Cider Gravity Targets.
Pick a cider style, choose a sweetness profile, and the calculator computes the original gravity you need, how much sugar to add from fresh juice, and the expected final-gravity range. Sugar additions are shown for sucrose, honey, and apple juice concentrate.
Inputs
Most fresh-pressed apple juice runs SG 1.045–1.055. Concentrated juice and bittersweet varieties can run higher.
| Addition | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sucrose (table sugar) | — | Most fermentable; clean |
| Honey | — | Adds floral character; ~30% more by mass |
| Apple juice concentrate | — | Reinforces apple character |
How this is calculated.
Show the formulas and citations
Required OG — rearranged from the simple ABV formula, given target ABV and expected FG:
Sugar addition — sucrose contributes ~0.385 gravity points per gram per litre of must. To raise gravity from starting SG to target OG over a given volume:
Honey and apple juice concentrate are scaled relative to sucrose: honey × 1.30 (lower fermentable density due to water content), AJC × 1.45 (concentrated juice at typical 70 °Brix).
Worked example.
Starting SG 1.050 · Target 5.5% ABV · Dry (FG 1.000) · 5 L batch
Target OG: 1.000 + (5.5 / 131.25) = 1.042
Already above target — no sugar addition needed for this style.
If the same juice were targeted at 7% ABV instead:
Target OG: 1.000 + (7 / 131.25) = 1.0533
Gravity points to add: (1.0533 − 1.050) × 1000 = 3.3 points
Sucrose: (3.3 × 5) / 0.385 = 43 g (or 56 g honey / 63 g AJC)
Common mistakes.
- Adding sugar when the juice already exceeds target. Many fresh-pressed apples produce juice at SG 1.050+, enough for a 5–6% cider on its own. Always measure starting gravity before deciding to chaptalise.
- Targeting ice-cider ABV with regular juice. Real ice cider uses cryo-concentrated juice at SG 1.130+. Trying to hit 12% from fresh juice means adding so much sugar the result no longer tastes like cider — it becomes apple wine.
- Ignoring pectin haze. Pectic enzyme breaks down haze precursors during fermentation. Add at the must stage, not after. Once a haze sets in, it's hard to clear.
- Mixing yeast type with style. Wild fermentations stop where the yeast's tolerance ends — often 8–10%. Cultured wine yeasts like EC-1118 reach 14+%. Pick the yeast for the style, not the other way around.
Related calculators.
Frequently asked.
Why does the calculator show different FG ranges per style?
Different cider styles target different residual sweetness. Common ciders ferment dry (FG ~1.000); ice cider intentionally retains residual sugar (FG 1.020–1.060). The expected FG range reflects style convention, not yeast attenuation per se.
Can wild yeast actually reach 12% ABV?
Wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains tolerate 11–13% ABV in optimal conditions. Bittersweet and ice ciders push toward this range. Cultured wine yeasts (e.g., EC-1118) reach 14–18%, but using cultured yeast departs from traditional cider character.
Do I need pectic enzyme?
Pectic enzyme (pectinase) helps break down apple pectin that would otherwise cause persistent haze. It's optional for traditional fresh-pressed ciders that will be drunk cloudy, but standard for any cider you want to clarify. Add at the must stage, not after fermentation.
What's keeving?
Keeving is a traditional French technique that strips nutrients from the must, slowing fermentation so it stalls before completion — producing a naturally sweet, low-alcohol cidre. It produces FG higher than this calculator's defaults. Use the bittersweet/French preset as a starting point and adjust manually.