What is cider made from and how to make apple cider at home? Cider is a wonderful foaming fruit drink that is obtained by fermenting, usually apple juice, less often pear juice or other fruit juice without adding yeast. Unlike apple wine, its strength is 1 - 5 vol%. Therefore, it can be used along with kvass to quench thirst in the hot summer. It’s not particularly difficult to prepare, so we’ll try to tell you how to make apple cider at home.

How to make apple cider at home

The first step in the process of preparing the drink is choosing the variety of apples. For cider, you should use sweet varieties of apples. After all, sugar is necessary for fermentation. For the first time, we will use the white filling variety - due to its wide distribution. It will suit our purposes well. In the future, if you like this drink, you can use apple varieties specifically used in its production.

• Cut the selected apples into four parts. We remove the stalks, core, rot and wormholes. We pass them through a meat grinder with a large mesh to obtain large cake. Place it in a pre-fermentation vessel. No sugar should be added at this stage. Fill the prepared dishes with pulp two-thirds. And we tie the neck with gauze. During the first three to five days, the fermentation process should begin and our cake should be divided into juice, sediment and small particles floating on the surface (if there are enough of them, they can form a crust).
• Let's drain the juice from the sediment. It is convenient to use a flexible tube for this. The juice will flow through it at a low speed, and this way it is easier to separate the sediment.
• The sediment and top crust can be squeezed out through cheesecloth.
• Now you can add sugar. For the first time, add about one hundred grams of sugar per liter of fermented juice. Subsequently, you yourself will determine the amount of sugar that should be added to get a drink to your taste.
• Now our juice should be poured into an airtight container and a water seal should be installed.
• The fermentation process will be completed after the process of gas evolution stops.
• All that remains is to pour the finished cider into bottles, seal tightly and store in a cool place.

Ready cider can be stored for up to three months.

How to make cider from apple juice: step-by-step recipe

Apple juice cider recipe. To make cider from apple juice, we will need a small amount of wine yeast, since wild yeast present on the peel of apples will not be able to take part in the fermentation process.

• Let's prepare the yeast starter. To do this, add 50 grams of wine yeast and two tablespoons of sugar to three liters of undiluted juice, half a glass of water. Stir and leave for an hour to begin the fermentation process.
• Now add the starter to the juice and place it in a warm, dark place for fermentation, installing a water seal.
• After fermentation is complete, drain off the yeast and, after filtering, pour the drink into bottles, not forgetting to carefully cap them.

Now our cider is ready. By changing the amount of sugar added after the preliminary fermentation process, we can get a sweeter drink, but at the same time it is stronger, since some of the sugar will turn into alcohol during the fermentation process. The resulting drink is characterized by the fact that it retains all the beneficial substances present in fresh apple fruits. Slightly effervescent, it perfectly quenches thirst.

Low-alcohol drinks made from natural ingredients are gaining more and more popularity. One of the first on the list of such drinks is apple cider: the benefits and harms of which are of interest to all lovers of sweet and fizzy drinks. This drink is made by fermenting apple juice without adding yeast. Thanks to a fairly simple production technology, apple cider is considered not only tasty, but also very useful due to its natural components.

Benefit

Apple cider contains a large amount of vitamins and beneficial macro- and microelements, and therefore has undeniable benefits for the body. This is due to the fact that all the beneficial properties of the fruits from which it was made are not lost during the production process.

For a long time, healers have used the drink to treat blues (that is, depression) in patients, as well as for diseases of diabetes and the gastrointestinal tract. Afterwards, the healing properties of the product began to be called into question due to the small amount of alcohol it contained. But scientists have confirmed the fact that cider is beneficial for the body, provided it is consumed in small doses.

Cider has a positive effect on the body:

• Activating work in the gastrointestinal tract;
• Dilates blood vessels and normalizes blood pressure;
• Increases appetite;
• Blocks free radicals, thus slowing down the aging process;
• Accelerates the elimination of toxins.

