Nothing describes autumn more than a delicious glass of fresh apple cider. Its fresh and sour aroma is a delight in itself, and besides the bright autumn leaves, it's one of the best things about fall! But what if it's winter now, and you want to enjoy a few glasses of fresh apple cider? This article will show you how to make fresh apple cider now.
See How to Make Hot Cider for a heated and spiced version of apple cider.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Non Alcoholic Apple Cider
Step 1. Get the right apples
The best apple cider has a balance between sweet and sour. Often, apple producers (who will usually make their own brand of cider) will mix different types of apples to get the right combination. Finding "your" own blend formula is just a matter of experimenting, and trying this will turn out to be something delicious! Here are some basic characteristics of some common apple varieties:
- Red Delicious: A large, hard red apple with a sweet taste.
- Yellow Delicious: A large, hard yellow apple with a sweet taste.
- Jonathan: A medium-sized apple that is crunchy and semi-sour, with red on top and green on the bottom.
- Granny Smith: Sour apples are medium/small and crunchy, green in color.
- Gala: A semi-sour apple that is medium in size and crunchy, has a yellow skin with an orange to red tinge.
Step 2. Select an apple from the list above
Visit the nearest fresh fruit stall, fruit market, or fruit section of a supermarket. If you prefer sweet apple cider, use a ratio of three parts sweet apple to one part sour apple. Or for medium sweet cider, use a "two parts sweet apple to one part sour apple" ratio. If you intend to make a strong or alcoholic cider, use all sweet apples.
It takes about a third of a bushel of apples to make a gallon of apple cider
Step 3. Clean the apples thoroughly
Cut off any bruised or damaged areas, and remove the stems. To make cider, it's not recommended to use fruit that you won't want to eat when it's whole as a fruit. So if the fruit is damaged and you don't want to eat it like that, don't use it as juice.
Step 4. Divide each apple into four parts
Allow the peel to stick to give it color, flavor, and nutrients that will be released during processing.
Step 5. Puree the apple slices
Use a blender or food processor, and puree until your apples have the consistency or consistency of applesauce.
Step 6. Strain the apple pulp
Squeeze the apple pulp through cheesecloth, straining as much of the juice as possible.
If you have a fine mesh strainer or chinois (conical strainer), you can use the back of a spoon to squeeze out the pulp and drain more of the apple cider
Step 7. Always chill your apple cider in the refrigerator
After enjoying a tall glass of fresh apple cider, store the rest in a closed container (below 5°C) for two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Method 2 of 2: Hard or Alcoholic Apple Cider
Step 1. Make the apple cider
Refer to the steps above, and prepare a cider that is sweet enough for five gallons.
Step 2. Get the yeast
Visit your nearest brewery supply store, or search the internet for apple cider yeast. Dried wine yeast can also be a great option, and is more common - because it's cheaper.
Step 3. Create a starter
A day or two before you plan to make alcoholic hard cider, make a yeast starter first. This will ensure that your yeast is alive and ready to use, and will allow you to control the final taste of the drink.
- In a sealable jar, add one packet of yeast to a half cup (240 ml) of fresh apple cider. Close the bottle, shake or shake it for five to ten seconds, then set it aside for five or six hours, or overnight.
- If you see it foaming and bubbling, release the pressure from the bottle by turning the cap slightly apart, then closing it again. Place this starter in the refrigerator for up to a few hours before you are ready to use it.
Step 4. Prepare your apple cider
Fill a saucepan with fresh apple cider, and bring to a very low simmer (simmering) over medium heat. Continue heating for about 45 minutes to an hour to kill any stray bacteria or yeast that could alter the taste of your apple cider.
- Don't boil the apple cider until it boils
- Add up to 907 grams of brown sugar or honey to increase the sugar content of the apple cider, for an even tougher apple cider!
Step 5. Prepare a container for fermentation
Sterilize the container to make sure it is clean and ready to use for making alcoholic apple cider. Pour 1 cap of bleach into a container, fill it with water, and let it sit while you finish heating the apple cider. Empty the container, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Step 6. Pour the juice into the fermentation vessel
Let it cool until just just right warmer than room temperature, then add the starter. Stir with a sterilized spoon, then attach the lid and air valve.
Step 7. Let the apple cider ferment
Place the container of apple cider in a dark, cool place around 15°-20°C. After a few days, you will notice that the air valve starts to foam, as the yeast releases carbon dioxide. It should continue to foam for several weeks. When it stops, let the remaining apple cider sit for a week so the yeast settles.
Step 8. Place the apple cider into the bottle
Using a special clean food pipe or straw, drain the apple cider slowly into the sterilized bottle, seal the lid, then let it sit for as long as you can stand it - at least a few weeks. Like wine, alcoholic apple cider will improve its taste the longer it is stored.
Tips
- There is some debate about the difference between apple cider and Apple juice, but the general agreement is: Apple cider is raw apple juice that hasn't been filtered or gone through many stages of processing. Apple cider is quite perishable, and must be refrigerated. Meanwhile the apple juice has been pasteurized and further filtered, and bottled with the aim of extending its shelf life. The method above explains how to make apple cider.
- Choose different types of apples, and process each one separately, then combine the juices to try to create different flavors and see the difference in color produced using yellowish, green, and red apples.
- If you've watched a video of making alcoholic apple cider, the trick to making apple cider instead of apple cider vinegar is to fill the container or barrel to the brim with filtered apple juice. If you only fill the container halfway, you will end up with apple cider vinegar.
- Process the apples thoroughly and squeeze all the juices through cheesecloth to get all the nutrient-dense juice from the fruit. Some of the pulp or solids will escape through the cheesecloth, and the juice will appear cloudy.
- Note: Regardless of the size, the container should be filled with squeezed apple juice to the fullest or as close to the mouth of the container as possible. If you don't, i.e. if you only fill it halfway, then you'll end up with apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider.
- Yeast requires an anaerobic environment (very little or almost no air/oxygen). So the more space left – meaning more air (oxygen) – remaining in the container will contribute to the formation of the vinegar taste. Carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen and will eventually be pushed out of the way through the valve at the top of the container.
- For the manufacture of apple cider in large sizes, you can buy an apple cider squeezer.
- Attention: pasteurization of apple juice by heating at a temperature of at least 71ºC but not more than 85ºC, to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature. Infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems should not drink fresh, unpasteurized apple juice.
Warning
Keep processing equipment clean, hygienic and sanitized
What you need
- Apple
- Blender, food processor or juicer
- Thin filter cloth or chinoi s (conical strainer)
- Brewing equipment (see nearest brewery shop for specifics)
