Cider making

[Worms]

BTW, apples are not the only fruit used. Do you make "other stuff"?

Pears are used to make perry.....unfortunately now called pear 'cider' by some of the commercials, an oxymoron if ever there was one!

 

Steve has mentioned cyser, I have made many fruit meads, or Metheglin, using just about any fruit you can think of....damson metheglin is one of my favourites!

Edited August 26, 2011 by Worms

[corydoras]

A bit of googling reveals that the French still use a method which the Normans brought to England but which eventually fell out of fashion here. So we mash the apples and put them straight in the press. The traditional method mashes the apples and leaves them in a barrel for some hours before pressing, giving them time to oxidise and for pectin to be released from the fruit. They do this when the weather is cold, so that fermentation is retarded. Over about a week, the pectin coagulates to form a brown floating gelled scum and throws a sediment - between them, they remove a large proportion of the nitrogen from the juice. The clear juice is racked off and fermented at low temperature under airlock and then bottle conditioned. Because of the low temperature and the lack of nitrogen, fermentation is slow and incomplete and the cider finishes sweet and sparkling. This traditional process is a bit hit and miss, but has been industrialised in France to use refrigeration and a bit of chemistry to work reliably.

Sweet and sparkling sounds about right. It comes in champagne style bottles. Some of it described as 'brut' but it's not that dry. The commercial stuff is not that strong, about 4% ABV.

[Sportsman]

A bit of googling reveals that the French still use a method which the Normans brought to England but which eventually fell out of fashion here. So we mash the apples and put them straight in the press. The traditional method mashes the apples and leaves them in a barrel for some hours before pressing, giving them time to oxidise and for pectin to be released from the fruit. They do this when the weather is cold, so that fermentation is retarded. Over about a week, the pectin coagulates to form a brown floating gelled scum and throws a sediment - between them, they remove a large proportion of the nitrogen from the juice. The clear juice is racked off and fermented at low temperature under airlock and then bottle conditioned. Because of the low temperature and the lack of nitrogen, fermentation is slow and incomplete and the cider finishes sweet and sparkling. This traditional process is a bit hit and miss, but has been industrialised in France to use refrigeration and a bit of chemistry to work reliably.

 

We can buy a sweet or semi sweet sparkling cider bottled "champagne style" with a wired cork.

My preference however is for the non sparkling, slightly cloudy farm cider, usually around 6-6.5% alcohol which tastes strongly of apples.

Bottle of that, a fresh crusty baguette and an assortment of cheeses, I knew I moved to France for a reason

 

Edit

Looks like we were writing at the same time Cory

Edited August 26, 2011 by Sportsman

[corydoras]

We can buy a sweet or semi sweet sparkling cider bottled "champagne style" with a wired cork.

My preference however is for the non sparkling, slightly cloudy farm cider, usually around 6-6.5% alcohol which tastes strongly of apples.

Bottle of that, a fresh crusty baguette and an assortment of cheeses, I knew I moved to France for a reason

I like the farm cider too. It goes really well with a plate of warm crepes

[captain cojones]

Cider or "Sidra" is a huge operation in Galicia northern Spain. With 60 million Kg collected for use in cider making. We have a lot of Northern Spanish tapas bars in town, and they sell it there.

They pour it into glasses in small measures from head height....Il stick to the Ribiero del duero..........

[Phone]

All,

 

We are really talking to the wrong folks. Know who know about apple cider?

 

In 2006/2007 the People's Republic of China led the world in commercial apple production with 24,480,000 metric tons followed by the United States with 4,460,544 metric tons. (USDA) [most recent year published]

 

In 2006/2007 commercial world production of apples was at 44,119,244 metric tons. (USDA)

 

China produces half the apples in the world and they can make some really tasty cider and wine. I can attest to that.

 

Now, I have a question. What's the difference between cider and wine that is made with apples?

 

Phone

[Ken L]

Now, I have a question. What's the difference between cider and wine that is made with apples?

 

Semantics ?

 

There really is no difference but the cut off seems to be at about 9 or 10% ABV. Lower and it's a cider. Higher and it's a wine.

[Phone]

Ken,

 

Cool - Thx

 

Phone

[corydoras]

There might be more to it than just semantics. I would make sure I used a wine type yeast because it will take 12%-15% abv by vbefore the alcohol kills the yeast and might add pectolase to destroy pectin, a vitamin B supplement (yeast likes vit B ) and I'd probably add a couple of lbs or so of sugar to the must, after consulting my trusty hydrometer.

[chesters1]

we used a port and a champagne mix of yeast and you can get up to 18 or 19 % before it dies ,works slower though .not sure what it tastes like though in quantity by that stage it was just used to make a far stronger drink

Edited September 3, 2011 by chesters1