Thanks to these qualities, apple cider normalizes metabolism in the body, that is, it promotes weight loss. The substances contained in the product are actively involved in the breakdown of fats, and this allows it to be used in various types of diets. Nutritionists prescribe that patients drink a glass of low-alcohol alcohol before meals in their diets.

The usefulness of cider depends on the variety of apples and the condition of the fruits themselves. In addition, a drink prepared at home will be much healthier and more natural than a mass-produced one.

Apple cider is used to treat and prevent diseases:

• In the treatment of diabetes;
• For stomach disorders;
• For depression;
• For metabolic disorders.

Apple cider helps the body get rid of poisons of various origins, and the phenolic compounds contained in it help slow down the aging process in the body. Therefore, when drinking cider (in small quantities), a person’s appearance changes significantly for the better: the skin looks young, the hair looks healthy and shiny. Beauty salons use cider to fill baths in which the patient is completely immersed. After undergoing such procedures, the skin becomes soft and velvety, some shallow wrinkles are smoothed out.

Harm

Apple cider contains a small percentage of strength (from 1% to 7-9%). In champagne form, its strength is about 6%. Therefore, it must be remembered that an uncontrolled amount of drinking can cause harm to the body.

Apple cider is a natural product, so it does not contain various harmful or dangerous substances (toxins, carcinogens, food additives, etc.). Although low in calories, the product contains a fairly large amount of carbohydrates due to the sugar content used in production. But this content is completely normal and does not pose a danger to the body.

No other harmful effects of apple cider on the body were found, except for individual intolerance to the components.

Calorie content

The calorie content of this product depends on the amount of sugar added to the drink - dry cider contains about 40 kcal, sweet cider - 47 kcal (per 100 ml of product taken).

The calorie content in 100 ml of the drink is 2% of the recommended daily intake for the average adult.

Contraindications

Drinking apple cider is prohibited for certain diseases:

• For gastric ulcers;
• For chronic intestinal diseases;
• For cholecystitis;
• For hepatitis;
• For pancreatitis.

The drink is contraindicated for consumption by pregnant and lactating women due to its alcohol content. The restriction applies to children under 18 years of age.

The nutritional value

Let's look at the nutritional value of a product as a percentage of the recommended daily requirement (RDI) of an average adult.

Composition of the product weighing 100 ml:

Vitamins and minerals

Apple cider contains tannins and pectin, malic, acetic and citric acid, carbohydrates, trace elements, and polyhydric alcohols.

Name of mineral	Content in product, mg	Percentage to RSP
Calcium	11	1%
Magnesium	1	4%
Sodium	14	1%
Phosphorus	12	1,5%
Iron	0,03	0
Copper	0,015	1%
Zinc	0,30	2%

The drink contains an abundance of vitamin C - 25 mg per 100 ml of cider, which is about 4% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA).

Apple cider is a very harmless, very tasty and, when consumed in moderation, healthy drink. It is recommended to drink no more than 100 g of the drink daily for health benefits and just a good mood.

Apple cider - what is it? Is it harmful? Cider is a huge number of myths and incorrect statements about this product, but it is not very difficult to understand them.

What is cider?

Cider is a low-alcohol apple, or less often pear, drink. Its strength is approximately 5-7 degrees. Special varieties of apples are grown for cider - sweet and sour, which contain a small amount of sugar. Today, more than 45 are suitable for making cider. The most famous and beloved of them: Black Kingston, Fox Cub, Yarlington Mill and many others.

The production of this drink is based on the process of fermentation of apple juice without adding yeast. Based on the varieties of fruit, cider is divided into sweet, semi-sweet, dry, semi-dry and traditional. The drink has a golden or greenish color. It is characterized by an apple scent.

From the history of cider

It is still unknown exactly which country gave this apple drink to all of humanity. The French, Italians and Spaniards are sure that cider is their national product. There are a huge number of legends and myths telling about the production of apple drink.

For example, many associate it with the name of Charlemagne (VIII-IX centuries), who, according to legend, accidentally sat on a bag of overripe and softened apples, causing them to crush. This is how the first cider came about. It is also believed that King Arthur and the navigator James Cook carried a solution closely similar to cider on board their ships as a cure for scurvy.

