Cider Recipe: Craft A Brew Cider Starter Kit

1. 1GAL Carboy Fermenter
2. Airlock
3. Rubber Stopper
4. Racking Cane
5. Transfer Tubing
6. Funnel
7. Yeast
8. Sanitizer
9. Large pot
10. Bottles
    • Swing-top “Grolsch” bottles
    • Bottles + capping kit

Proper sanitation is regarded as the most important step in making cider. Yeast is the only organism you want touching your cider, any other bacteria will eat the sugar and spread quickly making the cider sour and undrinkable. So make sure everything that touches your cider is properly sanitized and rinsed off before using. A good way to keep things sanitized is to mix in half of your packet of sanitizer with about one gallon of water (save the rest for bottling) and place this mix into a bucket or pitcher. Next sanitize your equipment by soaking the components for 60 seconds in the mix, rinse and then place the equipment on fresh paper towels.

Before you begin the fermentation process you will need to sanitize the rubber stopper, airlock, funnel, and one gallon carboy (jug).

This is the process to make hard apple cider, if you would like to see some variations on this recipe turn to the last page before proceeding. This cider kit comes with enough sanitizer and yeast to make three batches so be sure to only use one packet of each per batch.

1. After you sanitize your equipment for fermentation you will add one gallon of apple juice directly using the included funnel.
2. Next, add one packet of dry yeast.
3. Take your sanitized rubber stopper and plug up the top. Now you need to make sure the yeast has oxygen to multiply so you will need to aerate the juice. Take your clean thumb and place it over the to of the rubber stopper hole. Shake the carboy vigorously for over a minute.
4. Take out your airlocj and remove the cap. Fill this half way with water up to the “fill line” as indicated and insert into the rubber stopper.
5. Put the carboy in a cool 60-75F dark place for 10 days to ferment. After 10 days your cider will be ready to bottle.

We recommend using swing top bottles, the same ones that Grolsch beer is bottled in. You can usually ask for extras at a bar or just go buy two six-packs, empty (drink), and then use those. Another option is saving “pry off” bottles and buy our capping kit. Try practicing siphoning with just water before bottle to ensure no cider is accidentally spilled. Having a friend to help bottle your cider will make the job much easier.

1. Rinse bottles with warm water insuring that there is no sediment at the bottom.
2. Next you will sanitize your bottles, racking cane, tubing, and a spoon for mixing. Mix the rest of your sanitizer in a bucket or large pitcher with one callon of warm water. Sove Soak all of the bottles and components in the solution for 60 seconds each to sanitize, rinse off then place everything on a fresh sheet of paper towels.
3. In a large pot (over a gallon) add 1.5 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of table sugar. The sugar will give the remaining yeast food to carbonate your cider once bottled. Heat on medium-high and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes then cover and let cool.
4. Once the pot and sugar water are completely cool it is now time to siphon the cider from your glass fermentor into your pot (this transfer is t oensure the sugar properly mixes with your cider). To do this, get a bowl of fresh, clean water; dunk your tubing into the water (with clamp open) and let the tubing completely fill with liquid. Next close the tubing clamp and attach the non-clamped end to the racking cane, this will be your siphon starter.
5. Insert the racking cane into the fermenter making sure the end is far enough away form the sediment at the bottom so as not to suck it up. Place the clamped in as low as you can and unclamp. This will start the flow of cider into your tubing. Use a glass to catch the water and clamp the tubing once the cider starts to freely flow out the end.
6. Transfer all of your cider into the pot with the sugar water. Mix gently and thoroughly with a sanitized spoon.
7. Next, repeat steps 4-5 in order to start a siphon into the bottles. Fill the bottles slightly higher than where the neck starts, cap and repeat.
8. Store the bottles in a warm dark place for 10 days to let the cider condition and carbonate.
9. Refrigerate, drink & enjoy!

• Apple Cinnamon Cider
• Apple Peach/Berry Cider