Cider apples are different from those we eat. They are higher in tannins and acidity, which gives cider its characteristic astringency. The best cider apples will have a balance of sweetness and acidity, with just enough tannin to give the cider body and structure. English cider apples are typically made with bittersweet or sharp apples,…
As a brewer, you may have come across the term “pectic enzyme” and wondered what it is and what it does. Pectic enzyme (also called pectinase) is an important ingredient in the brewing of cider and wine. Pectic enzyme is a type of enzyme that breaks down pectins. Pectins are found in the cell walls…
Making a great hard cider requires more than just good ingredients and technique. Yeast plays an important role in the final product, as it helps to create both flavor and alcohol content during fermentation. It can affect the taste, appearance, and alcohol percentage of your cider. Taste is perhaps the most important factor, and the…
While you can in theory make cider with any fruit that contains juice and sugar, these will not be considered “real” ciders unless they contain a substantial amount of apples or pears! So, you can indeed make “cider” or sparkling fruit wine (Pet Nat) from any fruit type, it will just not be considered cider…
Are you looking to take your hard cider brewing game up a notch? Kegging hard cider is an excellent way to store and serve it. Not only will kegging give you the convenience of having easy access to freshly tapped, carbonated hard cider whenever you want, kegging hard cider allows you to control the carbonation…
Cider making is not a complicated process, but it does involve a certain amount of waiting time. Especially if you make it from scratch – starting from the apples! The first steps of cider making are picking, washing, and crushing apples, which will take half a day or so. Some cider makers perform maceration, which…
Hard cider storage containers come in a variety of materials. For the most part, the best option is glassware, typically bottles, which will be reusable, airtight, and not give off taste or odors to your cider. Typically glass bottles are chosen for cider storage due to their high-pressure tolerance and ease of cleaning, but there…
Lager and wheat beers are two of the most popular beer styles in the world. Both are brewed with different types of yeast and have unique flavor profiles. Lagers are typically light-bodied and crisp, while wheat beers tend to be fuller-bodied and slightly sweeter. Sour beers, like Berliner Weisse, Gose and Lambic, are also wheat…
When you are brewing cider using fruit juice with low amounts of nutrients, it can sometimes be hard to get a proper fermentation going. Yeast nutrients can help you achieve higher amounts alcohol or help get a stubborn fermentation started or restarted if it gets stuck before all the sugars are used up. Yeast nutrients…
Keeving is an ancient art of making sweet cider, and it’s something that every home brewer should learn. In this blog post we’ll be discussing the history of keeving, what you need to make a traditional sweet cider using the keeving method as well as tips for successful results. Keeved cider is a traditional method…