Simple Hard Apple Cider

Submitted by spiritussancto

"this turned out dangerously tasty! i think i'm going to make a 5 gallon batch. cooking time is ignore-it-in-the-closet time. making very tasty booze was never this easy!"

 

• Ready In: 888hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 3
• Yields: 1 gallon
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 1 gallon apple juice (i used an organic one from my local green grocer, comes in a nice sterile glass jug to ferment in. i)
• 1⁄4 ounce champagne yeast (1 pkg, you can use baking yeast but the flavor isn't as good)
• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar (i used white but brown would be nice, or honey even)

directions

1. pour out a little of the juice so there's room, pour the yeast and 1 1/2 cups sugar in, top back up with apple juice but leave at least an inch of room at the top. replace the lid and shake well to dissolve yeast and sugar as much as possible.
2. stretch a balloon over the top of the jug instead of the lid, poke a few holes in the top of the balloon with a pin. this is your air lock. it will allow CO2 to escape without letting bacteria inches i like to wrap string or a rubber band around the balloon to keep it firmly in place and sealed.
3. set in a closet or basement and ignore for a month.
4. when you come back your balloon will be somewhat limp (rather then rigid and puffed up like it's been when you've been checking on it, oh yes you have) and your brew should be back to as clear as it was before you added things. if you used store brand apple juice it should be clear, if organic it will still be somewhat cloudy, either way there should be a clear separation from the sediment at the bottom.
5. either carefully pour out your cider, leaving the sediment at the bottom, or siphon out. add as much of the remaining sugar as pleases your taste buds, at least 1/4 cup though or it won't carbonate.
6. wash out some pop bottles really well, this looks ghetto but they were designed to handle the pressure of carbonation and wine bottles could explode. if you want to be really pro you can get proper beer bottles and stuff, i just don't serve in these. pour your brew into the bottles, try not to leave them half full, you'll need one two liter and one 500ml bottle, unless you spill a bunch while siphoning, like i did.
7. seal the lids on well and let sit for another week to mellow and carbonate, chill and drink! it will mellow more as it ages but i wouldn't let it go more then a year.

Reviews

[sara4098]

This was so easy, and it turned out great! It's even great without carbonation (I got impatient before it had the chance to carbonate).