Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on September 19, 2015: If you add sugar before it is completely stable, it will start fermenting slowly again and probably not fall clear. want carbonated 1\2 ts sugar per 500ml an cap. Some are less acidic than others. Warm on low for 30 minutes or more. After a day or two, when it is bubbling well, pour it into a 25-litre drinking water vessel (the type that fits on the water dispensers). Before fermentation, it is masked by the sugar in the juice. I read somewhere that it could give a nice, different flavour. Why not stir the yeast in? Answer: Cider yeast is best for cider if you can get it. Baker's yeast tends to be a much faster starter than wine yeast and doesn't take long to get going. Replace the cap and shake and swirl the contents vigorously until they are well mixed. Turn your home into Your Own Brewery Explore. Hope that helps! After about 3 weeks, I bottle. Karen Tegner from South Africa on April 19, 2020: Hi Dave, there are so many people trying your recipie here in SA including myself. most bread yeasts tast like crap in brews , also bout 1/4 cup brown an 1/4 cup white suger per 2 litres will give you a brew bout 10% after 4 -6 days . iggyboy - if you are going for wine strength, you'll get a more balanced result if you go 50:50 apple and grape juice. It is likely that the preservatives would stop the fermentation. This works and works well. Here’s a little piece of info you may not know about me, but years ago, I used to be a candle maker. I'm so excited to try this! Sterilisation is vital if you are making cider by traditional methods. But it also makes it impossible for airborne bacteria or wild yeasts (or fruit flies!) It worked really well. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on November 26, 2017: There should be no need. Is this just as safe without one? Today is 4th day and it's already taste like Magners. It should be fairly dry. Although at this time, it will be very thin and filmy. Or could I add a couple of raisins to the apple juice? Answer: Yes, you can. Tiny apple solids floating in the juice turn color when exposed to air, giving cider that gorgeous caramel color and opaque look." give it a bit longer. Pasteurized apple cider will not ferment properly because the yeasts have been killed by heat. Do you think it will? No surprise that it didn't start. The juice will concentrate and sweeten, so the longer it's on there, the sweeter it will be. Both were pure. Answer: It usually starts within a few hours. If there are no preservatives, the juice will usually have been pasteurised to stabilise it. Thanks so much for the feedback. An apple juice glaze pairs well with vegetable and meat dishes, especially pork and chicken, as well as desserts. I've heard brewers yeast can be used for a healthier alternative, is the correct. Always better to use fresh ingredients in the future. The whole process at least three or four weeks, I see no need to hurry it. Question: I have started with 5 liters in a plastic container. Making homemade hard apple cider from juice is probably one of the simplest recipes for homebrew. On the plus side, the longer slower fermentation often results in higher quality. All the better, for my supermarket stopped selling cider apart from the Heineken 'Apple Bandit' variety. It’s also incredibly refreshing and delicious. Also when we finished our first batch, the yeast had settled at the bottom of the bottle, making the last bit undrinkable. Totally flat ale is a pretty rare offering. Yeast needs nutrients and acid. flat beer is to nobody's liking "? no apple cider is not just the juice its the skin the pulp and all. below 20C. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on June 19, 2016: cider Bhoy - you might get away with it but probably not. The softer dessert and cooking varieties tend to crush to a sloppy pulp with cloudy juice which is no good for cider. Refrigerate before opening, open carefully, and you should be OK. The yeast population is now far larger than the original teaspoonful and the rising carbon dioxide bubbles keep everything in motion. Answer: If you add sugar (or raisins) before it is perfectly clear with no haze or sediment it will simply start to ferment and will end up dry again and a bit stronger. So still cider is an accepted style, while flat beer is always a failure. If you don't, then you will need to add sulphite to sterilise it. But if you added sugar before bottling it is likely to referment in the bottles, especially if you keep them at room temperature. Question: Will it make a difference in the taste of the cider to use cider yeast? I make your grape juice wine on a regular basis now and it is absolutely FAB! So today was the big day. It's best not to place the flagon on the windowsill. Hi Dave, I have made your cider a couple of times a few years ago, but it was a bit dry for my taste. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on February 16, 2019: KurdiBairn - good idea, some of the best ciders are cloudy. This will help dissipate the foam. So are you able to bottle and add carbonation drops to make this fizzy after fermentation is finished? 