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Hard Apple Cider

Homemade hard apple cider with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. This naturally carbonated cider is surprisingly approachable and allows you to control every flavor note from start to finish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 20 12-ounce servings
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 5 gallons of apple juice fresh pressed, unfiltered, or quality store-bought without preservatives like potassium sorbate
  • 1 packet of cider yeast such as Wyeast 1098 or SafaleS-04
  • 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
  • 1 pound of honey optional, adds complexity and boosts alcohol content slightly
  • Cinnamon stick or fresh ginger optional, added during secondary fermentation for flavor

Equipment

  • 5-gallon glass carboy or food-grade plastic fermentation vessel
  • Rubber tubing and airlock (S-shaped or 3-piece airlock)
  • Hydrometer
  • Large food-grade bucket or sanitized pot
  • Siphon and racking cane
  • Sanitizer (Star San or equivalent)
  • Thermometer
  • Bottle capper and crown caps or swing-top bottles
  • Auto-siphon (optional)
  • Wine thief or small sampling tube

Method
 

  1. Mix sanitizer according to package directions (typically 1 teaspoon per gallon of water for Star San) and soak your carboy, airlock, tubing, and any other equipment that will touch the cider for at least 5 minutes.
  2. Pour your 5 gallons of apple juice into a large, clean bucket or directly into your carboy. If using refrigerated juice, allow it to come to room temperature (around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
  3. Stir 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient directly into the apple juice and mix well for about 30 seconds to distribute evenly.
  4. Pour a small amount of warm (not hot) apple juice into a sanitized glass and sprinkle your yeast packet over it, letting it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to rehydrate.
  5. Stir the rehydrated yeast gently and pour the entire mixture into your carboy of apple juice. Swirl the carboy gently a few times to distribute the yeast evenly.
  6. Fill your airlock with sanitizer or a weak water solution (half water, half sanitizer) and attach it to the carboy's stopper. Within 24 to 48 hours, you should see steady bubbling indicating fermentation has begun.
  7. Keep your carboy at a stable temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, away from direct sunlight, for 2 to 3 weeks during primary fermentation. You'll notice vigorous bubbling during this phase.
  8. After 2 to 3 weeks when bubbling slows noticeably, use a sanitized siphon to transfer your cider from the primary carboy to a clean secondary carboy, leaving behind the sediment at the bottom.
  9. Attach a fresh airlock filled with sanitizer, and let the cider sit for another 2 to 4 weeks at stable temperature for secondary fermentation and clarification.
  10. Once fermentation has truly stopped (no airlock activity for several days and stable hydrometer readings), rack the cider one final time into bottles. For carbonation, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of priming sugar per 12-ounce bottle. For flat cider, simply fill bottles without priming sugar.
  11. Store bottles upright in a cool, dark place for 1 to 2 weeks if carbonating, or immediately refrigerate if you prefer it flat.

Notes

Temperature control is your secret weapon; consistent 65 to 70 degree Fahrenheit fermentation produces cleaner flavor and faster completion. Always use juice without potassium sorbate preservative, as this will prevent fermentation. Fermentation time is 4 to 6 weeks total, plus 1 to 2 weeks conditioning time.