How to make cider

[finefencer]

I have made cider for a number of years, and mixed with lots of fellow cider makers.

I wanted to know how to do it properly, so I went to a school in Worcester to learn how to do it properly.
I have heard lots of things "you can only make cider out of cider apples" rubbish.

1 A good mix of apples
2 The smaller you can grate them down "scrat" the more juice when pressed.
3 Press your fruit.

The juice will contain a wild yeast that will be on the skins of the apple. It could be good, or it could be bad.
To make sure you get a good cider now is the time to use your camden tablets.

At this point if you want to know how strong your cider will be, take the specific gravity and write it down. 1.070 for example

The camden tablets kills of any bacteria and wild yeast. Now put in the yeast you want "champagne".
At this point fit an air lock and let it work. when it stops working take the gravity again.
You will see that it is down to say 1.000 so there has been a drop of 70 if you divide by 7 it will tell you your cider is 10%
Depending on your taste it might be a bit sharp, so use a sweetener...if you use sugar you will start the fermentation off again.

Cider is pure apple juice.

Perry is pure pear juice

If you put water with either of these it is WINE

[Alison]

The juice will contain a wild yeast that will be on the skins of the apple. It could be good, or it could be bad.

My OH makes cider every year from a random mix of apples foraged from the area and donated by friends. He simply scrats and presses then ferments using the natural yeasts. This has NEVER produced a bad product so although the risk is theoretically there, we've shown it to be low and not everybody wants to add sulphites. It's a matter of choice but the traditional way still works very well for lots of us (and saves buying two additional ingredients )

[the big lebowski]

great post ff thanks ,(in a colombo just one question way) you don`t add at sugar at all ?

[AkionTotocha]

Do you have to use a cider press or will a cold press juicer work?

Crab apples ok or ng?

[Dollyrocker]

Cider is pure apple juice.

Perry is pure pear juice

If you put water with either of these it is WINE

Not true. Legally. Most commercial ciders are made with a lot of water & sugar. I think minimum apple requirement is only 15% Wine on the other hand is illegal to add water to anywhere in the World (everyone still does it though).

[Dollyrocker]

great post ff thanks ,(in a colombo just one question way) you don`t add at sugar at all ?

You can add as much as you like. Take the specific gravity of the juice. Work out what alcohol level it will produce. Decide the alcohol level you want then add sugar accordingly. 16g/l gives you a 1% rise in ABV.

If I'm adding sugar to a ferment I normally do it at least half way through if not longer. This gives the yeast a chance to build up a large enough population to cope with the extra sugar. Commercial yeasts can give you around 20% ABV if you so desire!

[alldigging]

Do you have to use a cider press or will a cold press juicer work?

Crab apples ok or ng?

I saw someone on FB using a garden shredder.

I recently aquired a thing you attach a drill to to chop apples.

[donksey]

I made a few batches once, i found the natural yeast on the apples gave a slower ferment and created a much more complex and better flavour, when compared to champaign yeast.

[Dollyrocker]

You're right Donksey. Natural yeast provide a much more complex flavour (because there's hundreds of different ones on the skin of your apples. 98% of the time they'll make a lovely cider. Unfortunately most professionals can't afford that 2% so use commercial yeast.

[burnie]

There's cider and there's proper cider, scrumpy is very different to the fizzy pop most folk think is cider. Making your own, you do not need to add anything to make a delicious cider. If you want high alcohol apple flavoured fizzy drink, then you will need to add both yeast and sugar. It's down to personal taste, I like a drink because of it's taste and not it's alcohol content.