1. I found that it didn't separate from the sediment very well and even after a day in a binbag filled with ice and another day and half in my sink filled with ice, it still had some levels of sediment appearing at the bottom of the new bottles. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on February 14, 2018: Wob - It should work fine, but make sure that the juices have no preservatives. This looks like a great idea, I'll be starting a batch this evening. I have no idea what i could have done wrong. I am looking forward to having a crack at your cider recipe . Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on February 26, 2017: Balisteve - I state quite clearly that better results are obtained with wine yeast and in fact the one I recommend is originally a Champagne yeast. At room temperature, it will continue to ferment right through to dryness and will build up CO2 pressure in the bottle. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on January 29, 2018: OK, I think it is not going bad, but you probably are sensitive to the smell of fermenting bakers yeast, which is quite sharp on the nose! Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on April 29, 2020: Denzil - a 1/4 tsp /litre is plenty. So what I would do is get like a small bag of apples maybe 5-10 # (pounds) wash em, deseed em but keep the skin on cook the apples in a simple syrup (1part sugar, 1part water(= amounts))and cook until soft then puree. Apple Juice and Apple cider can both be pasteurized or unpasteurized. Which on do you think or do you have any other suggestions. Choose ingredients with no presevatives or boil if they do. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on October 03, 2015: Douglas - there is no risk of blindness from fermenting fruit juice. They weren't frozen nor boiled so is contamination certain? Great recipe! Hello Dave! Leave the juice in the bowl to cool to room temperature and then taste it. I use preservative-free cloudy brown apple juice from Whole Foods, and add half a pound of light brown sugar per gallon, then an M2 cider yeast. I used 2 and a half teaspoons yeast. Basic steps to creating your own Cider from only apple juice (fresh or from concentrate) and yeast. Thank you very much! I've just had a little taste of my cider and it's perfect! Use at least twice as much juice as the total volume of glaze you wish to make. Wine yeast is always a slower starter than baking yeast but it more than holds its own in the main fermentation stage. Now, it didn't say anything about preservatives, but is that okay? Then protect that opening from insects and debris by covering it with a cheesecloth. But I would recommend perfecting 5-litre quantities before going for 25. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on May 18, 2020: Ethan - both juices should work but it is up to you to read the label carefully and make sure there are no preservatives included. You can increase the alcohol by adding sugar at the start, but this increases the chances of stopping the fermentation early, leaving an oversweet drink, because of the relatively low alcohol tolerance of baker's yeast. Can I just add sugar to make it palatable? Answer: Six days is long enough for it to have fermented to dryness. Wash out your 5 litre water bottle with cool boiled water. supermarket juice , as you described and a good wine yeast, end result resembles a rose; nice chilled. Now you're talking apple juice. When crushed in a mill, the juice runs clear. I'm also making wine but that just smells like sulfur which i know is normal. After that, proceed exactly as with the single flagon. this is the third time my hooch went bad and all the while I thought I just wasn't clean enough. But there are many countries where wine yeast is simply not available. There are many ways to refine the process but my aim here is to present a simple reliable method to get people started. How to create your own Turbo Cider. Drain the apple juice through the strainer. Obviously if you used a blender, this step will take longer. When crushed in a mill, the juice runs clear. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on October 15, 2018: Iluka - If you add sugar it will almost certainly start to ferment again. I prefer to use natural apple juice, unsweetened. The cider bought in the supermarket has no alcohol. Apple juice left to ferment for a few months will turn into something undeniably boozy, but it’ll be flat too. Sweetener and syrups? Herbs? When the fermentation has slowed to one or two bubbles per second, typically after five days, taste it using a drinking straw. When you're happy with the dryness, tighten the cap and put the flagon in the refrigerator (not the freezer!) You’ll notice that cider is darker than apple juice, and can have sediment that settles at the bottom of its container. tip , use champagne or at least white wine yeast . I'm guessing it's the former. True cider apples are extremely hard, even when ripe. How can I make it a little sweeter? Set on the stove and turn the burner to warm. I did add a bit of sugar before siphoning and bottling. Apple cider is apple juice that has not been filtered and still contains all the apple pieces, pulp, and sediment. