Even more cider

[fabindia]

This year's apple crop has been what can only be described as phenomenal. We had so many left over at the end of November that I made a further 50 pints of cider mid-December. This is all bottled up and settling in the cupboard under the stairs.

Plan to leave it until at least Easter but looking good already.

[Sandra M]

How do you make your cider? I would like to make some this year and I have never made it before we have loads of apples every year and I can't freeze any more. Also would you make pear cider the same way I love pear cider.

[fabindia]

We juice our apples using a standard home juicer. It is a bit labour intensive but does the job. You could leave it at that and hope there is enough natural yeasts present to do the fermentation. We prefer not to take the risk, so sterilise the juice using Campden tablets. After leaving the juice for about 36 hours to allow the effects of the Campden tablets to wear off, we add a high alcohol tolerant wine making yeast. Fit an airlock, keep in a warm place and the thing then goes mental with fermentation. When the fermentation has finished, we siphon from one container to another, leaving the rubbish behind, add a little more sugar, so a last, small fermentation will occur in the bottle. Leave for 6 months and you have great home brewed sparkling cider.

Home brewed cider can be seriously good. I think some of ours has been better than some of the 'real' ciders I have had at beer and cider festivals.

I have never made pear cider but it must be basicalyl the same.