Most historians still believe that cider is a drink of the inhabitants of Scandinavia. The Celts were sure that it endowed a person with beauty and health and was brought from the lands of eternal youth. People believed so much in the healing properties of this drink that they not only drank it, but also washed their bodies with it. Since the 14th century, churches began to baptize newborns in apple drink, believing that it was much healthier and cleaner than water. Respect for cider began in the 14th century, at the same time John Wycliffe wrote the “Bible of Cider”.

With the creation of the press (13th century) and the beginning of the development of new types of apples, cider production became more modern. Guillaume d'Ursus developed new varieties of apple fruits that tasted much more sour and contained more tannin. Mixing different varieties of apples also made it possible to create new varieties of cider. Thanks to this event, they began to pay more attention to it. In 1855, the personal physician of Charles IX released a treatise that described the medicinal properties and characteristics of cider, as well as methods and technologies for its production.

The first written mention of this drink was seen in the works of Pliny. He described how residents in the valleys of the Nile River in the 13th-15th centuries BC. loved to drink a drink obtained from the fermentation of apples.

But during numerous wars, cider lost its popularity and was destroyed. However, in the 18th century, it regained its popularity among bohemians.

It is believed that this drink has a subtle philosophy. Of course, cider is an alcohol, but if it is properly prepared, it cannot intoxicate.

Homemade cider recipe

You can make your own apple drink in your home kitchen. It is not difficult and is accessible to everyone. So, homemade cider - what is it? How many degrees does it contain? First you need to understand the process of its preparation.

1. The first step is to finely chop the apples of different varieties (or use a food processor to turn them into pulp), first cutting out the cores and removing the seeds. It is important that the fruit is clean, without rot or blackening. It is recommended not to wash apples, unless, of course, they are very dirty, since the peel contains bacteria that help fermentation.
2. The fermentation vessel must be rinsed with warm water and dried. Fill the vessel one third with fruit (a little more is possible). Leave free space in the container for the formation of foam and carbon dioxide.
3. For every kilogram of apples, 100-150 grams of sugar are added. The resulting slurry must be mixed thoroughly.
4. Then you need to tie the neck of the jar with gauze and leave the container in a dark, dry and warm place for about 3-5 days. The contents need to be stirred from time to time.
5. When a pungent smell, foam and hissing appear, you can safely move on to the next stage of cider preparation. Squeeze the juice out of the resulting mixture through a sieve or clean gauze and pour into a jar (or other convenient container). After which you need to install it on the vessel. You can also pull it onto the neck instead of a water seal.
6. The future cider should ferment for 45-70 days in a dark place at a temperature of 18-26 degrees. After the allotted time has passed, sediment will begin to appear at the bottom of the jar, and thanks to the glove, the bubbles will remain inside the vessel. The drink will begin to noticeably brighten.
7. At this stage, it is necessary to filter the apple drink again, preferably through several layers of gauze.
8. The final step involves pouring the cider into cans or bottles and sealing it tightly with a cork or cap. Now all that remains is to wait. After about 3 months, the cider will ripen and be ready for consumption.

The result should be a fragrant color. If the preparation technology was correct, then homemade cider contains approximately 6-7 degrees. This drink is very easy to drink. It doesn't cause a hangover. 100 ml of cider contains approximately 115-120 kilocalories.

This cider recipe is relevant in Russia, but the French and English, for example, like to make cider without adding sugar or yeast. The drink turns out natural and is perfect for those who love a sour taste.

The benefits of cider

Many people think that cider is beer. But as soon as a person tries a high-quality apple drink, his opinion will change dramatically. He will be able to answer the question of cider - what kind of drink it is.

Since ancient times, according to written sources, people have used cider as a cure for scurvy and gout. Today, doctors also believe that this tasty drink in moderate quantities is very beneficial for humans. It helps cope with stomach diseases, removes kidney stones, helps to lose excess weight, significantly slows down the aging process, removes toxic substances from the body, which is very useful for digestion and normalization of metabolism and blood pressure, and increases appetite.

