Apple cider made from apples

How Alcoholic Apple Cider is Made

September 27, 2021

As a people, we seem to have managed to make alcoholic drinks from all sorts of produce. Grains are transformed into beer, or spirits (e.g. whiskey). Grapes are transformed into wine, pears into perry, and apples, into cider. Making an alcoholic drink was a great way to preserve produce (and have something safer to drink than contaminated water), by now, we mostly drink them for enjoyment.

All these processes are quite similar. They start with a way to free up the sugars (aka the food for the yeast). Next, the yeasts are ‘released’ to do their job and ‘eat’ those sugars, converting them into alcohol. We’ve discussed beer-making quite extensively before, but hadn’t delved into the more fruity drinks. Since we had an ample supply of apple juice at hand, we focused these experiments on this delicious fruit. Hence it’s time to dig into the science of apple cider!

What is (hard) apple cider?

Before diving in, let’s get some terminology sorted. As is so often the case for foods and drinks, naming conventions for apple cider differ around the world. Overall, there are two types of drinks that we’ll be discussing here:

1. The juice made from an apple. This contains the sugars from the apple, it might be pasteurized or filtered, but has not otherwise been transformed. Here, we’ll refer to this as apple juice, however, some of you might refer to this drink as apple cider!
2. Fermented juice from an apple, contains alcohol. When you let cider yeasts grow and thrive in the juice from the apple they’ll form alcohol (ethanol). Here in this post we’ll be referring to it as apple cider. Some of you though might refer to this as hard cider.

It starts with apples

To make apple cider: all you truly need are apples and yeast (which might already be on your apples). Don’t underestimate the importance of apples. Since the whole drink will rely on what’s in those apples, choosing a suitable apple is important (the same is true by the way when making apple pie).

When looking for cider apples, cider makers will consider the following factors:

Sweetness (aka sugar content)

For apple juice to be converted into apple cider, yeasts need to convert sugar into alcohol (and flavors). The sugar in your apples will all be converted into alcohol during fermentation. If the sugar content of your apples is very high, you might end up with too much alcohol in your cider.

Cider makers will measure the sugar content of the apple juice by measuring the specific gravity of the juice. Beer brewers use a similar method. An apple juice with a specific gravity of 1.040 is considered to be low on the sugar content scale, one with a specific gravity of 1.075 is very high.

The specific gravity of a liquid compares the density of that liquid to another liquid. It can also be called relative density. In our case the reference is water. Since apple juice contains sugar, the density of the juice is higher than that of water.

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Acidity

For a well-balanced drink you don’t just want to taste the alcohol. The acidity of an apple adds some ‘zing’, some sourness and freshness to the drink. Too much acid though will make for an unappetizing drink.

The main acid in apples is malic acid. As such, the acidity of apples is often expressed as total acid (TA) content. The main acid at play here is malic acid. As such, 1% acidity refers to 10g of malic acid per liter of apple juice.

Some references might refer to % of tartaric acid. This is also an acid, however, is more commonly used in wine making. These two numbers can be converted into one another.

Apple juices suitable for cider making tend to have an acidity in between 4,5-7,5%. The acidity of apple juices can vary more widely though, between as low as 1g/l or as high as 15g/l.

Tannins

Tannins are a group of molecules that taste bitter and astringent. They provide some depth and interest to a drink. They are also what gives red wine their ‘body’.

Tannin can be determined using a simple chemical analysis. A low tanning apple will contain We didn’t have a grinder or press, so went ahead and used apple juice for making apple cider as part of our experiments. This apple juice specifically was made from Jonagold apples that would have otherwise been thrown out. They’re not the best for making into a cider, but still work!

Making apple juice

Once you’ve chosen your apple, the first step of making it into a cider is to transform it into a juice. You only need the juice of the apple, not the seeds, skins, etc. Extracting that juice starts by grinding the apples. While grinding you break down cell walls. These cells held onto the water, so once they’re broken the juice flows out.

After grinding, the apples are pressed to break even more cells and free up even more juices. The resulting juice won’t be clear. Instead, it will be hazy with particles floating around. In some cases, cider makers will clarify the juice at this point but most do it at a later stage, or not at all.

If you’ve ever eaten an apple you will know that if you take a bite out of the apple, and leave it out for only a little while, it will turn brown. This is caused by enzymes that initiate enzymatic browning reactions. Apart from turning brown, apple juice is also very vulnerable to spoilage by microorganisms because of the high sugar content. Therefore, manufacturers will either use the juice directly or treat it to stabilize it.

