Cider yeast - need some residual sweetness

[Chuffy]

It looks like this years batch of cider (my first) is going to be a bit too dry (one batch on cider yeast, another on champagne yeast). I'll just have to learn to love it or mull the lot.

I want a cider with a bit of residual sweetness and body, but I don't want to back sweeten with Splenda. I'm currently thinking, did I have too little sugar in the juice (OG was about 1055) and too strong a yeast? I'm assuming that a more sugary juice and a yeast that died off at, say, 6% would give me what I want.

Can anyone recommend a suitable yeast that would do the decent thing and leave me some sugar in the final brew?

 

[Marrsy86]

If you don't want to carbonate your cider monitor your hydrometer reading and when you get to your required sugar rating add wine stabilizer.

I can't offer much advise unfortunately as to a yeast that will die around 6%.

 

[Duncs]

I've heard that some people bottle before fermentation has finished, wait for the fizz to develop in the bottle then put the bottles in the dishwasher so the heat kills off the yeast. I don't think I'll be trying that one myself, but it's an option if you don't mind the occasional exploding bottle.

 

[graysalchemy]

If you added more sugar you would have ended up with just a stronger cider with little body. If you bottle before the fermentation has stopped to leave a residual sweatness you will end up with bottle bombs. Without using spenda you other options are kill the yeast of with potassium sorbate and have flat cider or when you serve sweaten with a little apple juice in the glass.

 

[E J Gumby]

You could try adding some honey. The first couple of batches of TC I did came out really dry.
After that I've been adding approx 340 - 500 grams of cheap clear honey (in a 22 litre batch). It gives it a bit more body with a tad more sweetness.
I don't think the sugars in the honey ferment out fully.

 

[Chuffy]

Interesting replies, thanks chaps.

Dishwasher? I suppose that would pasteurise the cider wouldn't it? Alas we don't have a dishwasher (I refuse to buy one) and my wife might just kill me if I finally give in and buy one so that I can make cider. :lol:

Flat cider? Not a problem, I don't mind flat. Although I have tried bunging some potassium sorbate into one batch. The bugger just kept on fizzing.... :shock:

Ah well, you live and learn. I'm assuming that this years adventures in cider making will progress next year and so on until I make something I'm really pleased with. Which might not necessarily be a good thing... :whistle: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drunk:

 

[graysalchemy]

Flat cider? Not a problem, I don't mind flat. Although I have tried bunging some potassium sorbate into one batch. The bugger just kept on fizzing....

It will do as there will be co2 in the cider its just no more will be produced and you would be able to prime it in the bottle.

Honey sounds like an option because some of the sugar will be unfermetable, I would go with that. However if it is organic tree hugger honey straight from the bee's then you would need to boil it first with some apple juice to kill any nasties as natural honey is full of bacteria.