How to Make Apple Cider

Guide Note How to Make Apple Cider takes you through the step-by-step process of making tasty, homemade apple cider. While traditionally a holiday beverage, apple cider can be enjoyed any time of year. Standard apple cider is non-alcoholic and made from fresh apples.

Table of Contents

Apple Cider Tips

  1. Use fresh, unbruised apples for your apple cider. The cider will taste best if the apples are picked directly from the tree.
  2. Try a mix of red, golden and green apples for varied and full flavors.
  3. Refrigerate your apple cider in an airtight container.
  4. Add cinnamon, caramel or nutmeg to the apple cider for added flavor.
  5. Freeze any unused apple cider and it will remain fresh for up to one year.

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Introduction

  • The only ingredient you really need. (Creative Commons photo by Mark Shirley)
    The only ingredient you really need. (Creative Commons photo by Mark Shirley)
    Apple cider has long been enjoyed by people all over the world. While you can purchase apple cider at virtually any grocery store, it can't compare to the taste of fresh, homemade apple cider. You can also feel good about drinking apple cider since it's made from fresh apples. Apples have many health benefits1 such as lowering cholesterol and improving lung health.

What You'll Need

  • Apple cider actually doesn't require a bevy of ingredients. The only ingredient you absolutely need is apples.

Equipment

  • Unlike your ingredients, you will need a handful of generally available tools in order to prepare your cider:
    • Knife
    • Apple corer
    • Blender or food processor
    • Cheesecloth
    • Container

Step 1: Choose the Apples

  • The apples you choose are very important as they define the taste of the cider.
  1. Pick a winner. (Creative Commons photo by Cale Bruckner)
    Pick a winner. (Creative Commons photo by Cale Bruckner)
    Most manufactured apple ciders use a variety of different types of apples2 in their standard apple ciders. You can employ this mixing technique or simply use one variety of apple to make your cider.
  2. Red Delicious, Green Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold and other sweet-tasting apples make for sweet cider3 Granny Smith, McIntosh, Pink Lady and other tart-tasting apples will produce sharper ciders due to their tangy flavors4
  3. Experiment with a variety of different types of apples, if you are going to mix apple types in your cider. Try to get a good mix of red, green and gold apples.
  4. Choose fresh apples that are picked directly from the trees. You should never use apples that have fallen on the ground as these may possess toxins and bacteria.5
  5. Discard any apples that are bruised or discolored. You should only use fresh, healthy apples to make apple cider.
  6. If you don't grow your own apples, try to visit a local farmer's market to purchase the apples. While you can purchase apples from any grocery store, you'll have a fresher cider if you opt for farmer's market apples.
  7. You will need a lot of apples to make a decent batch of fresh apple cider. To make one gallon of apple cider, you'll need approximately 36 apples.6

Step 2: Prepare the Apples

  • Before you begin pressing the apples to get the juice out of them, you'll need to first prepare them.
  1. Wash all the apples thoroughly.
  2. Core the apples. You can do this manually, however, it's much faster to use an apple corer.
  3. Slice the apples into quarters.
  4. Put the quartered apples into the blender or food processor and puree them.
  5. Continue pureeing the apples until they are very finely ground.7 You will be able to extract more juice from the apples if you attain a very fine ground.

Step 3: Press the Apples

  • A press helps when making large quantities of cider. (Creative Commons photo by i y e r s)
    A press helps when making large quantities of cider. (Creative Commons photo by i y e r s)
    Now that you have cored and pureed your apples, you are ready to press them.
  1. Place the cheesecloth over the container in which you'll store the apple cider.
  2. Pour the pureed apples into the cheesecloth.
  3. Squeeze the pureed apples through the cheesecloth8 and into the container below.
  4. Apply firm, steady pressure as you squeeze. This will ensure that you extract all juice possible from the pureed apples.
  • If you are making large amounts of apple cider, you may wish to use a cider press.9 A cider press is a device with mechanically pulps and squeezes apples, and will extract juice more efficiently than squeezing by hand.9

Step 4: Store the Apple Cider

  • Now that you have extracted all the juice from the apples, your cider is ready to be stored. If you wish, you can also pasteurize your cider.
  1. Cover the container with an airtight lid.10 The cider should not be exposed to air or it will go bad much more quickly.
  2. Store your apple cider in the refrigerator. If kept refrigerated, it should stay fresh for about seven days.11
  3. Pasteurize your apple cider by heating it to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.12 This will help to kill any bacteria present. Pasteurized apple cider will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
  4. Freeze your apple cider if you won't be consuming it in the near future. When frozen, apples and apple cider will remain fresh for up to one year.13

Variations

  • You can have a lot of fun by experimenting with different seasonings and additions to your homemade apple cider. Don't be afraid to try your own variations! You might discover a sensational combination.
  1. Add cinnamon sticks15 to your apple cider for traditional holiday taste.
  2. Mix apple cider with a bit of rum and brown sugar16 for an alcoholic beverage that tastes great.
  3. Drizzle caramel into your apple cider17 for a decadent warm beverage.
  4. Try various spices in your apple cider. Nutmeg, cloves, ginger and lemon peel18 all add tasty flavors to hot cider.
  5. Pour apple cider over vanilla ice cream and top with caramel and whipped cream for a rich dessert. Add a slice of pound cake19 for added texture and taste.
  6. Blend apple cider with orange juice, ice and honey20 for a refreshing summer beverage.

Conclusion

  • Now that you know how to create homemade apple cider, you can enjoy it year-round in a variety of different forms. Sip your hot apple cider in the fall and winter and relax with cool apple cider in the spring and summer. Enjoy!

References for How To Make Apple Cider

  1. ↑ BestApples.com: Apples Keep Your Family Healthy
  2. ↑ HomeCiderPress.com: About Making Apple Cider
  3. ↑ TrueStarHealth.com: Apples.
  4. ↑ CambridgeCulinary.com: Apples.
  5. ↑ TheGreenGuide.com: The Essence of Fall
  6. ↑ PickYourOwn.com: Apple Facts and Fun
  7. ↑ HomesteadHarvest.com: Apple Cider: Nature's Treat
  8. ↑ About.com: How to Make Hot Mulled Cider
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Appropedia.org: Cider Cool Off the Press
  10. ↑ RecipeZaar.com: Mom's Homemade Apple Cider
  11. ↑ CookingForEngineers.com: Mulled Cider
  12. ↑ FoodSafety.com: Preparation of Apple Cider for Home Use.
  13. ↑ CanningPantry.com: Preserving Apples
  14. ↑ FDA.gov: Know the Facts
  15. ↑ AllRecipes.com: Hot Apple Cider
  16. ↑ FoodNetwork.com: Hot Apple Cider with Rum
  17. ↑ RecipeGal.com: Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider
  18. ↑ MarthaStewart.com: Mulled Cider
  19. ↑ BigOven.com Pound Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Apple Cider Sauce
  20. ↑ MarylandApples.org: Apple Recipes for Kids

Additional Apple Cider Recipes



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