How do you make cider at home?
To make cider at home, mill and press ripe apples (or use suitable juice), add yeast, and let the juice ferment at around 16°C (60°F) or cooler until the specific gravity falls to about 1.000. Then rack the cider off the sediment, let it mature until it clears, and bottle it. Clean equipment and pressure-safe bottles matter.
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The basic steps
- Choose and prepare fruit. Use ripe fruit with no rot; wash it and remove damaged apples. [1] See best apples for cider.
- Mill and press. Apples are milled to pulp before pressing; see how a cider press works. Bought juice can also work: can you make cider from apple juice.
- Check the juice. Measure specific gravity with a hydrometer; PNW 621 estimates potential ABV as the gravity divided by 7.5, and suggests a potential of at least 6% for a cider that matures and resists spoilage. [1]
- Add yeast and nutrients. Most cider makers use cultured yeast; nutrients go in 1–3 days after inoculation. [1] See what yeast to use for cider.
- Ferment cool. Keep it at 16°C (60°F) or lower and expect 10 days to 4 weeks; it is done at a specific gravity of 1.0 or lower. [1]
- Rack and mature. Siphon the cider off the lees and let it mature for 2–6 months until it clears. [1]
- Bottle. Still, or primed for bubbles in sturdy bottles. [1]
What equipment do I need?
A mill and press (or juice), food-grade fermenting vessels, an airlock, a siphon, a hydrometer and bottles. PNW 621 advises avoiding most metals except food-grade stainless steel. [1] The guide on how cider is made gives the overview.
What can go wrong?
- Exploding bottles. Priming with about 4 g/l of sugar gives about 1 bar; use champagne-type bottles, rated for 6 bar, and do not over-prime, because the pressure is "potentially explosive". [1]
- Rotten-egg smell. Often linked to low yeast nutrients; see why does cider smell like eggs.
- Spoilage. PNW 621 says poor yeast management is a significant cause of faults, and racking helps prevent microbial problems. [1]
- Pathogens in added juice. PNW 621: "Even more critical is to pasteurize or sterile filter your cider if you add fresh juice after fermenting to 1) destroy pathogenic Escherichia coli and 2) prevent unwanted fermentation from reoccurring in the bottle and causing it to explode." [1] See also back-sweetening.
Related answers: what yeast to use · how long fermentation takes
Related on Cider Radar
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
We don't give health advice. For questions about your health, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Questions
Is it legal to make cider at home?
In the UK, producing alcoholic products (excluding spirits) for your own domestic use is exempt from HMRC approval. [2] In the US, an adult may make up to 100 gallons a year (200 for a household of two or more adults) for personal or family use, not for sale, subject to state law. [3] Selling is different; see can I sell homemade cider.
How strong will homemade cider be?
PNW 621 estimates potential ABV by dividing the juice gravity by 7.5: a reading of 1.055 gives 55 ÷ 7.5 ≈ 7.1%, if fermentation is complete. [1]
Can I sweeten homemade cider?
Yes, but PNW 621 warns that adding fresh juice after fermentation calls for pasteurising or sterile filtering, to destroy pathogenic E. coli and stop refermentation that can make bottles explode. [1]
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 4, approvals — HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK)
- 27 CFR 24.75 – Wine for personal or family use — eCFR (US Government Publishing Office)