Beer Food+Drink

Orchard-To-Glass: Brew Up Hard Cider At Home

president of the Chippewa Valley Better Brewers offers tips on autumnal brews

Bob Schraufnagel |

Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Photo courtesy of Unsplash

What makes you think of fall? For me, it’s a trip to local apple orchards to enjoy freshly picked apples. Next on my fall must-do list is brewing a batch of hard apple cider. This is an easy process; many recipes and tips are online. You simply juice some apples, add ale yeast, cover, and keep at room temperature until the yeast stops bubbling and the solids settle. Siphon the clear cider from sediment into bottles, add a quarter-teaspoon of sugar to each bottle, and refrigerate for about a week. Then drink, and enjoy your cider! If you don’t have the time to make your own, many local stores have varieties of ciders ready to drink. I like making my own because I can experiment by adding other flavors to make something truly unique. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a home brew!