Cider is a low-alcohol sparkling drink, which is most often prepared from apples that are fermented without the addition of yeast. Usually, the cider strength does not exceed 7 volume units of alcohol, however, the drink can be "fortified" artificially, by adding more strong alcohol to its composition or prolonged fermentation, but with the addition of yeast.
In addition to apple cider, there are also cider recipes from pears and even cherries, which also differ in their ease and pleasant taste. On how to prepare a homemade cider we will talk further.
How to cook apple cider at home?
For the preparation of natural cider, all that is useful to us is the apples themselves, for the preparation of juice, and sugar, which will not only regulate the sweetness of the drink, but also its strength. The process of fermenting cider will take a long time, but if you want to get a real apple drink with a rich taste and aroma - you'll have to wait.
So, start cooking with apple juice . With the help of a powerful juicer we make juice from fresh apples. Do as much juice as you plan to get cider, and then add sugar to it at a rate of 200 g per 1 liter of liquid. Make sure that the sugar crystals are completely dissolved, then pour the juice into a glass jar and install a septum, or in the old manner, tie a rubber glove on the neck of the bottle or jar.
A few months later, a deposit should appear on the bottom of the jar, from which it must be disposed of. To cider turned out as transparent as possible will have to try. In the tube, we collect juice from the surface, without lifting the sediment, and pour it into another clean and dry jar. Transfused juice again covered with a hydraulic seal and set for a few more months. Usually the drink ripens perfectly after 6 months from the first installation of the septum.
Now the drink needs to be drained again, without affecting the sediment, and bottled.
How to cook strong cider?
Of course, the easiest way to dilute the ready cider with stronger alcohol, for example, cognac, but then the apple taste and aroma will mix with cognac and the drink will change its taste. To prevent this from happening, you can make cider stronger with the help of yeast.
So, add a teaspoonful of a teaspoonful of yeast and sugar, at a rate of 150-200 g per liter of liquid. We install a water seal and leave the drink for a month for fermentation. After, filter the cider, removing the sediment, and pour on the bottles.
How to cook cherry cider?
Ingredients:
- cherries - 2 kg;
- sugar - 1 kg;
- water - 1.5 liters;
- alcohol.
Preparation
Cherries knead the pestle in a glass or enamelware and pour water. After 48 hours (stirring occasionally cherries) squeeze the juice and mix it with sugar. As soon as the sugar crystals completely dissolve, the juice can be poured into a fermentation tank. After 4-5 days, we filter the drink and leave it to ferment, periodically pouring in small portions of alcohol, the amount of the latter remains at your discretion. Now the container should be closed with a lid and leave the cider until it becomes absolutely clear.
How to cook cider with spices?
Ingredients:
- cider - 2 liters;
- cinnamon - 1 stick;
- juice and orange peel 1;
- vanilla - 1 pod;
- nutmeg - 1/2 tsp.
- anise - 2 pieces;
- cloves - 6 buds;
- sugar - 8 tbsp. spoons.
Preparation
We put cider on fire and warm it up to warm. In a warm drink we put a stick of cinnamon, anise stars, carnation buds, add a little orange juice of the juice, and also vanilla seeds. We finish the drink with sugar and reduce the heat to a minimum. Cook cider under the lid for about 15-20 minutes, after which we raise the heat to the maximum and boil it all for about a minute.