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 How to Make
Cider
Making cider is really easy and a good way to use up a glut
of fruit. Some “experts” say use only cider apples,
others mainly dessert and others mainly cooking but in reality most
home cider makers use whatever apples that they have at hand.
Choosing and Picking Apples
for Cider
Make certain they are fully
ripe, undamaged and not heavily bruised.
Keep in a cool place for 1 or 2 weeks to soften the
skins.
Wash the apples to remove any insects, soil, etc. before
processing. You won’t wash off the natural yeasts required
for fermentation.
Preparing the Fruit
Crushing - This can be done by putting the apples in a strong tub
and pounding them with a length of timber but is heavy on the arms.
If you are likely to make large amounts of cider, it may be better
if you purchase a fruit crusher.
Pressing
The pulped fruit now needs to be pressed to extract the juice. You
can get away with a domestic fruit juicer but, for larger amounts,
you can either build or purchase your own press.
pH
The pH of the juice should be in the range 3.9 to 4.0 to give the
right amount of sharpness. This can be checked using a small soil
testing pH meter. To higher the pH add precipitated chalk, to lower
the pH add malic acid.
Sugar
Levels
Check the “specific gravity” (S.G) of the juice with a
hydrometer for sugar levels. 15% sugar = S.G of 1070 and total
potential alcohol content of around 8.5%, 10% sugar = S.G. of 1045
and total potential alcohol of 6%. This is if all of the sugar is
fermented.
If the S.G. is less than 1040
there may not be sufficient to protect the cider during storage and
sugar can be added to raise the gravity. 2 ½ ounces of sugar should
raise the gravity of 1 gallon of juice by about 5º.
Fermentation
The juice now needs to be poured into a good quality fermenting
vessel. This can either be wood, stainless steel, glass or plastic
(only food-grade plastics).
Cover loosely as the initial
fermentation can be very vigorous. Once it has calmed down, top up
with more juice or water to exclude air and fit an airlock to the
container.
Traditionally nothing is added to
the apple juice to turn it into cider, as the natural yeasts in the
apples will turn the sugars into alcohol.
A modern method of controlling
the fermentation is by killing off natural yeasts with Sulphur
Dioxide in the form of Sodium Metabisulphite (Campden Tablet), then
adding a general purpose wine yeast. This has the advantage of
subduing some wild yeasts and bacteria and reduces spoilage in the
cider.
Keep the fermenting cider at a
steady temperature of around 15º. Fermentation can take anything
from 10 days to 10 weeks.
Racking and
Bottling
When the cider has finished fermenting, check the Specific Gravity
with a hydrometer. If below 1005 it is time to rack the cider by
siphoning into a clean container. Make certain that the sediment is
not transferred.
Ensure the new container is
filled to the top, fit an airlock and put into a cool place to
allow to clear.
If more sediment shows, then you’ll need to repeat the
racking process.
1 Campden tablet per gallon can
be added after the last racking to prevent the cider
spoiling.
When you’re happy with your
cider and ready to drink it, rack into bottles (all plastic fizzy
drink bottles are suitable for cider) and keep in a cool place. If
you’re using glass bottles, it may still be necessary to
loosen the tops occasionally or the pressure could cause the bottle
to explode.
Copyright © John Harrison 2008
Author of the Best Selling
"Vegetable
Growing - Month by Month Guide"
and Editor of the Allotment
Website: www.allotment.org.uk
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