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on August 31, 2016: Tobias - yes. Are you using a wine yeast or a baking yeast? If oxygen is introduced, the alcohol will become vinegar. Adding sugar will increase the fermentation time and result in a stronger cider, but it would taste unbalanced and too alcoholic. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on May 08, 2016: Hi Dougie - It can still fall clear and probably will, after about two days in the fridge. This is normal. Not usually a good idea. The original question is whether or not the apple juice can turn into alcohol, which it cannot. Better results can be obtained with fresh apples, wine yeast, and a great deal more work and knowledge. Which was it? This lends a freshness to the taste, even in the absence of gas. Fermentation. What temperature do I need to get it to in order to stop fermentation? Since the vinegar fermentation process is an aerobic one, you want as much of the surface area of the apple cider exposed to the air as possible. In the first step the naturally occurring yeasts, present on the skins of the apples, turn the raw apple cider into hard cider or apple wine. Finally, replace the cap but this time keep it loose so the gas can keep escaping. Having said that, it doesn't need to be kept in the dark either. Apple cider vinegar is primarily made from apple cider, the alcohol in the cider having been oxidized to produce the vinegar. But if you are going to do this, you should sterilise the large vessel before use. It'll just take longer. Cheers! (The reason for this is to make a little room in the container.). However in the UK (even Scotland) traditional ale is a flavorsome drink and has no need for gas and refrigeration give it "sharpness or life". Question: How long will it take for wine yeast to start fermenting? You'll notice that the juice has gone cloudy. It's the same kind you used in the picture, although it may be an old bag, not sure. As an added benefit, your house will smell awesome. Is the yeast I'm using infected? Store it in a dark cupboard at room temperature. Next, my kiddos take turns turning the apples into cider. Answer: I'm assuming you mean 200 grams, not 200 milligrams? It may prove tough here since we rarely get over 20-Celsius, but I figure no harm in letting it sit for 4-6 days before refrigerating. I don't know how to thank you Paraglider. Could it be that I didn't use enough yeast...quarter teaspoon? Philip from South Africa on April 13, 2020: We have a 5 week lock down here in South Africa and no access to alcohol so I am trying your Apple juice and Yeast cider recipe. Yes, apple cider and apple juice are very different. ok I add 1 cup of sugar on the same bottle dissolve it and add 1 spoon of yeast after 6 hr it ferment like crazy, after 11 days I decant it to another bottle using modify hose stick then put it in freezer for 4hr bcoz no access to refrigerator .. then I start drinking I can feell little buzz but cant get high.. should I use airlock. Check the label. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on February 24, 2015: Sugar on its own doesn't ferment well. Question: How long will it last being stored and does it need to be stored in the fridge? Add the two packages yeast and two cups granulated sugar. Another good one is a little cranberry juice, not too much. When serving, pour carefully to avoid disturbing the sediment. Hi Dave - got 9 litres bubbling away since Sunday in 2x5l flaggons. Pressing apples into cider has become an Autumn tradition for our family. Thanks!!!! 5. Apple juice and yeast are the only essential ingredients, but there are a few other ingredients that can be added in order to alter the final product. Apple cider and apple juice differ as cider is unfiltered and contains pulp which explains its murky color. What is the total quantity of juice? Question: I've bottled my first attempt and siphoned into sanitized 500ml coke bottles. and lastly, how do I guarantee the cloudyness will subside? after 2 days, pour it into a 5-litre drinking water vessel. However, this is a hit & miss process and not to be recommended. Options: you can sweeten it with sugar just before drinking it; you can sweeten it with an artificial sweetener which won't ferment; or, you can add a chemical stabilizer (I prefer not to do this). Excellent! Strongbow is my favorite. Also, read more about what is the difference between the apple cider juice and the apple cider vinegar. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on April 13, 2015: I've used Masafi in the past. Turn off the burner and spoon or ladle the apple mixture with juice into the strainer. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on January 06, 2018: Qatar, not Saudi - a much more civilised country! They are all fascinating. Traditional ‘real cider’ makers would do nothing with it at this stage, and wait for the natural yeasts which you hope are already present on the apples to do their job and get fermenting. It will settle down in a day or so and will be fine. The screw cap should always be backed off enough to let gas escape. baker's. Question: I followed the recipe to the letter. Choose ingredients with no presevatives or boil if they do. