/

 

[JP Smajda]

Not many people want to mix juice and concentrate and sugar together.
Adding sugar is called chaptalization.

Yeah, I probably am a little weird wanting to blend all three. Part of it was a cost thing yet didn't want ALL the added sugar to come from brown sugar (Especially since some of it might end up jacked.)
Thats still over 50% of the fermentable sugar coming from the brown sugar though. I've heard some great results of a nice caramel flavor from adding brown sugar to a recipe.

Try this on for size:
http://fermcalc.com/FermCalcJS.html
Sugar > Chaptalization for adding sugar.
Or use the blending tool for adding concentrate.

Hope this helps

Thats awesome, very helpful, thanks!

 

[JP Smajda]

Wine and Cider aren't the same as beer and although people do use specific recipes, there are too many possible variables in grapes and apples to get a consistent result.
I avoid adding sugar to wine and cider, I don't like the flavor of fermented refined sugar, but everyone has different tastes and it might be fine for you.
Here's an article that may be helpful:
https://www.homecidermaking.com/chaptalization-adding-apple-concentrate-to-cider/

I made a Cyzer this year that came out wonderful. Going to do it again next year. Thanks for the article!
Do you add concentrates yourself?

 

[dmtaylor]

I don't like headaches.