Apple cider is a delicious fall and winter treat that you can easily make at home. With the right tools and techniques, you can create a flavorful, custom-blended cider that suits your taste. Here’s how to get started with making your own apple cider.
Tools and Ingredients
To make cider, you’ll need the following tools and ingredients:
- A fruit crusher
- A fruit press
- Cheesecloth
- A five-gallon bucket
- Containers for storing cider (e.g., half-gallon canning jars)
- A variety of apples (45 lbs of apples will yield roughly 3 gallons of cider)
Ensure that all your utensils are made from non-reactive materials such as glass, plastic, stainless steel, or unchipped enamel to avoid unwanted reactions with the apple’s acids.
Choosing and Preparing Apples
Blending different apple varieties is key to a flavorful cider. Use a combination of sweet, sharp, and bittersweet apples. Here’s a good starting ratio:
- 50% sweet apples like Golden Delicious or Red Delicious
- 35% sharp apples like Granny Smith or Cox’s Orange Pippin
- 15% bittersweet apples like Dolgo Crab Apple or Foxwhelp
Use only ripe apples that come off the tree easily or have dark brown seeds when cut open. Avoid immature or rotten apples. For improved flavor and easier juicing, let your apples "sweat" for about a week in a clean, dry environment.
Steps to Make Cider
- Clean and Prepare: Thoroughly clean all your utensils, the crusher, and the press with hot soapy water. Wash your apples and remove any blemishes or bruises.
- Crush the Apples: Run the apples through the crusher to create pomace, which is the pulpy mixture used for pressing.
- Prepare the Press: Line the press tub with cheesecloth to filter out seeds, stems, and skin while keeping the flavorful pectin and juice.
- Press the Pomace: Add the crushed apples to the press, fold the cheesecloth over the pomace, and press slowly using the ratchet assembly or other pressing mechanism. This process may take about 30 minutes.
Storing and Enjoying Your Cider
Fresh cider can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. For a longer shelf life, consider pasteurizing, freezing, or fermenting it into hard cider. If you’re looking for more detailed information, check out the guide Making the Best Apple Cider.
Using Leftover Pomace
The pressed-out pomace is highly versatile. Use it as animal feed, add it to your compost pile, or even incorporate it into recipes.
Grow Your Own Apples
If you’d like to grow your own apples for future cider-making, explore our collection of apple trees. There’s nothing more rewarding than harvesting fresh, homegrown apples for your cider.
So grab your tools, blend your favorite apples, and enjoy the tradition of making your own apple cider at home. Grow organic for life!
