Make a starter with apple cider and water to get to 1.035. Added 1/4tsp Fermax Yeast Nutrient in the 1000ml starter. I waited until the yeast was completely finished fermenting the starter. I cold crashed, decanted the starter cider and pitch the yeast slurry.
Use fresh pressed cider from local orchard. Add 1 campden tablet per gallon of cider and wait 24 hours. StarSan the heck out of the rim of the jugs and caps so that they're clean once you're ready to pour into carboy.
Boil 2 quarts of water with brown sugar to dissolve and sterilize. Add to cold cider in carboy. Should stabilize the temperature just fine especially if taking the cider from a cold fridge.
Add 1tsp of Fermax to 4 gallons of cider/sugar blend. Pitch yeast and fermented in cool basement around 60 degrees air temp.
Keg and back sweeten with 2 cans of 100% grapefruit juice.