Help with my first batch? Steps?

Hey everyone! I was wondering if there was a tutorial on how to make hard cider. I have made beer and I just started getting a taste for cider. So apparently here in MD we have some good fresh cider being made, so I thought I would use that.

So what are the steps that I need to use in order to make some hard cider? What are the things that I need to know to make this hassle free?

Thanks again for all you help!

recordsmith said:

Hey everyone! I was wondering if there was a tutorial on how to make hard cider. I have made beer and I just started getting a taste for cider. So apparently here in MD we have some good fresh cider being made, so I thought I would use that.

So what are the steps that I need to use in order to make some hard cider? What are the things that I need to know to make this hassle free?

Thanks again for all you help!

Click to expand...

cider is easy! You can use wine or cider yeast, or some brave souls like to let it ferment naturally with wild yeast.

What I do- add one crushed and dissolved campden tablet per gallon. Allow to sit overnight, check the OG and add the yeast. Allow to ferment until finished.

I like to rack my ciders and wines when it gets some lees more than 1/4 inch thick, and then don't bottle until clear. I like mine still, so I don't carbonate.

Thanks for the quick reply! It really is that easy? Is it okay to use fresh cider from a farm? I have read that people use stuff from the super market. Is that better to use?
How long do you ferment for? like beer? till the bubbles go down, then rack and let sit more? I guess one step at a time....

Thanks again, I am going to start this ASAP...

recordsmith said:

Thanks for the quick reply! It really is that easy? Is it okay to use fresh cider from a farm? I have read that people use stuff from the super market. Is that better to use?
How long do you ferment for? like beer? till the bubbles go down, then rack and let sit more? I guess one step at a time....

Thanks again, I am going to start this ASAP...

Click to expand...

Yes, you can use farm fresh cider, or supermarket cider. Just make sure you're buying one with NO sorbate, which is a preservative that inhibits fermentation.

I let it ferment until it's finished- and it usually finishes dry. You can rack after the fermentation settles down, and you have some lees on the bottom. As long as it's not clear, and lees are still dropping, it's not ready to bottle. Check the FG at the end, just like you do for beer, to ensure fermentation has stopped.

You could try a less attenuative ale yeast if you want it to finish a little sweeter, but it would probably still finish dry. Then, you can sweeten after fermentation is over by stabilizing- but then you can't carbonate if you do that. You can easily have a still sweet cider, a dry carbonated cider, or a dry still cider- but unless you keg, a sweet carbonated cider can be problematic. It really is easy and fun to experiment with cider!