Picking Your Ingredients
- Pasteurized Cider is preferred. Unpasteurized cider can be used, but may result in funky, tangy flavors.
- Any apple juice or cider (or other fruit juice) can be used, but it must not contain potassium or sodium-based preservatives like potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate! Acidic preservatives like citric acid are ok.
- Typical cider or apple juice will give a finished product around 5% abv.
Preparation
- Mix 1 oz of IO-Star (or Star San) with 1 gallon of cool water in the jug. This sanitizer will kill 99.99% of bacteria within 30 seconds! It foams, so we recommend filling with water first before adding sanitizer and shaking. Set aside leftover sanitizer in a pot or bucket. This can be used for up to one month.
- Juice and yeast should be at room temperature before starting.
Cider-Making Steps
- Pour cider into the jug. If using a funnel, be sure the funnel is clean (preferably sanitized)
- Add 1/2 yeast packet (leftovers can be sealed with tape and put in fridge for another batch)
- Make sure the cider and yeast are room temperature. Too hot or too cold will shock the yeast.
- Insert airlock into rubber bung and insert into jug. Fill airlock with water to fill line (about halfway).
- We recommend loosening the perforated airlock lid, in case the cider builds up too much pressure
- Wait 1 week for fermentation to complete, and 1-2 weeks more for cider to clarify (2-3 weeks total)
- At this point the cider has no oxygen and is safe from bacteria. Leave here until you’re ready to drink.
- When ready, pour gently into pitchers or growlers. Be careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom.
- Store the cider in the fridge and drink as soon as possible for maximum freshness.
If Making Sparkling Cider
- Sanitize bottles with solution before filling.
- Using a small funnel, pour gently into the provided 1L swing-top bottles. Fill to bottom of the neck
- Add three carbonation drops to each bottle and seal the bottle.
- Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks to carbonate. Then move to fridge.
Optional Flavoring Additions (do all before fermentation)
- Dissolve 1/3 Cup brown sugar in 1 Cup heated cider before mixing with cider to boost abv by approx 1%
- Honey or maple syrup are not recommended as they ferment very slowly.
- Steep in heated cider before fermenting: cardamom, peppercorns, clove, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, orange peel, lemon peel.
- Spike your cider with spiced rum for a nice cold weather treat.
- Stevia, sucralose, or xylitol are non-fermentable sweeteners that can be used for sweet cider. Do not add extra sugar or cider before bottling as it will re-activate the yeast. Doing this in a bottle can cause an explosion!
Feel free to email any questions to [email protected].