What about the rest of the apple?

Apart from the juice, you’re left with apple remainders such as peel and seeds. These are called pomace. This is full of pectin and can be used for various other applications. However, it’s not required for making apple cider.

Did you know that the pectin in apples is very helpful in setting a thick jam? It’s why jam recipes may call for apples, the pectin helps create a creamier texture.

Fermentation of the apple juice

In order to convert the apple juice into cider, the apple juice has to ferment. During fermentation the sugars in the apple are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide (and a range of flavor molecules). Fermentation is essential for any alcoholic drink, whisky, beer, etc all start out with fermentation.

Starting with a clean slate

In order for fermentation to occur the right types of yeast need to be present. Apples contain several microorganisms, including yeasts naturally. In some cases cider makers let these naturally present microorganisms do their work at this point.

However, in a lot of cases, these may not be the right type and not give the desired flavors. Therefore, cider makers may first want to make sure that no undesirable microorganisms are present (including ones that can make you sick, pathogenic ones).

There are various ways to do this, the juice can be filtered (to take out some of that sediment which tends to contain more microorganisms) or pasteurized but the most common method is to add some sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide kills all microorganisms in the juice, allowing a cider maker to start with a clean slate. However, you will have to wait several hours before adding in your specific yeast to prevent it from being deactivated by the sulfur dioxide as well!

• Cider yeast
• Yeast primed in some apple juice to test whether it’s alive

Initiating fermentation

At this point, you are either ready for the natural yeasts to do their work or you can add your chosen yeasts to the apple juice. Choosing the right type of yeast can be pretty complex. The yeast needs to thrive in apple juice for one thing and needs to make the right flavor molecules that a cider maker is looking for. The type of yeast used will definitely impact the final result of your cider. There are various yeasts out there that have been developed specifically for making apple cider. Once fermentation starts the yeast converts the sugars in the juice into alcohol, making flavor molecules along the way.

Apart from the yeast, the temperature will have a great impact on the fermentation process. Higher temperatures result in faster fermentation for instance but will give different flavors than a slower fermentation. Generally, temperatures between 15-22°C are used.

The fermentation process will last several days to weeks. By the end of it, you have an alcoholic apple cider. If left to complete fermentation entirely, the apple cider will be flat, it won’t have bubbles upon opening.

Second fermentation

After a while, the yeast starts to slow down since there is less food (sugar) available. The cider may be transferred to a new tank for the next fermentation round. During this step, not a lot of new alcohol will be formed but the flavor of the cider will continue to change. It isn’t uncommon for cider to be aged for several weeks in a tank.

Barrel aging

As we mentioned earlier, a good amount of tannins is important for an apple cider to have a well-rounded flavor profile. A way to add more of those interesting flavors is by aging the apple cider in wooden barrels. Most cider makers will use oak barrels that have already been used for other drinks such as wine or whisky. These barrels contain a lot of flavor molecules from both the wood as well as the drink that was in there before so will really impact the flavor of your cider.

Adding flavors

You can also use this second fermentation or aging step to add additional flavors. One option is to add hops, which are generally added to beer. Hops have a strong and complex flavor which will enrich the apple cider after a few days of soaking. Also, hop can help preserve a cider.

Another option is to add spices such as vanilla or cinnamon to the cider at this point. These flavors will slowly infuse into the cider.

You will also find ciders to which additional fruits (e.g. blueberries) have been added again at this point. Adding fruits though will result in more active fermentation again. Fruits contain new sugars so can revive the yeasts again! If a cider maker does not want this to happen, they can force the fermentation to stop first by adding chemicals that stop the yeast. They might do this for instance when adding back some apple juice if you want to sweeten up the cider slightly but not get more alcohol again.

Adding fizz

If you want your cider to be carbonated, you’ll need new gas to form within the bottle. This is done by adding back a little bit of sugar into the apple cider upon bottling. The yeast will again start to ferment and produce carbon dioxide. Now, since the bottles are closed, the gas can’t escape and will remain within the liquid. If too much sugar is added though the bottle might explode because of too much gas build up.

Commerical cider makers might not ferment again in the bottle. Instead, they’ll have carbonation systems (such as used for making soda) with which they can carbonate the apple cider upon bottling.

