Cider is made by fermenting apple juice, turning sweet juice into a crisp, refreshing drink that can be bone dry or lightly sweet, still or sparkling. (Made with pears instead, it's called perry.) It's one of the easiest brews to start with: press your own fruit, or get excellent results straight from shop bought apple juice.
How cider is made
To make hard cider, you ferment apple juice with a cider or wine yeast. The juice must be 100% apple with no preservatives, because additives like potassium sorbate are designed to stop yeast working. Sanitise your equipment, pitch the yeast, and let it ferment somewhere warm for anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
From there you can sweeten it back for a sweeter finish, or condition it in the bottle with a little priming sugar to make it sparkling. Dry ciders are fermented until all the sugar is gone; sweeter ciders are stabilised or sweetened after fermentation.
Popular styles of cider
Cider · Medium dryTraditional Perry
Traditional perry recipe, real pear cider from pressed pears. About 10kg of fruit per demijohn and worth every aching arm on pressing day.
Cider · DryTraditional Apple Cider
Traditional apple cider recipe from pressed fruit. About 9kg of apples per demijohn, no sugar, no shortcuts, just juice, yeast and time.
Cider FAQs
Can I make cider from shop bought apple juice?
Absolutely. As long as it's 100% apple juice with no preservatives, it makes excellent cider, and it's the easiest way to start.
How long does cider take to make?
Fermentation usually takes 1 to 2 weeks, with a few more weeks to clear and condition. Sparkling cider needs extra time in the bottle to carbonate.
What's the difference between cider and hard cider?
In the UK, 'cider' means the alcoholic drink. In the US, 'cider' often means unfermented apple juice, so the fermented version is called 'hard cider'. It's the same thing.
What yeast should I use?
A dedicated cider, wine or champagne yeast gives the cleanest result, though some brewers use an ale yeast for a fuller body.
How strong is homemade cider?
Most ciders land around 5 to 8% ABV, depending on the sugar content of the juice and whether you add any extra sugar.
Brewing cider?
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