House of Homebrew Ballyhackamore

Northern Ireland's Number 1 for Homebrew. Brewing Since 1978

Cider Recipe The Easy Way

Cider is a delicious drink which has been known for thousands of years. It was custom in the early 19th century that each farm labour would drink his fair share of cider at harvest time as part payment for his hard earned labour. The ritual would commence with the cider being poured into a common cup and share amongst each man, the cup going around in clockwise circles.

Equipment to make 1 Gallon of Cider

  • 1 Gall / 5 litre White Plastic Bin with Lid
  • Hydrometer
  • Steriliser
  • Campden Tablets
  • 1 Gallon Glass Demijohn or PET Plastic Demijohn with cork and Airlock
  • Syphon
  • Standard Coarse Straining Bag
  • Wine Yeast

Equipment to make 5 Gallons of Cider

  • 5 Gall / 23 litre White Plastic Bin with Lid
  • Hydrometer
  • Steriliser
  • Campden Tablets
  • 5 Gall / 23 litre Wine Fermenter with Holed Bung & Airlock
  • Syphon
  • Large Coarse Straining Bag
  • Wine Yeast

Optional Equipment

  • A Pulpmaster (Crusher)
  • Cider Press

Basic Recipe For 1 Gallon Of Cider

For every gallon of apple juice you press from your apples makes one gallon of cider. Approximately 24 lbs/11 kilos of apples makes a gallon of apple juice.

Wash apples thoroughly in cold water. Cut up apples and pulp with a piece of hardwood (or pulp with a pulpmaster) Badly bruised apples should be disregarded. If you have apples from different trees make a blend of apple juice or maybe a single variety is required. Once pulped the apple pulp can either be pressed using a wine press or strained through a coarse straining bag. At this stage is is advisable to use a hydrometer to test the original specific gravity of the apples. The starting gravity ideal for cider is 1.050/55. If the S.G. is low add white granulated sugar to adjust this. The juice can then be poured into a one gallon glass demijohn or one gallon PET plastic demijohn and the yeast added.

The fermentation period if kept at approximately 75f/23c will be in the region of 3/4 weeks. During this time you might like to rack (syphon) the cider off any sediment. For carbonated cider with the hydrometer reading is 1.010 this can be bottled in any bottle that has previously held pressure i.e. plastic PET bottle, beer bottles champagne bottles, not wine bottles which are not made to withhold pressure. After a few weeks in a cool place the cider should be clear.

For still cider once clear, rack into a clean demijohn and add one campden tablet to preserve the cider. The cider will need to be left to mature for at least 3 months!