Making Apple Cider - How to Make Apple Cider

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About Making Apple Cider

Home cider making is a part of tradition going back hundreds of years. We can go to the store today and buy apple cider from the cooler, but there's nothing better than fresh homemade cider from your own apples. It's great as a cool refreshing drink or a warm spicey treat on a cold day.

Warning: Safe handling practices are of great importance when working with any sort of food product, and your own safety is ultimately your responsibility. The information on this page is provided as a courtesy only. It is not to be taken as professional advice or expertise.

Apple Selection: Commercial apple cider producers generally use a blend of different apples to create the desired flavor of cider. The basic concept is to have a balance of sweet apples and tart apples. However, using whatever apples you have available is just fine. It's a matter of personal taste.

It's best to use apples picked from the tree at the proper stage of ripeness. Do not use apples from the ground (drops), ones from trees where livestock is in contact with the tree. Sort and inspect the apples before use. Discard any apples that are damaged, molded, infected with bugs or worms, or otherwise spoiled. These things will accelerate the fermentation process and your cider will spoil much more quickly. Also, following these guidelines will help reduce the possibility of bacteria that could spoil your cider or make you sick.

Equipment Preparation: Make sure all of your equipment is properly cleaned and sanitary before you use it. Your cider press, containers, knives, grinder, cutting boards, work surfaces and so on, should be clean. You should also wash your hands before beginning the pressing and bottling process. You can clean your equipment by washing it with warm water and soap. To sanitize your equipment you can wash it with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. Do not soak metal parts in this solution for more than 30 seconds or pitting may occur. Rinse all items thoroughly with clean water.

Apple Preparation: Once you have sorted your apples, wash them to remove any dirt or dust. The next step is to chop or grind the apples to break down the cell walls and help release the liquid. The more finely ground the apples, the more juice you will be able to press out. People use various methods of chopping apples for cider including apple or fruit grinders, food processors, meat grinders, french fry cutters or just chopping them by hand. The method you use will likely depend on how many apples you have and how much cider you wish to make.

Pressing: If your apples are finely ground you will want to line the inside of your press with a thin cloth such as cheese cloth. This will prevent the apples from pressing out through the slats of the basket. You can also place a cloth or paper filter over the container you are pressing the juice into. The amount of cider you get from your apples depends on many factors such as the variety of apples, stage of ripeness, how finely they are chopped before pressing, and how much they are pressed. You may also note that the more you grind the apples the darker the color of the cider will be and the more sediment will be present in the juice itself.

Apple Cider Storage: All cider, whether fresh, pasteurized or frozen should be stored in sanitary containers with the production date clearly marked.

Fresh cider should be stored at temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees to slow the fermentation process as much as possible. Fresh apple cider will last 5 to 10 days before it begins to ferment and should be used within this time period. If you want your cider to last longer it is a good idea to pasteurize it (kills bacteria) by heating it to 160 degrees Farenheit but no higher than 185 degrees. Properly refrigerated pasteurized cider will last up to 3 weeks.

If you produce more fresh apple cider than you can use it is a great idea to freeze it. Remember to leave room in your container since the liquid will expand as it freezes. Frozen cider will last up to one year.

Equipment Cleaning: Make sure you thoroughly clean all of your equipment with soap and water when you are done. It's much easier to clean your equipment before the juice and apple pulp dries. Store your equipment in a clean area free of dust, dirt and other contaminates, and remember to sanitize everything before you make cider next time.

Enjoy!

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