How to homebrew cider how to#
How to homebrew cider full#

Freecycle is the best source I can find for old-fashioned glass demijohns, and people are often giving away bottles, buckets, and other unwanted brewing items, it’s well worth posting a ‘wanted’ notice, these have served me very well for supplies in the past.Ī quick totting up suggests you can get all you need for less than a tenner, and nearly everything except the apple juice is re-usable over and over (or at least, in the case of yeast and steriliser, for a good few batches!).

How to homebrew cider full#

I tend to use for most of my home-brew purchases, Amazon and eBay are also full of useful retailers for odd bits and bobs. There are also lots of home-brew suppliers on the Internet, of course. If you’re lucky enough still to have a local home-brew shop, now is the time to go and make friends! You’ll get tons of helpful advice and guidance, and while the item costs are likely to be higher than from web retailers, you save on postage which can be a big consideration with small purchases. Capping device and / or appropriate caps, gaskets, stoppers and closures, if you prefer to use recycled beer or champagne bottles.Racking cane and tap or bottler attachment for your syphon tubing.Apple juice is already pretty good for these, however, so it shouldn’t be necessary.) Yeast nutrient (This contains all the trace elements and minerals required for healthy yeast growth.If you don’t have these, you’ll need enough cotton wool to firmly plug the neck of your fermenter.

A drilled rubber bung (or grommet) & bubbler airlock, to fit your bottle or demijohn.

You might also like to add the following, which are not essential but will make the process simpler or more reliable –

A few teaspoons each of sugar, and of a non-fermentable sweetener such as ‘Splenda’.

Please note that SCREW TOP GLASS WINE BOTTLES ARE COMPLETELY UNSUITABLE and are very likely to result in dangerously explosive bottles. The plastic will be somewhat gas permeable, so the cider won’t keep terribly well in them, but I doubt you’ll be laying down your first brew long-term! Beer or champagne bottles are fine, but require special capping tools and equipment. Empty plastic screw-top fizzy drinks bottles are great for a first effort, and free.

Bottles, sufficient to contain your cider.

A length of syphon tubing (between 1m and 1.5m or 4ft to 6ft in length).

In another couple of weeks, you’ll also need to have gathered together –

Home-brew steriliser (you could use Milton fluid as an alternative).

A glass demijohn, or an empty 5l mineral water bottle.

Wine yeast (this is widely available online or from your local friendly home-brew shop, and is cheapest in small pots rather than individual sachets – you could use bakers yeast as an emergency substitute, but it’s prone to producing strange flavours!).

Half a mug of very strong tea (use two tea bags – plain ones unless you fancy an unusual experimental flavour sensation!).

5 litres of ‘pure apple juice’ (the clear, cheap, from concentrate variety from your local discount supermarket is fine, but it should contain no additives or preservatives).

The minimum set of ingredients and equipment you require are – If you’re restricted (by age, local religious observance, or otherwise!) from buying, possessing or consuming alcohol, it’s very likely local law enforcement may take an interest in you brewing it yourself, so please take appropriate advice! In the UK, I believe home brewing is legal for personal consumption, however sale and distilling are tightly restricted. Well, rather belatedly, here they are!įirst a brief note on the law – I have no idea if home brewing is legal in your country or jurisdiction, or what restrictions might apply. I promised then I’d post quicker and simpler instructions for a short-cut brew. Last autumn, I made real ‘Real Cider’ from fresh apples.

How to homebrew cider how to#

I just wish I’d known how to do this when I was a student – it would have saved me a fortune and quite possibly made me rather popular, too! Sounds too good to be true? Follow these instructions, and in just a few weeks time you can be drinking great cider (at least as good as most commercial bottled ciders you can buy!) that you’ve made yourself, and all for only a few pence more than the cost of cheap retail apple juice. Home-brew has a bit of a mixed reputation, it’s fair to say! This is my method for making great, simple, real cider (hard cider, for those of you West of the Atlantic!) with almost no investment in special equipment.