Clarification

Remember that the initial apple juice is often hazy to start with? Most apple ciders though are clear and have no particles floating around. That is because they are clarified after the fermentation process. Some of the particles have settled down to the bottom of the tank (sedimentation), so those are easy to remove. Especially after quite long fermentation times, a lot of the particles will have settled out already. In other cases, a centrifuge can be used to separate these particles or you can add ingredients that will gather these particles

See & Test the process

Angry Orchard, a brand of alcoholic cider has a nice video on their website showing all the most essential steps, starting with the apples, ending with a cider (scroll down below the recipe). If you learn best by doing so, give making your own apple cider a try!

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How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar in 7 Steps (and 3 Mistakes to Avoid)

Jennifer is a full-time homesteader who started her journey in the foothills of North Carolina in 2010. Currently, she spends her days gardening, caring for her orchard and vineyard, raising chickens, ducks, goats, and bees. Jennifer is an avid canner who provides almost all food for her family needs. She enjoys working on DIY remodeling projects to bring beauty to her homestead in her spare times.

If you buy an item via links on this page, we may earn a commission. Our editorial content is not influenced by commissions. Read the full disclosure.

Are you new to the homesteading way of life? Or are you just looking for a few extra ways to save money or live healthier?

Maybe you have been homesteading for a while, but you are just now making your way inside the kitchen (I understand!). A small farm can be so time-consuming that you are only now venturing to learn how to make your own pantry staples.

Well, I’ve been to all of those places. I actually began trying to make vinegar during apple season a few years ago. I was on Pinterest one day looking around for more things I could make from scratch when I saw that apple cider vinegar was something I could easily make.

Plus, we were in the middle of dehydrating, canning and freezing large amounts of apples. We always fed the scraps to our animals, but I thought, “Why not save a little for us if I can make a staple?”

So that is what I did. I’m going to share with you how you can make apple cider vinegar, and I’m also going to share with you a few mistakes I made the first time I tried to make vinegar. I laugh about it now, but honestly, I struggle to make some of the easiest things sometimes.

No worries, it’s okay if you laugh at me too. This is how you make apple cider vinegar:

How to make Vinegar from Apple Cider

You’ll Need:

• A mason jar
• Apples or apple scraps
• Raw sugar
• Water
• Cheesecloth
• Rubber band or mason jar ring

1. Gather and Prep Your Apples

Not everyone that makes apple cider vinegar does so in the midst of putting up apples for the year. If you are someone that likes to put up apples, then just know that you’ll have to save a few cores and some peelings.

Just know, you’ll need the peelings and cores of around 6 apples to equate to 1 jar of apple cider vinegar.

Normally, what I’ll do is decide how many jars of vinegar I want to make that year.

Then I’ll do the math to know how many apples that will take.

Finally, I’ll just count the apples as I peel and set those scraps aside specifically for making vinegar. Then everything else will go into a different bowl which I take out to the chickens.

However, if you are someone that just has a few apples on hand with the idea of making vinegar, then you’ll only need about 3 whole apples for each jar of vinegar.

So you’ll need to slice those apples into smaller chunks and add them to a clean and sterilized mason jar.

Again, if you are using scraps, then you’ll just go ahead and place them into a clean and sterilized mason jar as well. It is all about using what you have on hand.

2. Mix the Sugar

So your apples are cut, washed, and in a sterilized jar. (Or your scraps are.) Either way, it is now time to mix your sugar with water.

Now, a good estimate is usually equal teaspoons of sugar to the amounts of apples. If you used 3 apples, then you’ll need around 3 teaspoons of raw sugar. Raw sugar produces the best fermentation results (in my opinion) so I try to stick with it. I’ve heard of some people using honey, but I’ve never tried it myself.

Again, if you use scraps, you’ll still put about 3 teaspoons of sugar in with them for the fermentation process.

When you have your sugar all figured out, you’ll mix it with 1 cup of water. If you are making a lot of batches of vinegar, you’ll need to do a separate sugar/water mixture for each jar. That way you know the desired amount of sugar and water is going into each batch.

3. Add Water

Now, after you have your sugar water and apples in your jars it is time to add more water. The idea is for your apples to be completely submerged.

Truthfully, using fermenting jars makes this part of the process so much easier because they have a little device inside of them that is meant to hold items inside the jar down into the liquid.

However, if you don’t have a fermenting jar, I’ve heard of people using large pitchers to store their vinegar mixture in. That way they can place items inside sandwich baggies (to protect the heavy object) that will hold the apples down into the water.

4. Cover and Wait

Next, we just cover the jar or container you are using. You’ll have to use a cheesecloth to cover it with. Then if using a mason jar, you’ll just use a mason jar ring to secure the cheesecloth in place.

