Cider making is something that the UK leads the world in, with South Africa the second largest producer and France trailing in third position. 45% of all the apples that are grown in the UK end up pressed and turned into cider. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that the over-fizzy, chemically pint that gets served in some pubs is the real thing (in fact, that stuff is usually made with apple concentrate, corn syrup and heavily carbonated water, and has almost nothing to do with the English countryside). For authentic English cider you will have to reach a little higher.
Scrumpy history
Cider has been made in Britain on an organised scale since the Norman invasion. As climatic change made Northern France and Southern England unsuitable for vine cultivation, apple growing and cider became more popular. As virtually anyone could grow a few apples trees on their land the drink became the tipple of the people. It was customary in the 18th Century to pay part of a farm labourer’s wages in cider – typically 3-4 pints a day.
Is cider a health drink?
It may seem like an outlandish idea but as early as 1664 one John Evelyn is recorded promoting cider as a health drink. ‘Generally all strong and pleasant cider excites and cleanses the stomach, strengthens digestion, and infallibly frees the kidneys and bladder from breeding the gravel stone,’ he said.
Kidney stones aside, the wholesome nature of cider was widely recognised and cited as a cure for gout and other illness. In 1726, Captain Cook took cider on his ship to the South Seas to prevent scurvy in his sailors.
Like red wine, cider contains a high number of antioxidants, which can help you to stay healthy – as long as you resist the temptation to overindulge.
Cider varies from the traditional type, with a stronger flavour, to pale and light white ciders. A traditional English cider made from bittersweet fruit will have a higher alcohol content of 6-8.5% ABV. These have a mouth-drying astringency and a matured character.
Lower strength ciders will generally have a vanilla-like flavour, high residual sugar content and an apple juice character.
Home brew
There is a lot of myth and nonsense talked about cider making but it’s actually a very simple process that you can do at home, with the right equipment. The basic ingredient is, of course, pure apple juice, which often does not need any sugar added to it.
The equipment
Before following the "make your own" method (see box out) you will need to purchase a home cider-making kit. Vigo offer a simple one as well as a range of assorted pulpers and presses to assist in the process. Visit www.vigoltd.com for ordering information.
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Once you’ve harvested your apples, you’ll need to prepare them for pressing. You can just whack them with a mallet, but it might be easier to purchase something like the Vigo Pulpmaster (basically a bucket with a blade in it that you turn using a household electric drill).
Then you will need to press the fruit using one of the many fruit presses available on the market. Once you have your pure juice you can take its gravity hydrometer reading, which gives the amount of juice related to the amount of fermentable material.
The natural juice should contain enough sugar to give a specific gravity hydrometer reading of between 1040 and 1060. This equates to a final alcohol level between 5% and 7.7% ABV. If the level is lower than this you can add sugar to bring it up.
Fermentation usually takes between three and six weeks, depending on room temperature and type of yeast used. Once fermentation has stopped, immediately siphon the cider off into another air-locked container. Repeat this step after a few more weeks or when sediment has formed and the cider will ultimately become naturally clear. You can store fermented cider but only in clean, airtight containers that are filled to the top.
