Hard cider is a trendy beverage that offers a refreshing option to many beer styles’ bitter, hop-heavy flavor profiles. You can appeal to people who aren’t beer drinkers by including ciders on your beverage list. Hard cider is a fermented alcoholic drink made from the juice of a fruit, most usually apples.

This drink’s name includes the word “strong” to differentiate it from its non-alcoholic equivalent, apple cider. The juice is extracted by pressing apples.

Pasteurized juice will work just dandy. In general, when apple juice is pasteurized, you don’t have to add other preservatives. Those are what you want to check for as they can inhibit fermentation. There are two great preservatives to avoid- potassium sorbate and another one called Sodium benzoate. Otherwise, your cider should work out fine.

Unpasteurized juice, according to others, tastes better. It is debatable. A guy did multiple keg batches in which the guy at the press filled a couple of carboys just before the juice went through the UV and a couple of carboys just after the juice went through the UV.

The UV was the only difference. The UV alters the color slightly, but the flavor remains the same. Although there are different outcomes in taste, due to fermentation time, etc., this information will be given later in this article because of the yeast. It would be best if you didn’t miss that, so read till the end as equally little gems are all over the article.

The pasteurized juice ferments faster, the results are more consistent, and you can drink it in a few weeks. If you cold crash it, it is pretty drinkable in about ten days.

The type of apples makes a big difference. You have to start with a good blend, or the final result will taste crappy, no matter what yeast and sugar you use.

I would love to carry everyone along as we go down this article. So for the old brewers, this is not new, but I want you to understand every little detail for the newbies. Pasteurized juice ferments faster, produces more reliable results, and can be consumed in a few weeks. It’ll be drinkable in about ten days if you could crash it. It is all debatable.

What kind of apples you use makes a big difference. You must begin with a good blend, or the final product will taste bad, regardless of the yeast and sugar used. People will want to pasteurize their apple juices, or any juice or liquid, to eliminate these microorganisms.

What is Hard Cider?

A Brief Theory [to ensure we all on the same page]

Hard Cider is commonly referred to as “cider” in many parts of Europe and America. Until the twentieth century, “cider” applied to an alcoholic beverage. As a result of using the word “cider” to mark freshly squeezed apple juice, the term “hard cider” was coined by some to emphasize the distinction between the two drinks.

Hard Cider contains alcohol, but the amount varies depending on the brand and ciders. Many hard ciders have an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.5 percent to 7 percent on average, with some ciders reaching as high as 10 percent or 12 percent. Since the yeast absorbs the bulk of the natural sugars in the cider, drier ciders typically have a higher ABV.

Even though hard cider is commonly found on a beer list, it is essential to remember that it is not considered a beer. The main similarity between the two drinks is that they are both fermented. Beer is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from malted barley and flavored with hops.

On the other hand, cider is a form of alcoholic beverage, a beverage made from fermented fruit juice, most commonly apple juice. Cider is distinct from beer in that it does not contain malt or hops.

Difference Between Pasteurized and Unpasteurized Apple Juice?

For new apples, juices, and ciders at this time of year. In food stores, farmer markets, and stands, pasteurized and unpasteurized juices will be available. It is also a personal choice whether people want to make their own and their families pasteurized or unpasteurized juice.

Juices might look the same, but pasteurized and unpasteurized juices have a considerable difference. Pasteurized juices are heated to high temperatures for a brief period to remove any bacteria or other microorganisms.

When freshly squeezed juice comes from fruits and vegetables, harmful bacteria may be part of the product being done. Most juice is pasteurized to destroy harmful bacteria in the United States. Unpasteurized is the remaining low percentage of juice sold. Unpasteurized juice can contain bacteria that can cause people to get sick.

Best Yeast for Cider

The strand of white wine yeast or champagne yeast is widely used in hard cider because it is a robust agent that helps retain the apple flavors. Other yeasts, such as Nottingham ale yeast and mead yeast, can be used. Yeast can be bought online or from specific brewing supply stores.

The addition of yeast to your juice is crucial because it initiates the fermentation process. When yeast is added to your liquid, it absorbs the sugars and converts them to alcohol. As a result, the higher the initial sugar content of your brew, the higher the alcohol content.

Best Hard Cider

Although there are many hard ciders to try, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular:

Cidre Stella Artois (Baldwinsville, New York), 4.5 percent alcohol by volume
Downeast Cider Original Blend (Boston, MA) 5.1 percent alcohol by volume
Crispin Pacific Pear Hard Cider, 4.5 percent alcohol by volume (Colfax, CA)
Wandering Aengus Oaked Dry Cider, 7.5 percent alcohol by volume (Salem, Oregon)
Angry Orchard The Old Fashioned (Walden, NY), 6.5 percent ABV (Van Etten, NY),
Eve’s Cidery Darling Creek (Van Etten, NY) 8% alcohol by volume

Best Hard Cider For Fall

If you’re looking for some great fall drinks, check out the following hard ciders:

Meade Homemade Apple Pie & Cigar City Cider (Tampa, Florida) ABV: 5.5 percent
Wyndridge Farm Crafty Cider is a cider made by Wyndridge Farm (York, PA) ABV: 5.5 percent.
Pumpkin Cider from Harpoon Brewery (Boston, MA) ABV: 4.8 percent
Pumpkin Spice Hard Cider from Seattle Cider (Seattle, WA) 6.9% alcohol by volume
Hard Cider Woodchuck Fall Harvest (Middlebury, VT) 5% alcohol by volume
Spire Mountain is a dark and dry mountain (Olympia, Washington) 5% alcohol by volume

Different Types of Hard Cider

There are a few different types of hard cider that cater to people with different tastes. Their level of sweetness defines the different types of cider, and most are available either still or carbonated.

Dry Cider: Dry ciders have less than 0.5 percent residual sugar and are typically more acidic than other varieties. Since the yeast absorbs most of the natural sugars in the cider, it has a higher alcohol content than most ciders. This is to complement their mineral qualities; most dry ciders are aged in oak barrels.
Off-Dry Cider: An off-dry cider has a little more body than a dry cider and usually has 1-2 percent residual sugar. Such ciders have a richer taste and are smoother.
Semi-Dry and Semi-Sweet Cider: Semi-dry Ciders have more than 2% residual sugar. Semi-sweet ciders, on the other hand, can have up to 4% alcohol content. These two ciders have similar tastes and bodies, as well as more prominent apple flavors.

Ciders are often distinguished by the fruit that is used in their preparation. There are no restrictions on what fruits should be used to produce hard cider. Though apples and pears are the most common fruits used to make cider, you can also use plums, peaches, strawberries, and pineapples.

How to Store Hard Cider

Since hard cider is fermented, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated after bottling or canning. However, it will last longer if kept cold at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Allowing your cider to freeze will destroy the yeast and change the taste of your drink. In addition, most cider bottles and cans can be kept upright or on their sides without losing flavor.

How to serve Hard Cider

If you’re serving hard cider, make sure it’s new and tasty by following the guidelines below.

Serve at a temperature of around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is close to that of white wine. Furthermore, if the temperature is too cold, guests can find it difficult to taste the various flavors. Alternatively, guests can find a cider that is served too warm unappealing.

Clean the tap line thoroughly. It’s essential to clean the tap before serving hard cider on draft because the delicate flavors can be tainted if it’s infected with another beverage. It’s also important to devote a separate tap line to this beverage. Since it is naturally gluten-free, it needs its line separate from beer to avoid coming into contact with gluten, allowing consumers with gluten allergies to enjoy it.

Hard cider should be served in proper glassware. Although several different glasses could be used to drink cider, the ideal one is a Bordeaux wine glass with a wide enough bowl to allow for swirling and proper aeration. The stem also keeps the drink from warming up in the drinker’s lap. It’s usually served in a cider glass or a pint glass in less formal settings, such as sports bars and pubs.

Consider serving hard cider alongside a meal. Ask yourself one easy question when mixing food and cider: “When is an apple a great ingredient in cooking?” This question will make pairing your fruity cider a lot easier. Pork, chicken, butternut squash, and salads are all excellent matches for this beverage. The following are some general guidelines: if serving an entree, pair it with a dryer cider, and if serving a dessert, serve it with a sweeter cider.

Whatever the case might be, guests should consume their drink as soon as possible after it is served to avoid losing its carbonation.

How to make Hard Cider

I cannot tell you about hard ciders without giving you a simple recipe for making it yourself. Making hard cider at home doesn’t have to be complicated. You can reap the benefits of the brew right in your kitchen with these simple recipes. Cider is high in antioxidants and vitamin C. and makes a perfect addition to any group.

The easiest recipe takes just a few days to prepare. Long-term storage necessitates a little more machinery, effort, and patience, but it’s still a relatively simple method.

To make your hard cider, follow the instructions below

Step-by-step instructions for producing hard cider

Recipe for Hard Cider

Get some new juice. It’s entirely up to you on your choice but follow the guidelines for pasteurized juice. If you’re using fresh juice, make sure to test it and handle it if it’s not pasteurized. If you’re using fresh fruit, clean the apples (or other desired fruit) and compress and press them properly with a fruit presser.
Toss in the yeast. To begin the fermentation process, select your preferred yeast and add it to the treated juice.
Allow the cider to ferment before it reaches the optimal level of dryness. You can need to add more yeast if your cider smells like rotten eggs or burning matches. After two weeks of fermentation, the cider should be allowed to sit for another week to enable the yeasts to settle fully.
Fill a sanitized vessel with the cider and leave no headspace. The cider should fill the bottle, leaving no space for oxygen. Allow the cider to mature in the vessel until the flavor you want is achieved.
Add a wine fining agent to the mix (optional). A wine fining agent is a substance, such as gelatin or pectin enzyme, that binds to tannins and other undesirable proteins in the beverage and breaks them down. You will need to apply a wine fining agent after the aging process is finished to help clarify the liquid. Store the cider in bottles. For sparkling cider, make sure you use the right amount of priming agent. If you want a still cider, use a small amount of sulfite to prevent the yeast from reactivating (non-carbonated cider).

Another Method in Making Hard Cider

All equipment should be cleaned and sanitized. We use PBW or Diversol for washing, and for sanitizing, we use Star San.
Take an OG gravity reading of your apple juice with a hydrometer and write it down. You’ll need to apply some dextrose or table sugar if it’s less than 1.050.
Fill the 1-gallon glass jug with apple juice using a funnel. Add 1/4 teaspoon yeast nutrient if desired. Apples lack a few nutrients that help the yeast survive, so adding a yeast nutrient can ensure a successful fermentation.
Shake the glass jug for 20 seconds after sanitizing your palm. Sprinkle 1/5 of the yeast packet into the glass jug after it has been opened. If there are any clumps, gently swirl the juice until the surface of your apple juice is evenly covered.
Fill your airlock with sanitizer up to the indicated line and tie it to the glass jug. Allow your cider to ferment for two to three weeks.
To measure the ABV of your cider, take an FG hydrometer reading before bottling. (OG – FG) * 131.25 = ABV
You can opt to carbonate or not carbonate your cider. 1/8 cup dextrose per gallon of cider is the simplest way to carbonate your cider. Until bottling, dissolve the dextrose in 1/2 cup of boiling water and apply it to your cider.
Move your cider into a clean, sanitized jar before adding the dissolved dextrose and bottling to prevent sediment in your bottles. Allow two weeks for it to sit in the bottle before opening one.

Alternatives include:

Use Nottingham beer yeast instead of wine yeast if you want a sweeter hard cider.
Try a quarter teaspoon of malic acid or an acid mix.
If you want your cider to be crystal clear, use the pectic enzyme.

Bonus Information

As said earlier, the guy used different yeast, sugar, and other ingredients in different ratios for pasteurized and unpasteurized apple juices. These are some of the results obtained.

Nottingham: For many years, this has been my favorite yeast. It fits well with sweet ciders and cysers that have been pasteurized but not so well with unpasteurized cysers. It works well with any juice as a cold crash. It’s fantastic with just juice, no sugar, and a cold crash of about 1.004. You can avoid fermentation with pasteurized juice by racking if you use sugar and raise the SG to at least 1.060. To save it from drying out entirely, do either a rack or a cold crash; if it dries completely, it strips out the flavor.

Safale S-04: This is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It tastes a little more fruity than the Nottingham. It works well with any juice as a cold crash. You can avoid fermentation with pasteurized juice by racking if you use sugar and raise the SG to at least 1.060. If you don’t cold crash unpasteurized juice and just let it ferment to dryness, the apple flavor comes out more than the Nottingham. It’s even more effective with unpasteurized cysers. I haven’t done it with a pasteurized cyser yet.

Safale US-05: This yeast gives the cider a unique flavor that reminds me a little bit of a pale ale. Pasteurized juice performs better; unpasteurized juice appears to remove more of the body.

Wyeast 3068: So far, I’ve only tried it with pasteurized juice, both with and without added sugar, and both batches were cold crashing. It has a creamy, full-bodied flavor with a bit of tartness. However, when combined with WLP300-fermented juice (which fermented out a little too tart), it was fantastic. This year, I will try it with unpasteurized juice to see if it adds a little more bite.

Wyeast 4184 Sweet Mead Yeast: I tried it with pasteurized and unpasteurized juice, as well as with and without added sugar, and they all crashed cold. Both were delicious, but the unpasteurized sugar-free version was the best.

WLP002: I’ve just tried it with pasteurized juice, both with and without added sugar. It tasted almost identical to using Nottingham, which is excellent, but they were near enough.

These were his results, and as you can see, he experimented with different ingredients. I bet it was fun.

For Cider lovers, you could do the same. It could be a hobby, or you can take it as a source of income. Whichever the case, have fun and cider up