DISCLAIMER: Distillique does not believe in providing and selling recipes, as this goes against the Craft of producing your own products. The recipes we share have been sourced from clients and other sources, and as such, Distillique takes no responsibility and makes no guarantees regarding the quality, accuracy or safety of these recipes. Recipes are used at own risk, and are for the purpose of experimentation, inspiration and guidance. 

This recipe is enough to make approximately 4 L of cider. 

Follow our easy recipe to Brew your own Alcoholic Apple Cider

Consumables

• Apples: 10 kg 
• Sodium Metabisulphite: 100 grams 
• Yeast (Distillers yeast): 5 grams 
• Yeast Nutrients: 5 grams
• Acid Mix: 4 - 6 grams (or according to taste) 
• Tannin Mix: According to taste / 1 cup of strong tea (such as 5 roses).
• Maltodextrin: 120 grams 
• Granulated sugar: 35 grams 

Equipment 

• Kitchen grater / Fruit Juicer 
• Large glass bowl
• Straining cloth
• Kitchen sieve 
• Funnel 
• 5 litre fermentation bottle 
• Fermentation lock with bung 
• Syphoning tube 
• Beer bottles and caps / swing top bottles. 
• Capper 

Process  

1. Prepare a sterilisation solution. Dissolve 16 grams of Sodium Metabisulphite powder per one litre of water (make about 5 - 6 litres). 

2. Sterilise all your equipment and set aside.

3. Wash apples with the Sodium Metabisulphite solution (this will kill any bacteria and wild yeast present on the surface of the apples).

4. Grate apples into a fine pulp (the finer the pulp, the more juice can be extracted). If you have a Fruit Juicer, you can juice the apples.

5. Place your sieve over a clean bowl, and line it with your straining cloth. Put a couple heaping handfuls of pulp in the straining cloth and gather the edges and twist to wring out as much of the juice as possible. 

6. Pour the juice into your 5 L fermentation bottle. 

7. Add the nutrients and yeast and shake well. 

8. Close your bottle with the screw cap containing the fermentation lock (bubbler). Remove the red cap on the bubbler and fill the bubbler with water to the indicated mark. Replace the red cap onto the bubbler and place the fermentation bottle in a comfortable (21-25 °C) room, out of the sun.

Your fermentation will start in the next two days. You would notice bubbles of CO2 gas escaping from the “bubbler”, this is a sign that the fermentation is working. 

9. Allow the juice to ferment for at least 8 - 10 days. 

10. After the fermentation period, taste it and see how it is doing. If it is still relatively sweet, allow it to ferment for another couple of days, until it is completely dry.

11. Rack your Cider:

1. Remove the fermentation bottle cap (with bubbler) and insert the syphoning tube gently into the wine without it touching or disturbing the yeasty sediment at the bottom of the fermentation bottle. 
2. Suck on the open end of the tube until the wine almost reaches your mouth. Then pinch the tube closed and lower it into a clean bottle (lower than the fermentation bottle) to start the syphon. 
3. Keep on syphoning until the wine level in the fermentation bottle almost reaches the sediment at the bottom of the fermentation bottle. The syphoned wine will now be much clearer. 

12. Adjust the taste of your Cider:  

1. Add maltodextrin, acid and tannin. 
2. Make sure these substances are dissolved thoroughly.

13. Bottle Carbonation

1. Add the sugar (35 grams of sugar is enough for 4L of wine) 
2. Do not add more sugar than indicated since it might cause an explosion due to pressure build-up during the bottle carbonation process.
3. Make sure the sugar is dissolved well before transferring the cider to the smaller bottles. 
4. Transfer the cider into smaller beer bottles and seal using a bottle capper. If you do not have the equipment, you can use swing-top bottles as seen in the picture below. 
5. Allow to bottle ferment for 3-5 days.  

14. After the second fermentation, place your ciders in die fridge and enjoy

NOTE: This is only a basic recipe. Producing wine and ciders has even more detailed steps not discussed or mentioned in the above recipe. If you would like to learn more on processing fruit, important analysis and additions and even enhancing the flavour before bottling, you can join our fruit winemaking practical workshop. 

Have fun whilst brewing your own alcoholic apple cider.