How much sugar should I add to cider?
How much sugar to add to cider depends on your goal. To raise the strength, PNW 621 says 2.6 g of table sugar per litre raises the juice gravity by 1 degree, and each 7.5 degrees gives about 1% ABV. Priming sugar for bubbles is a separate step that raises bottle pressure. Many juices need no extra sugar at all.
Updated
Key facts
- Gravity to strength. Convert a hydrometer reading to gravity with (SG – 1.0) × 1,000, then divide by 7.5 for the potential ABV. [1]
- Sugar to gravity. "For 1 liter of juice, 2.6 grams of sucrose will increase the SG by 1 degree or 0.001 on a hydrometer." [1]
- Minimum strength. PNW 621 says potential ABV "should be a minimum of 6% in order for the cider to mature and resist microbial spoilage". [1]
How do I work out how much sugar to add for strength?
- Pick a target. Multiply the target ABV by 7.5 to get the target gravity. [1]
- Measure the juice. Read the specific gravity and convert it to gravity. [1]
- Find the gap. Subtract the juice gravity from the target gravity.
- Multiply by 2.6. That gives grams of sugar per litre. [1]
Worked example (PNW 621). For a target of 6.8% ABV, the target gravity is 51. If the juice reads 1.045 (gravity 45), the gap is 6, and 6 × 2.6 = 15.6 g of sucrose per litre. [1] For a 5-litre batch, that is 78 g.
| Juice reading | Potential ABV without sugar |
|---|---|
| 1.040 | about 5.3% |
| 1.045 | about 6.0% |
| 1.055 | about 7.3% |
Figures use gravity ÷ 7.5. [1] How many apples give how much juice is in apples per gallon of cider.
How much sugar for bubbles or sweetness?
- Bubbles. Sugar added at bottling, called priming, is turned into carbon dioxide and raises the pressure inside the bottle, so it is covered together with its safety points in how to carbonate homemade cider. [1]
- Sweetness. Sugar added to cider with live yeast ferments; for a sweet finished cider, see the glossary entry for back-sweetening and how to make cider at home.
Related answers: how to make cider at home · how to carbonate homemade cider
Find it on Cider Radar
- Keep a tasting cellar of your batches in Cider Radar and rate how sweet or dry each one turned out.
- Guide: how is cider made? · Glossary: fermentation
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Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Do I need to add sugar to make cider?
Often not. PNW 621 suggests a potential strength of at least 6% so the cider matures and resists spoilage; if your juice already reaches that, no sugar is needed. [1]
Does added sugar affect what counts as cider?
Sources
- Hard Cider Production & Orchard Management in the Pacific Northwest (PNW 621) — Washington State University, Oregon State University and University of Idaho Extension
- Alcoholic products technical guide: section 2, alcoholic products — HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK)
- Code of Virginia § 4.1-213. Manufacture and sale of cider — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Law)
- What are real cider & perry? — CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale)