Homemade Apple Cider Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How many pounds of apples does it take to make 1 gallon of apple cider? ›

Selecting Apples

It takes 15 pounds of apples to produce a gallon of cider.

If you're aiming to make one demijohn of cider, a demijohn takes 4.5 litres (1 gallon) of liquid. As a general rule you will need about of 9 kg (20 lbs) of apples to produce 4.5 litres of juice.

Sugar: Adjust the sugar to your taste. We usually use 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar for a spicier cider. If you prefer your apple cider on the sweeter side (like the kind you buy at the store), use 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar.

1/2 peck of apples equals 5 - 6 lb or 12 - 15 medium sized apples. 1 peck of apples equals 10 - 12 lb or 35 - 40 medium sized apples. 1 bushel of apples can weigh 42 - 48 lb.

You simply hook up a garden hose, and as long as you have water pressure of at least 30 psi, you will have an easy and efficient pressing. In my experience, a decent yield is 100 lbs of apples to make 5 gallons. With the bladder press this year we yielded 5 gallons out of 70 lbs.

The apple varieties that we generally find in stores and that are used for the making of modern-style ciders include McIntosh, Golden and Red Delicious, Goldrush, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Idared, Jonagold, Granny Smith, Gala, and Fuji.

Making homemade cider is an easier process than you might expect and can be done at home using simple equipment. With juice and strain, whole apples go in the juicer at one end and clear apple juice is drawn off at the other. It couldn't be simpler and the whole process is relatively mess free.

Use a cider yeast and add a 5 gram sachet. If you are making a larger quantity, the whole sachet would be enough to make a full (23 litres) 5 gallons of cider. Stir it around and then add some yeast nutrient. A teaspoon is normally good for 1 gallon.

Liquid sugar is one of the most widely used sugars in cider production because its 67% sucrose content and low viscosity enable it to deliver consistent and reproducible results.

If we add an excessive number of yeast, the fermentation process will be robust and energetic, and this may result in an excessively active fermentation. It is possible for this to result in blocked airlocks, blow-offs, bursting bottles, or a fermenter that has ruptured.

Can you make cider without adding yeast? ›

Yeast need not be added, although it can without any problem. Some fermentation processes call for killing all the yeast in the pure cider with sulfur dioxide, waiting 24 hours and then adding wine yeast. For the homeowner this is not necessary.

Many alcohols mix well with apple cider. Dark liquors like bourbon (my pick) or dark rum are traditional, but they are by no means the only option. Vodka pairs well with apple cider and is a good light option. You can even let guests each pick their own.

There are others; Clos De Bois, for an aromatic sip, or CL-23, for a clean, crisp cider. Any beer yeast will also create apple cider, however, some are much better than others. One of our favorites is the Safale US-05, which is a yeast commonly used to make pale ales and IPAs. It has a crisp, clean flavor.

Combine classic warming spices like clove, allspice and cinnamon in your cider for an especially autumnal treat.

Correct Answer: A) 20 pounds

Congrats to our trivia winner this morning, Jamie Johnson from Albert Lea!

Combine 1 ½ cups ACV with one gallon of water and drink throughout the course of a day for an overall body and kidney detoxification. You can repeat this process for up to three days, but one to two days are generally sufficient.

The quantity of juice varies with the type and quality of apples, but a bushel will usually produce somewhere between 2 to 4 gallons of juice. On average, 5 bushels will yield about 15 gallons of fresh cider (apple juice).