The standard hydrometer is meant to be used at 59-60Р Р†Р’ВР РЏ (15-15.6Р Р†Р’ВР Р‰). Thus, the higher your OG, the higher your end alcohol content.Р вЂќР вЂћdditionally, be sure to correct for temperature when you take a hydrometer reading. The more sugar your put in your unfermented cider, the more you increase the density. Each gravity point above that means the liquid is denser than water, and each mark below means it is lighter. Hydrometers use the density of pure water as the 1.000. The increments marked on the hydrometer mark gravity points. You should also take note of the temperature of the liquid at this point. Spin the hydrometer gently to release any air bubbles, and then let the liquid settle. Take your hydrometer reading at the bottom of this curve. You might remember from a high school chemistry class that liquids form a curve against the edge of glass. You want there to be enough liquid to get an accurate measurement.Р вЂќР вЂћfter inserting your hydrometer into the center of the sample, let it settle. You should take enough liquid as a sample to suspend the hydrometer. Put a small sample of your cider in a test jar, glass or cylinder. Take a sample from your cider before you have pitched your yeast to begin fermentation, and use the hydrometer to read the original gravity (OG). A hydrometer reads like a thermometer and gives you an estimate for alcohol content. The only real way to get an estimate for your ABV is to use a hydrometer. Use a Hydrometer to Obtain an Estimated ABV Additionally, the apple flavors of the juice concentrate help emphasize the existing apple flavor. The extra sugar in apple juice concentrate is fermentable, so it contributes to the final alcohol content. I f you do choose to add more sugar, apple juice concentrate is a common choice. The sugars in pre-packaged apple juice are usually plenty to yield a hard cider with an ABV of 4 or 5 percent. Extra sugar is rarely needed in apple ciders. On average, one pound of corn sugar contributes 42 gravity points per gallon. Allowing the yeast to die, however, means you will have to find another way to carbonate your cider during bottle conditioning.Р вЂќР’В¬orn sugar (dextrose) is a common sugar for brewing, because it is 100 percent fermentable and does not influence flavors. You may also use a yeast with a specific ABV tolerance in order to control the strength of your final cider.Р вЂќР вЂЎor example, an ale yeast with an alcohol tolerance of 6 percent will die as your cider exceeds that ABV, ending fermentation and leaving the remaining sugars to sweeten the cider. The amount of sugar in your cider controls how strong it is. Controlling the Strength of a Hard CiderР вЂќР вЂћlcohol is a byproduct of fermentation-the yeast converting sugars. The final alcohol content of your cider depends on how long you ferment it, the strain of yeast you use, and the amount of sugar you add during the fermentation. Depending on your yeast, an additional cup of sugar per gallon could raise the strength to approximately 6 percent. This alcohol level is common in ciders created from store-bought apple juice.

The average ABV for a hard cider is 4 or 5 percent. While anyone could make a stronger brew, ciders usually have a low enough ABV that the alcohol does not overwhelm the apple taste. English ciders are made with bittersweet and bittersharp apple varieties, while New World ciders are made from table apples and wild/crab apples to create a lower tannin and higher acidic cider.Hard ciders are not known for being knock-you-down drinks, but the strength of a homebrew cider is up to the brewer. Not all ciders are the same, as the cider greatly depends on the type of apples used. The higher sugar content is important because as yeast ferments sugar into alcohol, the overall balance of the cider will be very sharp and acidic if there isnР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt enough residual sugar remaining. It should have a high sugar concentration and be low in acidity. Quality apple juice will have certain characteristics. But the same tannins that make an apple too sharp to eat make it well-suited for delicious cider. Traditionally, cider apples are sour, bitter, astringent, and not suitable for snacking.

While cider apples are categorized differently from region to region, that categorization is always based on a few key elements: sugar content, acidity, and tannin levels. An apple that ruins grandmaР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs apple pie can provide the complexity and depth needed to make world class cider. Apples can be tart, tannic, or downright inedible. The quality of the cider depends on the quality of the juice: higher quality apples make higher quality cider.Р вЂќР’В¬ider apples are completely different than those available at your local grocery store.

The apple juice is the raw material from which the cider is prepared.

How to homebrew cider