Cider vs. Beer (brewing diffs)

[dpeanut7]

What is the difference between brewing cider and brewing beer? Do you need any extra equipment, or is it just different methods and original materials?

Sorry for such a general question

 

[Golddiggie]

At the most basic level you make cider (same with mead and wine) and brew beer. With cider, mead and wine there's zero need to cook/boil anything. You also, typically, use different yeasts too. You also don't use things like hops in cider, wine and mead.

Look at different recipes to get a more granular difference level.

 

[dpeanut7]

Thanks for the response, I actually made wine prior to my foray into homebrewing, but that fundamental difference makes sense. Thanks a lot.

 

[motobrewer]

creating cider/mead/wine is fermentation-focused.

creating beer is typically thought of (maybe it shouldn't be) as wort-creation focused. you always see "pitch yeast, leave alone for 3 weeks". which, is usually good advice.

 

[WIBeerGeek]

I agree with moto.

My first batch of cider was pretty much, transfer the cider into a sanitized carboy, add a little sugar, add some Nottingham yeast, shake to aerate, and put on a stopper and airlock.

I added a little yeast nutrient the next day at the recommendation of the staff at Northern Brewer, and then let it continue to ferment.

All in all, far easier than brewing beer.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Making beer is extracting fermentable sugars from grain by mashing in heated water. With cider, the simple sugars don't need to be converted and are already in the liquid.

 

[LeBreton]

creating cider/mead/wine is fermentation-focused.

beer is typically thought of as wort-creation focused.

What a great way of putting it!

Another main thing is that do to the high pH and comparatively low nutrients apple juice is far from an ideal environment for yeast. Temperature control, nutrient regulation and yeast selection is crucial.