:QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Hard cider is apple juice that learned to be patient for a week. :INFO Why Cider Is the Best First Brew Cider requires no cooking, no grain mashing, and no sparging. You start with juice and add yeast. The yeast converts sugars into alcohol and CO2, leaving a dry, tart fermented beverage in one to two weeks. The main variable is juice quality — fresh-pressed unpasteurized juice makes exceptional cider, but pasteurized store-bought juice with no preservatives works reliably for a first batch. :COUNTER.half 1.2 to 1.5 percent | :COUNTER.half 1 to 2 Weeks :PATH Choose and Prepare Your Juice Use fresh-pressed juice or pasteurized juice with no preservatives. | :INFO Choose and Prepare Your Juice Fresh-pressed unpasteurized juice is ideal — buy from an orchard in fall. Store-bought juice works if the label lists no preservatives other than vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate prevent fermentation entirely — check the label carefully. For a 1-gallon batch, use 1 gallon of juice. No need to add water. :PATH Add Yeast and an Airlock Pitch yeast directly into the juice and fit with an airlock. | :INFO Add Yeast and an Airlock Add a packet of wine yeast, cider yeast, or champagne yeast to the juice in a clean fermentation vessel — a 1-gallon glass jug works perfectly. Swirl gently to distribute. Fit a rubber stopper and airlock filled with a small amount of sanitizer solution. Within 24 to 48 hours the airlock should be bubbling steadily. :PATH Ferment and Wait Leave at 60 to 72 F until airlock activity stops — usually 1 to 2 weeks. | :INFO Ferment at 60 to 72 F Place the jug in a location between 60 and 72°F — warmer fermentation is faster but produces more fusel alcohols and fruity esters. Cooler fermentation is slower but cleaner. Airlock bubbling will slow progressively. When the airlock goes 30 seconds or longer between bubbles, primary fermentation is nearly complete. :PATH Taste, Bottle, and Condition Taste the cider, bottle it, and allow 1 to 2 weeks for carbonation. | :INFO Taste, Bottle, and Condition When fermentation is complete, taste. Dry cider will have little residual sweetness. If you prefer sweeter, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey per bottle and seal — the yeast will referment the honey and produce light carbonation (bottle conditioning). Use swing-top bottles or beer bottles with caps. Condition at room temperature 1 week, then refrigerate. :CHECKLIST What You Need [ ] 1 gallon fresh or preservative-free apple juice [ ] 1 packet wine, cider, or champagne yeast [ ] 1-gallon glass jug or fermentation vessel [ ] Rubber stopper and airlock [ ] No-rinse sanitizer (Star San) [ ] Swing-top bottles or beer bottles with caps :NOTE Sanitization Is the Only Skill That Matters Wild yeast and bacteria from unsanitized equipment can compete with your cider yeast and produce off-flavors ranging from vinegar to nail polish remover. Star San is a no-rinse acid sanitizer — mix per instructions, soak all equipment for 1 minute, and let drip-dry. Do not rinse. The diluted solution is food safe and does not affect flavor. :QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Your first batch will not be perfect. Drink it anyway. The second batch will be better. :LINK https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/how-to-make-hard-cider/ Homebrewers Association — How to Make Hard Cider