Hard cider is essentially fermented apple juice, but this simple definition belies its vast potential for complexity. Admittedly, most hard ciders consumed in the United States and Great Britain, where they are most popular, take a sugary, soda-like carbonated form. But a true cider offers a far more nuanced and layered palate, with a heritage that goes back centuries. In recent years, there has been a trend towards bringing these age-old versions back to market in their original, less saccharin state.
A good cider maker is much like a good winemaker. They should possess expert apple-growing knowledge, from soil types to apple varieties, as well insights into every aspect of the cider-making process, from harvesting and blending to fermenting and bottling. While some production methods might vary from cider maker to cider maker, the process is fairly standard across the board. The following is a general guide to how commercial ciders are made.
The First Steps After Harvest
Apples picked directly from the tree are not necessarily ready to be immediately pressed for cider. The fruit benefits greatly from sweating—a process in which apples are stored on a clean surface so air can flow freely between them. This allows the fruit to lose some of its moisture, which concentrates sugars and softens the fruit’s texture. This greatly helps during the grinding process. Ideally, apples will be soft enough that a firm press from a finger can indent the flesh.
Before making juice, the cider makers will first sanitize their equipment and the apples themselves. A simple, weak solution of bleach and water or non-toxic cleanser is used on the fruit-filled pallets and equipment and then rinsed with clean water. The apples are then picked over; any moldy or rotten specimens are removed, along with twigs, leaves and other organic material. Then they get a hearty shower with clean water.
Larger operations will use conveyor systems with high-powered spray nozzles to remove dirt and other unwanted contaminants. Smaller operations, on the other hand, might use tanks or tubs to dunk the apples, making sure the fruit bobs to the surface. If it falls to the bottom, it’s generally a sign of spoilage and is discarded, generally for compost.
Picking the Blend
It’s at this stage of the process that the cider maker will blend different apple varieties to create a desired flavor combination. The British have classified cider apples into four categories that include sweet (like Gala and Honeycrisp), bittersweet (such as Yarlington Mill), sharp (Crimson King and Harrison) and bittersharp (Kingstone Black and Stoke Red). Some of these varieties serve a dual purpose—they are both suitable for cider production and eating raw—while others are grown specifically for the purpose of making cider. Cider makers pick and choose the percentage of each apple variety that will comprise the final bottled cider before the varieties are mixed and grinded together.
Grinding and Pressing the Pomace
Cider makers long ago discovered the benefit of grinding apples into a pulp, known as pomace. Even after they’ve been sweated, apples are often thick and difficult to press while still whole. An apple grinder does just what the name suggests: Whole apples—seeds and pips included—are fed into a shaft where stainless-steel blades, knives and prongs slice, dice and macerate the fruit into uniform pieces. This process is also known as milling or crushing.
After grinding, the pomace is moved to a press. Some cideries will immediately press the cider, while others will choose to wait for a short period of time—at least 15 minutes, but up to one day in the case of some English or French recipes—to let the pomace oxidize, which causes it to darken in color. This will later translate to the color of the finished, packaged product. Then the pomace is pressed, extracting the liquid juice—often referred to as must—from the solids.
Fermentation and Racking
Fresh-pressed cider does not become hard cider until yeast has the chance to consume its sugars and convert them into alcohol. Once the cider has been pressed and aged to the maker’s specifications, it is transferred to fermentation vessels for this to occur.
Larger operations will use stainless-steel fermentation vessels that are measured by barrel size. Smaller operations might use plastic fermentation vessels or even carboys, which are glass jugs that resemble water cooler bottles. They have a seal at the neck that allows the carbon dioxide (a yeast byproduct) to escape.
Some producers choose to barrel-age their ciders, which infuses offerings with the flavor and aroma of the wood. If the barrels once held whisky, those pleasing flavors will become a part of the final product as well.
Once the juice is brought to a cool, suitable temperature, yeast is added to create hard cider. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a strain of yeast that has proven most effective in converting sugars into alcohol. Cider makers can choose from a vast library of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are most often used for making beer or wine, but also work quite well with ciders.
After all this is done, the cider gets racked. The term “racking” simply means to place elsewhere. Once the cider has finished its primary fermentation, sediment that has gathered at the bottom of the vessel (the lees) is siphoned away from the liquid and is transferred—meaning racked—to another vessel. This could be a bottle, a secondary fermentation tank or a storage container.
Filtration and Carbonation
Although lees are generally always removed from the liquid, cider is still naturally hazy. More and more often these days, you’ll find naturally hazy ciders for sale. Still, many cider makers—and customers—prefer a clear beverage in which bubbles can be seen rising from the bottom of the glass.
To achieve this look, cider must be filtered. There are several different options available to cider makers, including cyclone filtration, which uses media like diatomaceous earth or natural filtration to cause sediment to gather at the bottom of a vessel. The clarified cider is removed without disturbing the organic material left behind.
As for carbonation? While yeast does indeed create CO2 as a byproduct of fermentation, it is often very little and not the tongue-scrubbing bubbles that many look for in cider (or beer, or Champagne). During secondary fermentation, before packaging, many cider makers will force carbonate, which involves forcing CO2 into the liquid.
Getting It Ready for Market
Packaging can come in many forms these days. Bottles are a natural choice, but draft cider is becoming increasingly common in the U.S. So is canned cider, much thanks to the craft beer movement.
Certainly, the consumer isn’t hurting for choices. These days, whether it’s a sweet and bubbly new-school cider or one that harkens back to ancient traditions, there are plenty of options at the ready. Interested in picking some up? Here are some of our favorite ciders to drink right now.