However, if you are using a larger pitcher, you’ll place the cheesecloth over it and then secure it into place with a large rubber band. Be careful so it doesn’t snap loose and hit you. You want to use a cheesecloth so the mixture can still breathe without pests flying in it.

When you’ve accomplished this, you’ll place the mixture in a warm and dark area for around 2-3 weeks. You could use a dark place in your pantry, a cupboard, a dark corner of a closet, or even under a bed.

5. Strain

Once the 2-3 week period has passed, you will need to pull the mixture out. You’ll then strain the liquid away from the apple pieces or scraps that you used in this mixture.

Then you’ll discard the apple pieces while placing the liquid back into the same jar. This is now going to be your vinegar!

6. Rinse and Repeat

After you have your liquid back inside the same jar, you’ll use the same cheesecloth to cover the lid again.

Again, be sure to secure the cheesecloth with a rubber band or ring to ensure that it stays in place. We need to allow the liquid to breathe but not be contaminated by gnats and other flying pests that will be drawn to it.

Then you’ll allow the mixture to sit in that same dark location for another 4-6 weeks.

However, be sure to remember to stir the liquid every 3 or so days with a wooden or plastic spoon. Try to stay away from metal during this process as it messes with the fermentation process. Keep that in mind during step 5 as well.

That way you’ll know to use a plastic strainer if you have one available so the mixture won’t come in contact with stainless steel. You don’t want to put in all of this time to have that one tiny thing mess up your wonderful, homemade apple cider vinegar.

7. Taste and Transfer

Now that the 4 week waiting period has passed, it is time to begin taste testing. Taste a little of this vinegar mixture every day until you are satisfied with the amount of acid in the taste.

As soon as it hits the acidity level that you prefer, you are ready to transfer.

All you’ll do is place the liquid into a vinegar bottle with a lid. Once it is capped, the air will stop getting to it and stop the fermenting process.

The Mistakes I Made When I First Started Making Vinegar

I told you I would share with you a few of the mistakes I made when I first began making vinegar. Here they are:

1. I didn’t cover my apples completely

The first time I made vinegar I followed a tutorial online. As we all know, sometimes we achieve different results from those shown on a tutorial. I’m a writer, and I know how easy it can be to miss a step.

However, I’m also a human that tries tutorials, and I know how easy it can be to skim over something not realizing how important it actually is.

Well, I’m not sure which of those two instances happened, but I do know I didn’t cover my apples completely.

Also, I don’t think I added enough sugar to the mixture either.

As you can tell my vinegar making days got started off on a rocky foot.

2. I forgot about my vinegar

Next, I forgot about my vinegar. I mean, it is easy to do! When you spend 8 weeks making something (and the majority of that time is spent with a mixture sitting in a dark corner) you have a tendency to move on with life. I have the same issue with making a sourdough starter from time to time.

Still, I digress. I completely forgot about it, and I left uncovered apples sitting far too long.

Naturally, my first batch of vinegar molded. It was disheartening, but I didn’t give up.

3. I didn’t stir it

I went back to the drawing board making sure that all of my apple scraps were covered this time. Also, I set a reminder on my phone to help me tend to the vinegar when I needed to, and I made it past the first steps.

Then I strained it and transferred it back into the original jar and forgot about it again. Which means, I failed to stir it.

Also, I don’t think I ever put mine in a dark enough location either. I don’t have a pantry or a closed cupboard in my current home because we have all open shelving in our farmhouse kitchen.

So I had the issue of finding a dark corner to stash it in, but I learned a valuable lesson through making vinegar as well. Though it is time-consuming, and I struggled a bit, I didn’t quit and now I’ve learned something new that I’ll probably never forget.

This leads me to point in sharing my mistakes: hopefully, you won’t be like me and struggle through any of our tutorials. (I try really hard to make them as detailed and easy to read as possible.) However, if you do, don’t give up. You’ll get it, and always feel free to ask us or anyone in our community because we are here to help you lead a more self-sufficient lifestyle!

Well, now you all know how to make apple cider vinegar from whole apples or scraps of apples. You also know a few of the (embarrassing) mistakes I made in my first couple of go-rounds with making vinegar. I hope that you find great success in your vinegar making times.

Also, don’t forget that vinegar is great for a lot of things, but my absolute favorite thing to do with vinegar is to make vinegar pie. It is very frugal but tastes wonderful.

So don’t think that everything that comes from vinegar has to be bitter because vinegar pie is one of my favorite desserts.

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