Apple Cider

Note

In North America, the unfiltered juice is referred to as cider, becoming known as apple juice once filtered; in Britain it is referred to as juice regardless of whether it is filtered or not.

Making and Preserving Apple Cider

Sweet apple cider is made from fresh crushed apples. It is not cooked or chemically preserved. When fermented, “hard” cider (an alcoholic beverage) is produced.

Selecting the apples Select apples that are just ripe for eating. Most ciders are made from a blend of different varieties.

Delicious, McIntosh, Rome, and Gravensteins are commonly used. Tart apples should be used in small proportions; they are a good source of tannic acid that keeps the cider sweet longer, but they also affect the flavor.

Grinding the apples: Wash and rinse the apples before grinding. Grinding is necessary to release the juice from the apples. For small batches, quarter unpeeled apples and run through a kitchen food grinder or chop in a food processor. For large batches, it is faster to rent or borrow a cider mill with crusher attached. Letting the crushed fruit stand for 30 minutes to an hour will yield more cider from the apples.

Pressing the apples: The cider can be pressed from the crushed apples in a cider press. These presses can be rented, purchased, or built at home. Most home presses employ a heavy screw for pressure. Pressure should be applied slowly and evenly. Fresh pressed cider has a cloudy appearance. It should be strained through a clean cloth as it drips from the press into the reservoir pan.

A homemade press for small batches can be made using a strong jelly bag and a rolling pin. The bag should be pressed slowly and steadily to avoid bursting the bag. The process requires more strength and is very slow for large batches. The bag can also be squeezed by hand. Be careful not to break the bag.

Pasteurizing the Juice: Unpasteurized (unheated) apple cider has been linked with illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. If these bacteria are in the feces of deer or cattle, apples that fall on the ground could be contaminated.

Pasteurization kills harmful bacteria. Heat the juice to at least 160 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer that registers in that range, heat the juice until it simmers (when bubbles appear on the surface).

Preserving the Juice: Pasteurized cider can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. For longer storage, freezing is recommended. When freezing, be sure to allow at least a 2 inch head space since the cider will expand during freezing and can rupture the container.

Apple juice may also be canned. Heat the juice to simmering (185 to 210 degrees F). Pour hot juice into jars. Process in a boiling water canner: 5 minutes for pints and quarts; 10 minutes for half gallons. At 1,001- 6,000 feet, process pints and quarts for 10 minutes and half gallons for 15 minutes.