Making cider
How cider is made, from apples and pressing to fermentation, carbonation and making it at home.
- Can you make apple brandy at home?
You cannot legally make apple brandy at home in the US or the UK without a licence. US federal law strictly prohibits producing distilled spirits at home, although adults may make cider and wine for personal use. In the UK, the home-use exemption for making alcohol excludes spirits. Apple brandy such as calvados is made in licensed distilleries.
- Can you make cider from apple juice?
Store-bought apple juice can be fermented into cider. the Pacific Northwest Extension cider guide (PNW 621) says raw or reconstituted juice is an option, but check that the juice has no preservatives that stop yeast, and try a small test batch first. Pasteurised juice needs added yeast, because the heat treatment has killed the natural yeast.
- How do you carbonate homemade cider?
You carbonate homemade cider by bottle priming: once fermentation has finished, add a measured amount of sugar, about 4 g per litre, bottle the cider in pressure-rated bottles and let the live yeast make carbon dioxide for a few weeks. Too much sugar, or unfinished fermentation, can make bottles burst, so measure carefully. Kegs are another option.
- How do you clear cloudy cider?
Most cider clears on its own if you rack it off the sediment and let it mature for 2–6 months. To speed things up, cider makers use fining agents such as bentonite or gelatine, pectin-splitting enzymes, or filtration. A slight haze is normal in some styles, and perry is notoriously hard to clear.
- 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.
- How does a cider press work?
A cider press squeezes juice out of milled apple pulp. In a traditional batch press, the pulp is built into a stack (a "cheese") of layers separated by cloths and slats, and a screw or hydraulic pump applies pressure so the juice drains into a tray. Large factories also use piston, bladder and continuous belt presses.
- How long does cider take to ferment?
Primary fermentation usually takes about 10 days to 4 weeks at 16°C (60°F) or cooler, according to the Pacific Northwest Extension cider guide (PNW 621). Warmer fermentation can finish in about 5 days but may hurt quality. After that, cider usually matures for 2–6 months until it clears, so most homemade cider is ready in a few months.
- How many apples does it take to make a gallon of cider?
It takes roughly 4.5 to 6 kg (10 to 13 lb) of apples to make a US gallon (3.785 litres) of cider, or about 25 to 32 medium apples, using published pressing yields. The figure depends on the variety, ripeness, mill and press. An imperial gallon (4.546 litres) needs about a fifth more.
- 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.
- What are the best apples for cider?
There is no single best apple: most cider makers blend. Cider apples are grouped as bittersweet, bittersharp, sharp and sweet by tannin and acid. Classic English cider apples include Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Kingston Black, while dessert apples such as McIntosh, Jonagold or russets add acidity and aroma. Crabapples can add tannin.
- What yeast should you use for cider?
Most cider makers use a cultured yeast, usually a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chosen for the cider style and fermentation temperature. Wild yeast from the fruit and equipment also works, but results are often variable. Whatever you choose, follow the maker's instructions and add yeast nutrients, because low nitrogen causes off-flavours.
- When is cider made?
Cider is made after the apple harvest, which in Normandy runs from September to November. Apples may be stored for up to a month first so starch turns to sugar, then they are pressed and fermented over the following weeks. New cider is often ready in winter or spring; Basque cider houses open the new season in mid-January.
- Where can I buy cider apples?
You can buy cider apples, the varieties grown for making cider rather than apple cider juice, from orchards and cider makers that grow them, from farm shops and pick-your-own farms in apple regions, and sometimes as cheaper "cull" or windfall fruit from orchards and packing warehouses. Order early, as they are harvested in autumn.