Spa salons today also use cider, making baths based on it. And clients see the result immediately: the skin becomes much softer, more velvety, more tender, very “young” wrinkles are completely smoothed out. Isn't this happiness for women!

Contraindications and harm of cider

Cider is a drink containing alcohol. Consuming it in large quantities will be harmful to health.

Like all alcoholic drinks, cider is not recommended for expectant mothers, women who are breastfeeding, as well as people with hepatitis, pancreatitis, intestinal or stomach ulcers. For such patients, doctors recommend limiting the consumption of cider or giving it up altogether, since in these diseases this apple drink can lead to deterioration of health. If you're trying it for the first time, be careful. In this case, you should not consume it in large quantities, since individual intolerance to the components included in the drink may occur.

How to drink cider correctly

True gourmets believe that cider, like any alcoholic drink, has its own technology for proper consumption, which you need to know in order to taste the whole bouquet and feel the aroma.

Many people call cider a foamy drink, but if you pour it into a glass, there will be no foam because it melts instantly. To prevent this from happening, you need to bottle it according to the rules.

First, you need to raise the bottle of drink as high as possible above the glass (1 meter is the ideal distance). You need to pour so that the stream of drink breaks against the walls of the glass. As a result, the cider will begin to foam, and it is at this time that you need to drink it before the foam disappears. Many people advise drinking the drink in one gulp.

Secondly, in order to feel all the notes of apple flavor, experts recommend drinking cider chilled.

Thirdly, it is advised not to drink it completely, as a small sediment remains at the bottom.

How to serve cider drink

The glasses used for cider are completely different. For example, in England and Germany they use regular apple drinks, while in France they prefer wine glasses. In Normandy and Brittany, considered the birthplace of cider, ceramic bowls are used for this invigorating drink.

What's best to use as a snack?

True gourmets choose special snacks for each type of cider. For example, fish, hare and poultry meat, and beef are good for the dry variety. Traditional cider reveals its taste well in combination with cheese and game meat. In Normandy, people like to drink cider with fresh seafood. But one thing is for sure: fruit goes perfectly with cider.

How to choose quality cider in a store

By reading the label, you can immediately tell whether it is a good cider. A high-quality apple drink should not contain yeast, flavorings or dyes. Under no circumstances should it be sweet or contain extraneous flavors uncharacteristic of an apple.

Cider is a traditionally Southern European drink. In our country, grape rather than fruit wines were much more popular. And the products that have appeared on the shelves in recent years, supposedly fermented according to original recipes, do not stand up to criticism. Yes, we have no time for that, we take a couple of buckets of apples, and...

Homemade apple cider - general technological principles

Apple cider is a light alcoholic drink that can be prepared at home, even without using special equipment. It is enough to have a meat grinder or any other kitchen chopper on hand, a large container for preparing wort and several glass bottles with a water seal installed on them. Gauze is also useful for filtration.

The technology for making homemade cider from apples consists of the following stages:

1. collection, selection and preparation of fruits suitable for preparing a drink;

2. obtaining juice from the original product;

3. preparation and fermentation of wort;

4. direct fermentation;

5. removing sediment from the semi-finished drink and filtering it;

6. bottling and infusion of the finished product.

To make delicious cider, you should take well-ripened fruits. They should not show signs of rot or wormholes, otherwise the drink will be spoiled. It is advisable not to wash the fruits before use; they are wiped with a linen towel so as not to remove the so-called wild yeast from the fruits, which promotes faster fermentation.

You can use almost any apple. By combining different varieties, each time you get a new taste, aroma and color of the prepared drink. Traditionally, it is customary to take one part sour to two parts sweet fruits.

To obtain juice, prepared fruits are crushed unpeeled and left until the puree separates into pulp and juice, which is then decanted.

Sugar is added to the squeezed juice and left for further fermentation. But there are recipes for apple cider at home without necessarily adding sugar. The fermentation process in this case is delayed for several days. The prepared wort is placed under a water seal for a while. After gas ceases to be released from it, the finished cider is filtered and sent to age in a cool place, sealed in a clean container.

