[kramerog]

The cider has been fermenting for almost two weeks and now I am getting ready to add brown sugar and raisins.  I'm thinking of adding the brown sugar first and then after the brown sugar ferments out and then add the raisins, whole and without any attempt to "sanitize" the raisins.  Thoughts on adding the raisins?

[kramerog]

In the end I decided to boil uo some water with the raisins in it and then added the dissolved the brown sugar.

[dmtaylor]

In the end I decided to boil uo some water with the raisins in it and then added the dissolved the brown sugar.

Good idea.  I was going to recommend chopping the raisins.  I'm not sure how much sugar can come out of them if they aren't somehow chopped, boiled, popped, whatever.  Plus sanitization of these ingredients I think is always a good idea.

[Iliff Ave]

I would have recommended carmelizing the raisins in the brown sugar and adding them all together.