Ed Wort's hard cider

[Neeshac]

Not sure where to ask this question, so I will ask it here and beg forgiveness if it is the wrong place.

I want to make Ed's hard cider, but I would like to improve the ABV a bit. According to the thread http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/edworts-apfelwein-33986/ he ends up with about 6%. I would really like to see this in the 10-12% range. Any suggestions to get it there without destroying the taste? Maybe E1118 yeast? More sugar?

 

[Arne]

He says the straight apple juice is about 6% pot. alcohol. If you add the two lbs sugar you are going to be up in the 8.5% range. Another 2 lb. is going to get you up where you want to be. Now the only way to tell for sure is to use your hydrometer. Make sure you stir the sugar in well so you get a good reading. Get it up around 1.085 or so and you should be good on the alcohol. Personally if I was going to make it, I would start out in a primary bucket, then either ferment dry in the primary, then transfer to secondary or ferment down to 1.010 or so and transfer to secondary. Don't have to shake a carboy and much easier to add the ingredients. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[saramc]

The taste of a 6% cider is going to be different than a 12% cider, ahem apple wine. Not to mention the year+ you will want for aging.