We made a 5 litre (1.3 US gallons) batch of cider and it was absolutely amazing. It was also drop dead simple. Best to start this process on Saturday morning, before you go out shopping for food.
For the technically minded (approximations): SG 1.070, FG 1.020, ABV 6.8%
Instructions:
1. Put a few drops of liquid sanitiser in a 2.5 gallon plastic pail and fill it with water.
2. Drop a small drinking glass, small spoon, and medium sized funnel into the pail.
3. Pull the glass out of the pail and rinse with tap water.
4. Run tap water across your forearm until it feels neither cool nor warm, then fill the glass halfway full.
5. Put half a pack (about 2.5 grams) of champagne yeast into the glass, pull the spoon out of the sanitiser pail, rinse with tap water and stir the yeast. Toss the spoon back into the pail.
6. Put the glass inside of a new, small plastic bag and fold the open end under the glass. Leave it on the kitchen counter.
7. Go shopping. Buy 5 litres of the cheapest 100% pure apple juice you can find (without preservatives), also pick up a kilo of table sugar if you don't have any.
8. Return home. Put the apple juice on the kitchen counter until it reaches room temperature. When it's room temperature, proceed to the next step.
9. Pull the funnel out of the pail and stand it on the jug, pour the solution from the pail into the jug until halfway full. Cover the mouth of the jug with your hand and shake for 30 seconds. Pour the solution out of the jug back into the pail. Rinse the jug with tap water two times, making sure to get all the suds out. Rinse the funnel with tap water and put it back on top of the jug.
10. Pour apple juice into the jug until it's about 1/4 full, pour 145 grams of sugar into the funnel, then rinse it down with apple juice until the jug is about 1/2 full. Toss the funnel back into the pail with sanitiser.
11. Take the plastic bag off of the glass of yeast and use it to cover the mouth of the jug. Shake the jug for about 30 seconds. Put the bag on the counter.
12. Pull the spoon out of the pail, rinse with tap water, and stir the yeast water until it is completely dissolved. Rinse the funnel, put it back on the jug, and pour in the yeast water. Rinse it down with apple juice.
13. Fill the jug with apple juice, up to a few centimeters less than where the neck begins. Cover the top of the jug with the plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and secure near the bottom of the bag with a rubber band.
14. Put the jug in a place where it's between 15-20c (60-70f) for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the plastic bag, stir with a sanitized item (I use a metal kebab skewer), then pop an airlock on top.
15. On the next Friday evening: Move the jug to a warmer place overnight.
16. Saturday morning: Rinse out 6 or 7 empty wine bottles. I use 750ml strong cider bottles that I saved from previous drinking (plastic, with screw caps). I don't sanitise these bottles because the contents won't remain in my fridge for more than another 24 hours.
17. Get somebody to hold the funnel on top of the empty bottles while you pour straight from the jug into the bottles. Stop filling when you reach the bottom of the top label, and screw on the cap.
18. Set your refrigerator temperature to REALLY COLD and put the bottles inside for about 8 hours.
19. Repeat steps 1-14.
20. Pour the cider slowly into glasses, not to disturb the last few drops which contain dropped yeast. Drink, laugh, be happy. Repeat until bottles are empty.
For the technically minded (approximations): SG 1.070, FG 1.020, ABV 6.8%
Instructions:
1. Put a few drops of liquid sanitiser in a 2.5 gallon plastic pail and fill it with water.
2. Drop a small drinking glass, small spoon, and medium sized funnel into the pail.
3. Pull the glass out of the pail and rinse with tap water.
4. Run tap water across your forearm until it feels neither cool nor warm, then fill the glass halfway full.
5. Put half a pack (about 2.5 grams) of champagne yeast into the glass, pull the spoon out of the sanitiser pail, rinse with tap water and stir the yeast. Toss the spoon back into the pail.
6. Put the glass inside of a new, small plastic bag and fold the open end under the glass. Leave it on the kitchen counter.
7. Go shopping. Buy 5 litres of the cheapest 100% pure apple juice you can find (without preservatives), also pick up a kilo of table sugar if you don't have any.
8. Return home. Put the apple juice on the kitchen counter until it reaches room temperature. When it's room temperature, proceed to the next step.
9. Pull the funnel out of the pail and stand it on the jug, pour the solution from the pail into the jug until halfway full. Cover the mouth of the jug with your hand and shake for 30 seconds. Pour the solution out of the jug back into the pail. Rinse the jug with tap water two times, making sure to get all the suds out. Rinse the funnel with tap water and put it back on top of the jug.
10. Pour apple juice into the jug until it's about 1/4 full, pour 145 grams of sugar into the funnel, then rinse it down with apple juice until the jug is about 1/2 full. Toss the funnel back into the pail with sanitiser.
11. Take the plastic bag off of the glass of yeast and use it to cover the mouth of the jug. Shake the jug for about 30 seconds. Put the bag on the counter.
12. Pull the spoon out of the pail, rinse with tap water, and stir the yeast water until it is completely dissolved. Rinse the funnel, put it back on the jug, and pour in the yeast water. Rinse it down with apple juice.
13. Fill the jug with apple juice, up to a few centimeters less than where the neck begins. Cover the top of the jug with the plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and secure near the bottom of the bag with a rubber band.
14. Put the jug in a place where it's between 15-20c (60-70f) for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the plastic bag, stir with a sanitized item (I use a metal kebab skewer), then pop an airlock on top.
15. On the next Friday evening: Move the jug to a warmer place overnight.
16. Saturday morning: Rinse out 6 or 7 empty wine bottles. I use 750ml strong cider bottles that I saved from previous drinking (plastic, with screw caps). I don't sanitise these bottles because the contents won't remain in my fridge for more than another 24 hours.
17. Get somebody to hold the funnel on top of the empty bottles while you pour straight from the jug into the bottles. Stop filling when you reach the bottom of the top label, and screw on the cap.
18. Set your refrigerator temperature to REALLY COLD and put the bottles inside for about 8 hours.
19. Repeat steps 1-14.
20. Pour the cider slowly into glasses, not to disturb the last few drops which contain dropped yeast. Drink, laugh, be happy. Repeat until bottles are empty.
