a valid recipe?

5 gallons of filtered, pasteurized apple juice
a spoonful of tannin (optional)
a package of freeze-dried Pasteur champagne yeast
about another ½ gallon of juice (less, if you want the cider less carbonated)
an air-tight brewing bucket with an air lock
rubber tubing to siphon the cider when bottling
used non-twist-off beer bottles, cleaned carefully
new bottle caps and a bottle capper



Put 5 gallons of juice into your fermenting bucket, add the tannin and the yeast, stir, and seal. Let it ferment at room temperature for a week or so until it stops bubbling. Add the rest of the juice to supply carbonation. Bottle. It'll be ready to drink in a week or two. Serve cold.




It's my first time brewing...anything. I'm not looking for anything difficult and I thought I'd give this a shot as it seems simple enough. Any input (especially in regards to the alcoholic strength)? Thanks guys!

Looks okay, but you'll want to let it age for much longer than a week before bottling. Make sure you rehydrate the yeast before pitching it. I think the ABV would be between 6 and 7 percent with no added sugar.

Go to the wine discussion forum on this site and read the thread "I love apfelwein," it should help a lot.

I wouldn't use champagne yeast- it'll ferment too dry for a cider. Use an ale yeast or a cider yeast, if you can find it. And, two weeks is not really a reasonable amount of time. yes, you'll have alcoholic apple juice but it won't be very good. After a couple of months, it'll be clear and smooth with a great taste.

Otherwise, you've got the procedure down pretty well!

Lorena