How to Make Apple Cider

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 benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and improving lung health.http://www.bestapples.com/healthy/

This guide on 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.

Apple cider actually doesn't require a bevy of ingredients. The only ingredient you absolutely need is apples. However, you will require a handful of generally available tools in order to prepare your cider:

• Knife
• Apple corer
• Blender or food processor
• Cheesecloth
• Container

The apples you choose are very important as they define the taste of the cider. Most manufactured |apple ciders use a variety of different types of apples in their standard apple ciders.http://HomeCiderPress.com You can employ this mixing technique or simply use one variety of apple to make your cider. Red Delicious, Green Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold and other sweet-tasting apples.http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1647007.html Granny Smith, McIntosh, Pink Lady and other tart-tasting apples will produce sharper ciders due to their tangy flavorshttp://www.cambridgeculinary.com/apples.aspx

1. 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.
2. 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 cider toxins and bacteria.http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/110/cider
3. Discard any apples that are bruised or discolored. You should only use fresh, healthy apples to make apple cider.
4. 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.
5. You will need a lot of apples to make a decent batch of fresh apple. To make one gallon of apple cider, you'll need approximately apples.http://www.pickyourown.org/applepicking.htm

• Before you begin pressing the apples to get the juice out of them, you'll need to first prepare them.

1. Wash all the applesthoroughly.
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.http://www.homesteadharvest.com/apple-cider--nature-s-treat-by-dena-harris.html You will be able to extract more juice from the apples if you attain a very fine ground.

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 apples.
2. Pour the pureed apples into the cheesecloth.
3. Squeeze the pureed apples through the cheesecloth and into the container below.http://gonewengland.about.com/od/morerecipes/ht/htmulledcider.htm
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.http://www.appropedia.org/Cider_Cool_Off_the_Press A cider press is a device with mechanically pulps and squeezes apples, and will extract juice more efficiently than squeezing by hand.http://www.appropedia.org/Cider_Cool_Off_the_Press

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.http://www.recipezaar.com/253224 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.http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/151
3. Pasteurize your apple cider by heating it to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.http://foodsafety.wsu.edu/consumers/factsheet.asp?pid=68 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.http://www.canningpantry.com/preserving-apples.html

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, pregnant women, elderly people and children should not drink unpasteurized apple cider as it may contain bacteria.http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/juicsafe.html

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 sticks to your apple cider for traditional holiday taste.http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Apple-Cider/Detail.aspx
2. Mix apple cider with a bit of rum and brown sugar for an alcoholic beverage that tastes great.http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/hot-apple-cider-with-rum-recipe/index.html
3. Drizzle caramel into your apple cider for a decadent warm beverage.http://recipegal.com/beverages/Starbucks-Caramel-Apple-Cider.htm
4. Try various spices in your apple cider. Nutmeg, cloves, ginger and lemon peel all add tasty flavors to hot cider.http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/mulled-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 cake for added texture and taste.
6. Blend apple cider with orange juice, ice and honey for a refreshing summer beverage.http://www.marylandapples.org/recipes_category8.html