Would you use this for your cider?

[duckredbeard]

Local grocery store has this for just over $5 per gallon. Should I go for it?

 

[bracconiere]

i would...but what's it taste like?

 

[bernardsmith]

It's a juice that has been pressed for those who want to have a soft drink and not a true hard cider. It might make an apple wine or a cyser better than a cider but that is another story. That aside, there is no chemical additive that would inhibit fermentation.

 

[S-Met]

Yes! @bernardsmith pointed out the most important facts: no preservatives but also no flavor. Lots of threads here on adding dimension to it with acud and tannin adjustments.

I use similar juices as a neutral base for hot weather alca-pop on tap. 4th of July, I'll have a pom-cider on tap. Ferment the cider dry, stabilize and add pomegranate juice.

 

[cmac62]

If you want more bang you can always add a pound or two of honey.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I use this stuff all the time for my hard cider.
then I toss some sorbate into it to knock out the yeast and toss in 3 frozen apple concentrate tubes for flavor.
3 seems to be the sweet spot where those who like it sweet and those who like it dry will comment it isn't enough of their preferred style.
but they keep drinking it.

 

[duckredbeard]

This will be my first cider, so I want to start with something almost foolproof.

 

[duckredbeard]

I use this stuff all the time for my hard cider.
then I toss some sorbate into it to knock out the yeast and toss in 3 frozen apple concentrate tubes for flavor.
3 seems to be the sweet spot where those who like it sweet and those who like it dry will comment it isn't enough of their preferred style.
but they keep drinking it.

How do you mix in these three frozen concentrates? Add them to the keg and rack into it? Can you share more about your process and recipe?

 

[NitrogenWidget]

sure,
I buy this type of apple juice from either walmart or aldi depending on who is cheaper.
dump it all into a carbouy.
add champagne or whatever amazon has available in a 10 pack for roughly 10$.
Ferment it out under 70 deg if possible.
toss in Camden and potassium sorbet, wait a day.
cold crash.
thaw the frozen concentrate and dump into the keg.
rack cider into the keg, seal, purge air, shake it up a little to mix things up then carbonate.