How is apple cider made is a question you will probably only ask if you have several trees in the garden or access to surplus-fruit; perhaps the greengrocer is turfing out a box that has seen better days.
You need 3 or 4 apples per litre of cider. The kick will be determined by how long you decide to let it ferment. A hydrometer will give you an accurate measure of the alcohol-content.
Today we are making a light-brew for a hot summer's day, not one that will be the ruin of your character and give you a headache for a week.
Start by making certain you have a couple trays of ice in the freezer, and two wine bottles of cold-water in the fridge. Cooling the hot wort as quickly as possible is very important.
You will need a packet of dried-yeast later.
I find a pressure-cooker so useful; saves so much time and electricity.
If you have organic-apples that you know have not been sprayed then there is no need to peel them; simply quarter and toss into a large pot.
These came from the greengrocer, were bruised and I would presume had been sprayed, so I peeled them, sliced off the damaged parts, and upped the number of apples to 20.
How is apple cider made is very simple to make badly, but you can make this a real hobby perfecting your brewing techniques.
Like most things making apple cider is an art developed over years if you want a magnificent draft. If you are happy with something less than perfect, then don't fuss too much with the details.
At the end of the day though, if you plan to do something regularly, you might as well learn to do it properly; that means attention to detail, like cooling the wort as quickly as possible, and adding the yeast at the right temperature. You will be happier with the result.
I regularly make a honey brown beer; we avoid using sugar as far as possible. It is called a braggart. I will be experimenting with how apple cider is made to see if I can improve on the usual methods making it a more healthful drink.
Sugar is public enemy number one, and it comes as no surprise that those with raised blood glucose are the ones being targeted by the coronavirus.
Whatever you do, avoid bottled spices as far as you can. Certainly buy small quantities, keep them in the fridge, and use as quickly as possible.
This week I ran out of fresh ginger, and used powdered; the apple cider we made was perfectly ghastly. Four litres went down the drain.
Probably the greatest risk factor to reacting very badly to the coronavirus is raised blood glucose. Pre and frank diabetics need to take great care to drastically reduce all refined carbohydrates, especially at this time; make your apple cider without the sugar, and accept that it will be rather more tart and less alcoholic.
Beer makes a very good servant but a very bad master; and likewise with all alcoholic beverages.
“Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself.”
Elie Wiesel
Bottling beverages like cider and beer in glass containers before you are absolutely certain that fermentation has stopped is highly dangerous; they can explode and seriously injure anybody nearby.
You absolutely must use a hydrometer before bottling in glass. The big plus then is that it will last a good deal longer than a week; in fact it will improve.
Read this page on beer hydrometer readings if you plan to use glass bottles.
So, that is how apple cider is made. It is simple, not so? And very delicious, inexpensive and you can be assured no noxious chemicals have been added. I avoid all food with preservatives, flavour enhancers, and so on.
I confess to being a restless spirit always wanting to be creative, let go of old certainties and perhaps discover something sublime and new. If anything my apple cider lacks it's that sense of sharpness that we love in a good wine.
It may not be achievable in a drink that you make and consume within a few days.
For the future I am going to try adding a little lemon or lime.
A huge stride forward in the making of jams and jellies was the good wife's discovery how much a little lemon juice, giving a slight tartness, adds to the gastronomic delight.
"Every day is an awakening, you will never grow old.
You will just keep growing."
- Gail Sheehy
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