How do you make hard cider from scratch?

Making hard cider from scratch involves several steps, including preparing the apples, fermenting the apple juice, and aging the cider. Here's a general guide on how to make hard cider:

Ingredients:

- Fresh apples (a mix of sweet, tart, and bittersweet varieties)

- Yeast (cider or ale yeast)

- Water (optional, if the apples don't produce enough juice)

- Sugar (optional, for sweetness or to increase alcohol content)

- Nutrients for yeast (yeast energizer or nutrient blend)

Equipment:

- Apple press or juicer

- Fermenter (food-grade plastic bucket or glass carboy)

- Airlock and stopper

- Hydrometer and graduated cylinder (for measuring specific gravity)

- Sanitizer (e.g., iodine solution or Star San)

- Bottles for storing the finished cider

Instructions:

1. Harvest and Prepare Apples:

- Harvest ripe, unblemished apples.

- Wash and sort the apples, discarding any rotten or bruised ones.

- Cut the apples into small pieces, removing the cores.

2. Extract Juice:

- Use an apple press or a juicer to extract the juice from the apples.

- If necessary, add some water to the apple pulp and press again to extract more juice.

3. Test and Adjust Specific Gravity:

- Use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of the apple juice.

- Adjust the specific gravity by adding sugar if desired (a higher specific gravity will result in a higher alcohol content).

4. Pitch the Yeast:

- Rehydrate the yeast according to the package instructions.

- Add the rehydrated yeast to the apple juice.

5. Fermentation:

- Transfer the apple juice and yeast mixture to a clean and sanitized fermenter.

- Cover the fermenter with the lid and airlock.

- Ferment the cider at a temperature between 60-75°F (16-24°C) for 1-2 weeks.

6. Monitor Fermentation:

- Regularly check the airlock to ensure it's bubbling, indicating active fermentation.

- Use the hydrometer to measure the specific gravity periodically. Fermentation is complete when the specific gravity stabilizes.

7. Aging:

- Once fermentation is complete, transfer the cider to a secondary fermenter for aging.

- Age the cider for several weeks to several months, depending on the desired flavor profile.

8. Bottling:

- Sanitize the bottles and bottle caps.

- Transfer the aged cider into the bottles, leaving some headspace.

- Seal the bottles with caps.

9. Carbonation (Optional):

- To carbonate the cider, you can add a small amount of sugar or priming sugar to each bottle before sealing. This will induce a secondary fermentation and produce carbon dioxide.

10. Condition and Enjoy:

- Allow the bottled cider to condition at room temperature for a few weeks.

- Store the finished hard cider in a cool, dark place.

- Chill and enjoy!

Remember, making hard cider is a process that requires patience and attention to detail. It's important to maintain cleanliness and sanitize equipment throughout the process to prevent contamination.