Often, homemade apple cider is made with other fruits, such as pears, spices, lemon zest or honey.

The simplest recipe for apple cider at home

This is how they prepare an intoxicating, sweetish drink, the color of honey, with a strength of up to 12%. It is also called “hangover-free” because it is easy to drink and in reasonable doses does not remind you of yourself the next morning.

Ingredients:

10 kg of aromatic, always ripe apples;

Sugar – 1.5 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Remove the stems from the fruit and wipe well with a linen napkin, cut into slices and, together with the peel and seeds, grind in a meat grinder. If you have a food processor or blender, it is better to use them.

2. Rinse three-liter glass jars thoroughly with baking soda in hot water, scald with boiling water and wipe dry with a towel. Fill the containers at least 2/3 full with applesauce. The approximate weight of the apple juice in the bottle is 2.5 kg.

3. Pour sugar into each jar, calculating 100–150 grams. per kilo of fruit puree. Take into account the initial sweetness of the product. The prepared wort should taste moderately sweet, but not seem cloying, much less sour.

4. Stir, tie the necks with 4 layers of gauze. Place for fermentation in a place inaccessible to direct sunlight, but not too cool, for 4 days. Mix the contents of the jars well every day, trying to mix the layer of pulp that has accumulated on top with the apple juice as best as possible.

5. After 4 days, pour the contents of the jars into a clean container, straining it through a metal sieve, and squeeze the apple pulp into it.

6. Install a water seal on the container and remove the cider for further fermentation for 36 days in a room without access to light. The air temperature in it should not exceed 27 degrees and fall below 18 degrees.

7. When the drink stops producing bubbles, becomes noticeably lighter in color, and sediment has settled to the bottom of the container, the apple cider is ready.

8. Filter it through 4–5 layers of gauze, pour it into clean containers up to the neck and seal tightly.

9. Let the drink mature for three months in a cold room or refrigerator, and only then take the first sample.

How to make apple cider without sugar (from juice)

This is a classic Western European recipe. According to rumors, this is the drink that was served in taverns during the times of the musketeers. It is prepared without added sugar and is considered a pure, natural drink. To prepare, you will need a juicer, since the drink is made from juice.

Ingredients:

Ripe sweet apples

Cooking method:

1. Cut off the tails of fruits and do not rinse. If you still have to wash them, wipe them dry, put them in one layer in a box and leave them to stand for at least three days.

2. Then squeeze the juice out of them using a juicer. Do not peel or cut out the seeds, they are also necessary. Pour all the juice into a large saucepan and leave for 24 hours at normal room temperature.

3. After this, drain it from the sediment, pour it into a fermentation container with a narrow neck and install a water seal. Keep the strained juice in a dark place at 20–27 degrees for at least five days, until it stops fermenting.

4. Using a straw, so as not to capture the sediment that has settled at the bottom, pour the semi-finished drink into prepared dry bottles or glass jars and seal them hermetically. Place the containers in a cool room and leave for four months. The optimal holding temperature is from 6 to 12 degrees Celsius.

5. Filter the ready-to-drink drink again and bottle it for further storage.

6. The shelf life of cider prepared in this way, when stored in a basement or refrigerator, can last up to three years.

Homemade apple cider recipe, no sugar

This technique is quite labor-intensive. The fermentation rate slows down due to the lack of sugar, but if the technology is followed, the result, as they say, is worth the candle.

Ingredients:

Sweet aromatic apples – 2 kg;

Cooking method:

1. Cut the sorted, unwashed, thoroughly wiped apples into slices, twist in a meat grinder and transfer to a large stainless steel container. You can use a food processor, but you should not use a juicer, as you need the juice and all the pulp to prepare the drink. If there is no other option, and the juicer is still in use, do not throw away the pulp, but mix it with the juice immediately after squeezing.

2. After stirring well, cover the top of the container with several layers of gauze and secure it well. Keep the apple mass in a warm place for at least a week, until a dense cap of risen pulp forms on the surface. Then strain everything well on a sieve and squeeze the cake well to extract the remaining juice. There won't be much of it, but it's needed.

