Juniper Berry Cider (started: 5/15/2021)

80 ounces fresh apple juice (granny smith + cosmic crisp)
48 ounces tree top organic
1 T juniper berries crushed
1 t lemon peel (dried)

Cider House Cider Yeast
Nutrients (Fermaid K + DAP)

Fermentation progress:
OG: 12.8 brix (1.052 gravity)
5/23/2021: 4.5 brix (0.998 – 7.08%)
5/29: 4.7 (1.000)
Bottled 7/10 at 4.5 brix -7%

Very pale color and not a strong nose at all. The juniper berries had been left in the must for the entire fermentation so I would have expected more of their presence. Its there but you have to hunt for it a bit.

Taste is also surprisingly subtle. The Granny Smith apples make their presence known and the lemon peel adds a bright note. There is some juniper berry but again, not much. The juniper makes itself known more through an astringency in the mouthfeel.

We dunked some apple juice we had sitting around into a glass and it did bring out more apple character and the sweetness rounded it out.

Verdict: It can sit and think beautiful thoughts in the closet for another few months. Then we’ll decide if it needs to be back sweetened, probably with apple juice concentrate.