Making Cider
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Choosing the Apples
When choosing the type of apple you want to use, first think about taste. Do you prefer sweeter or tangier? There are websites that describe the tastes and types of apples (see Resources). Experiment with tasting a few from your local supermarket or apple farm. Ask your local produce manager or apple farmer (if you live in this growing region) what is best for making cider. Many ciders contain a mix of apples. Delicious, McIntosh, Honeycrisp and Rome are some popular apples for cider making.
Picking the Apples
Whether you are buying your apples from the store, farmer's market, picking them or even growing your own, ripeness is the most important factor to consider. You also do not want to use apples that are very damaged, overripe or bruised; this will taint the flavor of the cider. Wash and scrub them well prior to pressing.
Choose a Press System
A home fruit juicer can be used to press your apples, but this can be time consuming and labor intensive. The yield of juice per pound is also not very good. It will depend on your budget and how serious you are about making cider. On average, a cider mill and press will run about $500 to $575. Or, you can even make your own. If you are just starting off, use a food processor and a jelly bag (fine cheesecloth bag).
Press the Apples
First, quarter and then puree the apples in your juicer or food processor. Do this in small batches. After pressing, let the fruit sit for about 30 minutes. Then carefully press the fruit through a cheesecloth bag. To make it easier to extract the juice, provide some pressure to the bag with a rolling pin. Do this in a very large, deep dish. Then pour the juice into the vessel in which you want to serve it from, such as a pitcher or bottle. You may need a funnel to transfer the juice from the dish to the vessel.
Cider Safety Tips
Expert cider makers provide some tips to make your cider the best it can be. They are as follows: don't use flavored drops; wash all apples, and scrub them if possible; keep all equipment and surfaces clean and sanitary; use chlorine bleach to sanitize all equipment before each batch of cider; clean up thoroughly after making cider; keep apples and cider cool (less than 40 degrees F) before and after pressing; and finally, store cider in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Freeze what is not used.
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