3. Pour the strained liquid into a clean three-liter jar, install a water seal on the neck and leave in a warm place without light for up to 2 months.

4. When the fermentation process has completely stopped, filter the apple cider, carefully draining the drink from the sediment, and package it in clean bottles or jars. Seal tightly and store in a fairly cool place.

Recipe for homemade apple cider with honey

If you want to treat yourself to an unusual honey cider, then set out to make a sparkling, apple-honey drink. This method is even more troublesome, and you will have to perform many additional steps, but the result will be a completely original, incomparable cider with an apple-honey aroma.

Ingredients:

1.5 kg of light viscous honey;

Six liters of spring or simply well-purified water;

8 kg of selected sweet apples.

Cooking method:

1. Cut clean, unwashed, towel-wiped apples into small slices. Take gauze, fold it in several layers and sew a bag of a suitable size into which you place the apple slices. Tie the free edges of the linen container tightly and place it in a large enamel, earthenware, or wooden container.

2. Place a wooden circle with 3-centimeter holes drilled on top and place a weight - a 10-liter bucket filled with water.

3. Boil the prepared drinking water and cool it. Then dilute the honey well in it and pour the prepared honey syrup into a saucepan with apples, cover with gauze and put away for fermentation for 35 days in a cool place, excluding light.

4. After this, carefully drain the liquid into a clean bowl and leave, and fill the pulp remaining in the bag with the same honey syrup, quantitatively equal to the drained liquid, and again leave for 35 days.

5. Drain the cider again, but into another clean container, leaving that too. Pour the same newly prepared syrup into the pan again and keep it for the same time, under the same conditions, strain.

6. Mix the freshly strained cider with the previously drained drink, stir and let sit. Be patient, it needs to be kept cool for at least nine months.

7. Drain the finally fermented homemade apple cider from the sediment and leave it in the cold for another four weeks, tightly sealed in a clean container.

How to make cider from apples and pears with spices

The recipe does not use sugar. In order not to slow down the fermentation of the product, take well-ripened sweet pears and sour varieties of apples.

Ingredients:

Sweet ripe pears – 5 kg;

7 kg of any aromatic apples, ripe;

Coriander seeds;

Elderberry flowers.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the fruits, cut them into small slices and pass through a meat grinder using the finest rack. Transfer the fruit puree into a large enamel saucepan, cover with gauze and refrigerate for 2 days. Be sure to stir the fruit puree well every five hours to ensure the product ferments evenly. Then place a wooden circle on top of the fruit mass and place a weight on top.

2. Pour the released juice into a glass or any other container and measure its amount. Mix it with the same volume of boiled water and leave to ferment for a week, installing a water seal on the neck of the container.

3. Tie the spices in a gauze bag, lower it into the cider that has not yet finished fermenting and leave under the water seal until fermentation stops. Then strain, seal in suitable containers and leave in a cool place for another month.

A quick recipe for apple cider at home

The accelerated method for producing homemade cider from apples differs significantly from the established technology, but the drink is no less tasty and can be consumed within a week.

Ingredients:

10 liters of filtered water;

2 kg sugar;

Selected ripe small apples – 8 kg;

Two large lemons.

Cooking method:

1. Halve the apples, cut out the core from the fruit and place them in a suitable container.

2. Fill the fruit halves with water and add the lemon zest, finely grated. Tie the pan with gauze folded in 4-5 layers and place it close to heat for a week. Don't forget to stir the contents at least once a day.

3. Strain the brewed drink several times, pour it into liter or larger bottles and cool. Immediately after this, the cider can be drunk.

How to make apple cider for a children's party (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients:

Two spoons of honey;

One large orange;

Cinnamon sticks – 2 pcs.;

Five carnation umbrellas;

1.2 kg of ripe, sweet and sour apples.

Cooking method:

1. Squeeze the juice out of thoroughly washed apples using any available method and pour it into a saucepan.

2. Add spices and bring to a boil. Then cool slightly, add honey and stir until it is completely dissolved.

3. Place the container on the fire again, without bringing it to a boil, and boil the non-alcoholic cider for another 10 minutes. Then cool and strain cold.