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on July 23, 2020: Dave B - it should work OK. They then use a tamper to feed or press the apples into the cutter- which separates the apples' juice from the pulp. The great advantage of fermenting in the original container is that there are no sterilisation worries. Question: Can this cider recipe also be used for store-bought apple and blackcurrant juice? Thanks! Once opened, I'd recommend using it within a week. I'm using Al-Marai apple juice. You can also experiment with some lemon or grapefruit juice for acidity. Replace the cap. (Some additional vitamin C is no problem.) When it is bubbling well, e.g. But you can be assured that it is perfectly wholesome because you know exactly what went into it: no preservatives, no chemicals, just juice and yeast. Although first attempt very good, I found this slightly bland, is there a way of giving it a little more character, I've read somewhere that tea can be added. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on January 13, 2018: This is not normal. It has become solid and thick at this stage! Step 2. I wait three days to allow them to continue fermenting and carbonating, then preheat the filled, capped bottles in hot sink water for a few minutes, then put them in 180 degree F water in a big pot on the stove. I'll check back in in a few days & give you an update. Today, typical Swiss cider consists of fermented apple juice mixed with 30% fresh juice which is added for sweetness. Answer: If you want to store it, pour it off its sediment into fresh plastic soda bottles and cap tightly. This method uses sterile pasteurised juice in a new container, opened once only to add the yeast, after which there is positive pressure from inside, forcing CO2 out through the loosely fastened screw cap. Total time should be about the same. You don't have to publish this. Options: you can sweeten it with sugar just before drinking it; you can sweeten it with an artificial sweetener which won't ferment; or, you can add a chemical stabiliser (I prefer not to do this). It is good practice to pour the clear cider off its sediment into new bottles especially if you are planning to keep it for a few weeks. It tastes a little bit on the weak side. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on May 05, 2020: Hi Mia - If you add sugar (or raisins) before it is perfectly clear with no haze or sediment it will simply start to ferment and will end up dry again and a bit stronger. Choose Ingredients. The brand of apple juice doesn't matter, but make sure there are no added preservatives, as these could prevent it from fermenting. Question: So, my flagon (bottle) for making cider, and it has been sitting for 5 days and still has a slurry on top. Cloudiness & slurry have formed. I can’t imagine dumping 5 gallons of finished product just because of taste so...can I turn it into … There's really no other cause, assuming everything is perfectly clean. I did tweek the recipe a bit by using dextrose instead of sugar , racking then chilling and finally clarfying with a little egg white mixture and racking again. Just for future reference, after I try this a few times I'd like to try and increase the alcohol content. Damn those marketing geniuses at the grocery store! I would like to brew about 25 liters using a home brew fermenting bin and store in a pressure keg, is there any difference in procedure. I've followed all the instructions but no bubbling at all yet. And its so expensive because it takes like 20 # of apples to make 1 gallon. At some point through the years, the words “apple cider” evolved to mean something different here in the United States as opposed to the rest of the world. Just racked it after 2 weeks, had a few mouthfuls to test and must say very nice still had apple flavour and some extreme amount of alcohol. I gobbled up all your articles yesterday. Quality: This cider is not meant to win any prizes. Apple juice can sit unopened in your cabinet for months, but apple cider is perishable and should be refrigerated. Brown sugar or honey are OK but certainly alter the taste. A scientist turned engineer, Dave started making wine in 1970. If you have judged your end point well, it will have a slight sparkle when poured, giving a freshness to the taste. Dave McClure (author) from Kyle, Scotland on December 21, 2019: Yes, that would be cold enough to stun it. no apple cider is not just the juice its the skin the pulp and all. I put them in the fridge and have noticed there is still a bit of sediment on the bottom of the bottles. This will make it sparkle when opened. Serve hot or cold, but pour the cider through a strainer to catch out those whole cloves before drinking. You will have lost some in frothing over but nothing should be spoiled. Thanks for the suggestion. Do I throw it away, or is this normal. Some people like it. Cool and taste the apple juice. Question: Can cider be stored out of the fridge once it's been made like wine can? I'll fix the article. So it's been four days now and I just tried it for the first time and it has very little taste. Clean the cap and the neck of the bottle using cotton wool soaked in boiled water. It is sour as freak but that's still drinkable. I did just under a half turn because a quarter seemed too tight but I check up on it every few hours and the plastic bottle really expands and I'm scared it's gonna blow!