Apple cider has different meanings depending on where in the world you are located. If you are in the US or Canada, apple cider would be essentially the same as apple juice. It might be a different blend of apples for the juice, but it is just sweet apple juice. Many companies choose not to call their product apple cider to avoid the connotation of being a fermented product.
In the US and Canada, there is Hard Cider or Hard Apple Cider. It is a alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting apple juice or sweet cider. Alcohol percentages will ranges from 3.5% to 8%. Natural hard cider is made by fermentation with the naturally occuring yeasts found on the apples. This can be a little chancy and can lead to some interesting or sometimes off flavors. Most brewers will use a known yeast strain so that they reduce the problems with leaving things up to nature.
To make sweet apple cider, select good quality juicing apples, grind them to a pulp and press. You can then choose to filter or not. Refrigerate or freeze immediately.
To make hard cider, take sweet apple cider and leave at room temperature until the cider begins to bubble. Store in a cooler location until fermentation stops. You may drink after fermentation, or some enjoy it all along the way. If you wish to use a brewer yeast, pitch the yeast shortly after pressing. Do not use apple juice or sweet cider with any preservatives when making hard cider.
Posted in 
Tags:
Apple cider has different meanings depending on where in the world you are located. If you are in the US or Canada, apple cider would be essentially the same as apple juice. It might be a different blend of apples for the juice, but it is just sweet apple juice. Many companies choose not to call their product apple cider to avoid the connotation of being a fermented product.
In the US and Canada, there is Hard Cider or Hard Apple Cider. It is a alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting apple juice or sweet cider. Alcohol percentages will ranges from 3.5% to 8%. Natural hard cider is made by fermentation with the naturally occuring yeasts found on the apples. This can be a little chancy and can lead to some interesting or sometimes off flavors. Most brewers will use a known yeast strain so that they reduce the problems with leaving things up to nature.
To make sweet apple cider, select good quality juicing apples, grind them to a pulp and press. You can then choose to filter or not. Refrigerate or freeze immediately.
To make hard cider, take sweet apple cider and leave at room temperature until the cider begins to bubble. Store in a cooler location until fermentation stops. You may drink after fermentation, or some enjoy it all along the way. If you wish to use a brewer yeast, pitch the yeast shortly after pressing. Do not use apple juice or sweet cider with any preservatives when making hard cider.
Enjoy!