The problem with describing the recipe for the cider is that it's mostly standard homebrewing technique (only less so); if you know that stuff, it's a nearly trivial recipe, but if you don't, there's a lot that's not obvious. I'd be happy to loan out some of my homebrewing books rather than having to explain generic technique.

Ingredients:

• five gallons raw cider
• 1-2c brown sugar (to raise initial gravity to at least 1.045)
• ale yeast
• handfull of raisins (optional)
• 1/4c corn sugar (for bottling)

Procedure:

• Put cider in fermenter. No sanitizing of cider should be necessary.
• Dissolve sugar in a small amount of water. Boil to sanitize (around ten minutes should do)
• Add sugar to cider, add yeast.
• Put blowoff tube on fermenter until fermentation dies down (typically a couple of days, sometimes longer depending on ambient temperature), then raisins (if used). Replace blowoff tube until you're sure activity won't resume too violently (overnight should be long enough).
• Replace blowoff tube with airlock.
• Leave until fermentation activity ceases. Rack carefully for bottling. Add corn sugar and bottle. Let sit at least 2-4 weeks before opening.

Executive summary:

cider, sugar for gravity, added yeast, sit until done

Comments:

Cider

Finding raw cider has gotten fairly hard because of bacteria scares. Pasteurized will do fine, but obviously preservatives are a real no-no. A blend of different types of apples will make for somewhat better results than a single-variety pressing, but again, that's hard to find these days.

yeast

I add yeast in order to get closer to a British style of cider -- somewhat ale-like -- as opposed to the New England style of depending on natural yeasts that's more like wine. This particular batch used the Wyeast "London Ale" yeast and no starter.

last modified: 9:56pm, Wednesday, 3 Nov 1999 by Lowell Gilbert.