4. Serve well chilled, garnish cups or glasses with orange rings.

Homemade apple cider recipe (from home drying)

Ingredients:

One kilogram of homemade dried apple fruits;

10 liters of clean drinking water;

A small handful of dark raisins.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the apple peel, light, dry with cold water, but do not rinse thoroughly. Place in a container of sufficient volume and fill with boiled cold water.

2. Cover the top of the container with gauze and place it in a cool room for six days until the fermentation process begins.

3. Strain the wort, pour it into a glass container, add raisins, install a water seal and leave in the same room for another month, until the wort stops fermenting.

4. Filter the finished drink 3-4 times and only then pour it into clean containers with tight-fitting lids. Store in the refrigerator or basement.

Homemade apple cider - cooking tricks and useful tips

Preparing homemade cider according to these recipes involves obtaining a “still” non-carbonated drink. To make cider carbonated, the drink removed from the sediment is poured into clean plastic or glass containers with lids, not filling 6 cm to the neck. First, sugar is poured into an empty container at the rate of 10 grams. per liter of volume. The filled containers are tightly sealed and placed in a dark place for 12–15 days, making sure to check the gas pressure once a day.

Cider is a French apple wine that is widely popular and much loved by home winemakers around the world. Below we will talk about simple recipes for making apple cider at home that even a novice winemaker can master.

Homemade apple cider - a simple recipe

Using the technique from this recipe, you can make not only classic apple cider, but also preparations from pears and other fruits.

For the richest taste of the drink, it is best to use a mixture of sour and sweet apples in a 1:2 ratio, but this proportion can be varied depending on personal preferences.

Ingredients:

• sugar – 1.4 kg;
• apples – 10.5 kg.

Preparation

Before you make apple cider, you need to prepare the apples themselves. Each fruit is wiped with a dry cloth in order to get rid of heavy dirt. Please note that the fruits are not washed, since there are live yeast on their surface, which will provoke fermentation. The pureed apples are left warm and dry for a couple of days to start fermentation. Afterwards, remove the stems and leaves from the apples, twist or grind them in a blender into puree, add sugar. Of course, add sugar to the mixture according to taste, but the finished wort should not be cloying.

Transfer to a clean fermentation container and leave in a warm place for three days. The wort is stirred daily. After the allotted time, the future cider is filtered, squeezing out the cake, after which the liquid is poured into another clean container and a glove with a pierced finger is put on the neck, or a water seal is installed.

When fermentation is complete, homemade apple cider is carefully strained, bottled and sealed.

Cider made at home

The easiest way to make apple cider is to use freshly squeezed juice as a base.

Since fresh juice contains pulp, before starting preparation it is left to stand for a couple of days in a warm place, and then carefully drained from the sediment. The strained juice is poured into a clean fermentation container and left under a water seal (glove) for the next month. Fermentation should also take place in a warm and dry place. When fermentation is complete, the cider is carefully poured into another container through a straw, sealed and left to ripen for another month. Then you can move on to tasting.

It is better to store the ripened drink in closed bottles in a cool place. Its shelf life can reach three years.

Easy homemade apple cider

This recipe is so easy that you don't even need to remember the exact quantities of ingredients. Just add enough apples of different varieties to fill the fermentation container by a third.

Remove the core and separate the apples into small pieces. As in the first recipe, there is no need to wash the apples, just wipe them with a dry cloth, be sure to make sure that the fruits are intact and without signs of rotting. Add a handful of sugar to make the apples give more juice. A few raisins will also help speed up fermentation. If the apples are not too juicy, it is permissible to add a little water, but keep in mind that this will affect the taste of the drink and make it less rich.

Next, a pierced glove is put on the neck of the fermentation container. When fermentation is complete, as indicated by a deflated glove, carefully drain the cider using a suitable tube, being careful not to disturb the sediment. Leave the pure, finished drink to mature for a couple of weeks.