Perry's Cider
'It's still the same as it has been for the last 90 years - to produce the very best Somerset Ciders with 100% apple juice, and with as little intervention from ourselves and nasty ingredients as possible.
We also strive to push the boundaries of craft cider - producing free thinking ciders with depth of flavour using only the simplest and purest of means..........'
Perry's Cider
'It's still the same as it has been for the last 90 years - to produce the very best Somerset Ciders with 100% apple juice, and with as little intervention from ourselves and nasty ingredients as possible.
We also strive to push the boundaries of craft cider - producing free thinking ciders with depth of flavour using only the simplest and purest of means..........'
Perry's Cider
'It's still the same as it has been for the last 90 years - to produce the very best Somerset Ciders with 100% apple juice, and with as little intervention from ourselves and nasty ingredients as possible.
We also strive to push the boundaries of craft cider - producing free thinking ciders with depth of flavour using only the simplest and purest of means..........'
FERMENTING
Cider fermentation is where natural or added yeasts convert sugars in freshly pressed apple juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
The main steps of this process are:
-
Fermentation Vessel: After pressing, the apple juice is placed in a fermenting vessel (such as a glass carboy or stainless steel tank).
-
Yeast Addition: Either wild yeasts (naturally present on the apples) or cultivated cider/wine yeasts are introduced to the juice. In home and small-scale production, natural or wild fermentation is traditional, but most commercial makers use controlled yeast strains for consistency.
-
Fermentation Environment: The vessel is sealed with an airlock to allow COâ‚‚ to escape while preventing unwanted bacteria or contaminants from entering. Fermentation is typically conducted at cool to moderate temperatures, generally between 15-20°C (59-68°F), although a bit warmer may hasten fermentation.
-
Fermentation Process: The yeast converts fermentable sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) into alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide. This process can take from a few days to several weeks, depending on factors such as temperature, yeast strain, and sugar content.
-
Vigorous Phase: The first few days to a week often include vigorous fermentation (visible bubbling through the airlock). As the sugar level drops and alcohol increases, yeast activity slows.
-
Completion and Settling: Fermentation is typically complete when no more bubbles are seen in the airlock and the gravity (sugar level) drops below about 1.005, measured with a hydrometer. Dead yeast and solids settle at the bottom as sediment (lees).
-
Racking: The cider is often siphoned (racked) off the lees to clarify and avoid off-flavors from decaying yeast.
-
Maturation (optional): The cider may be left to mature in bulk tanks or barrels for weeks to months to improve flavor, clarity, and aroma.
​
Fermentation generally produces a dry cider, as the finished product will have very little residual sugar unless fermentation is deliberately arrested (as in keeving) or stopped early. Some cider makers add extra sugar before bottling to initiate a secondary fermentation in the bottle, producing natural sparkling cider (bottle conditioning).
​
Useful links:
https://www.hoganscider.co.uk/news/news-trigger-9
https://revolutionfermentation.com/en/blogs/fermented-beverages/how-to-make-hard-cider/
https://www.matthewclark.co.uk/latest-news-blogs/blog/how-is-cider-made/
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/cider-guidance/cider03120
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-make-cider/
https://www.almostoffgrid.com/blogs/almost-off-grid/a-beginners-guide-to-making-cider-from-apples
https://mainbrew.com/pages/the-art-of-fermenting-cider
https://homebrewersassociation.org/tutorials/how-to-make-cider/how-to-make-cider/
https://www.bjcp.org/exam-certification/cider-judge-program/cider-exam/9-the-cider-making-process/