Make Your Own Cider Techniques For Fermenting And Flavoring Your Cider To Make It Delicious

This book, and our love affair with apples and cider, started in 1998 — the year we moved onto our smallholding and watched the dormant centenarian apple trees introduce themselves. First came the pink swelling blossom buds, next the riot of white blossoms resplendent and humming with pollinators, then green leaves offering cool summer shade as the small fruits grew into the apples. We soon identified most of them — a Rome variety of some sort, something like a Granny Smith, a Golden Delicious, a Cox’s Orange Pippin, a few towering Gravensteins, and one that was grafted to both Gravenstein and Red Delicious. We were overwhelmed by the quantity: boxes and baskets of apples were stacked along the wall in our small kitchen. Apples seemed to tumble every which way as we tried to make them into sauce, dried rings, steamed juice, pies, crisps, and dumplings. By the next year we had a cider press, and a few years later we were captivated by cider. Surrounded by vineyards, we thought we would be the first cider house in our area. As it turned out, sauerkraut got in the way, but that is another story. Eager to learn as much as we could about growing apples for cider, we visited Nick Botner, described both as a hobby orchardist and a serious world-renowned botanical collector, at his farm in Yoncalla, Oregon, 2 hours north of our farm. We arrived, three of our four children in tow, one early November day, nearly 15 years ago. “Come into my farmhouse, we’ll talk,” Nick said as he invited the five of us in. His wife, Carla, sat us down to coffee and applesauce. A good cider apple contributes to one or more of four components: color, flavor, body, or bouquet. “What kind of apples do you recommend for hard cider?” Christopher ventured. We were sitting there gazing at him like initiates around a sage, waiting for the meaning of life. Or, at least the meaning of apples. “There are a lot of great apples for cider,” Nick said, and we both stared, pen in hand, waiting to scribble down the varieties that we’d never heard of, yet hoped to plant. He told us a good cider apple contributes to one or more of four components: color, flavor, body, or bouquet. He didn’t drop any variety names though. “Do you have the Redstreak?” Christopher asked hopefully. During the eighteenth century, this apple was believed to be the finest cider apple in England. At the time, cider made from the Redstreak commanded the highest prices. Its popularity had diminished by the end of the century and it’s believed that viruses may have killed the remaining trees. Now the apple is rare, even thought to be extinct, as breeders are unsure if the claimed Redstreaks are indeed the Redstreaks.

This book, and our love affair with apples and cider, started in 1998 — the year we moved onto our smallholding and watched the dormant centenarian apple trees introduce themselves. First came the pink swelling blossom buds, next the riot of white blossoms resplendent and humming with pollinators, then green leaves offering cool summer shade as the small fruits grew into the apples. We soon identified most of them — a Rome variety of some sort, something like a Granny Smith, a Golden Delicious, a Cox’s Orange Pippin, a few towering Gravensteins, and one that was grafted to both Gravenstein and Red Delicious. We were overwhelmed by the quantity: boxes and baskets of apples were stacked along the wall in our small kitchen. Apples seemed to tumble every which way as we tried to make them into sauce, dried rings, steamed juice, pies, crisps, and dumplings. By the next year we had a cider press, and a few years later we were captivated by cider. Surrounded by vineyards, we thought we would be the first cider house in our area. As it turned out, sauerkraut got in the way, but that is another story. Eager to learn as much as we could about growing apples for cider, we visited Nick Botner, described both as a hobby orchardist and a serious world-renowned botanical collector, at his farm in Yoncalla, Oregon, 2 hours north of our farm. We arrived, three of our four children in tow, one early November day, nearly 15 years ago. “Come into my farmhouse, we’ll talk,” Nick said as he invited the five of us in. His wife, Carla, sat us down to coffee and applesauce. A good cider apple contributes to one or more of four components: color, flavor, body, or bouquet. “What kind of apples do you recommend for hard cider?” Christopher ventured. We were sitting there gazing at him like initiates around a sage, waiting for the meaning of life. Or, at least the meaning of apples. “There are a lot of great apples for cider,” Nick said, and we both stared, pen in hand, waiting to scribble down the varieties that we’d never heard of, yet hoped to plant. He told us a good cider apple contributes to one or more of four components: color, flavor, body, or bouquet. He didn’t drop any variety names though. “Do you have the Redstreak?” Christopher asked hopefully. During the eighteenth century, this apple was believed to be the finest cider apple in England. At the time, cider made from the Redstreak commanded the highest prices. Its popularity had diminished by the end of the century and it’s believed that viruses may have killed the remaining trees. Now the apple is rare, even thought to be extinct, as breeders are unsure if the claimed Redstreaks are indeed the Redstreaks.

Best-selling authors and acclaimed fermentation teachers Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey turn their expertise to the world of fermented beverages in the most comprehensive guide to home cidermaking available. With expert advice and clear, step-by-step instructions, The Big Book of Cidermaking equips readers with the skills they need to make the cider they want: sweet, dry, fruity, farmhouse-style, hopped, barrel-aged, or fortified. The Shockeys’ years of experience cultivating an orchard and their experiments in producing their own ciders have led them to a master formula for cidermaking success, whether starting with apples fresh from the tree or working with store-bought juice. They explore in-depth the different phases of fermentation and the entire spectrum of complex flavor and style possibilities, with cider recipes ranging from cornelian cherry to ginger, and styles including New England, Spanish, and late-season ciders. For those invested in making use of every part of the apple, there’s even a recipe for vinegar made from the skins and cores leftover after pressing. This thorough, thoughtful handbook is an empowering guide for every cidermaker, from the beginner seeking foundational techniques and tips to the intermediate cider crafter who wants to expand their skills. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

"Combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today's cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders"--Page 4 of cover.

Easy to brew, easy to customize, and enormously delicious! Looking for a crisp, clean, and scrumptious alternative to beer? On a gluten-free diet or allergic to the grains used in brewing beer? Want to experience the pride that comes when your friends crack open one of your bottles and exclaim, "You made this?" Then welcome to the world of hard cider. Suddenly it's everywhere--it's on the menu in pubs and restaurants, and there's a dizzying array of ciders available in stores. And some cider lovers, just like craft beer drinkers, are looking for ways to create their own brew. The Everything Hard Cider Book takes you step by step into the fermentation and bottling process, with tips on finding the proper equipment, sourcing ingredients, varying flavors, and creating unique packaging. You'll also find advice on advanced techniques, like evaluating the finished product, varying recipes for your own taste, and even growing fruit for cider. And with thirty-five essential and adaptable recipes for apple and other fruit ciders, you'll find everything you need to make your own distinctive and delicious beverages.

Fermentation is an ancient way of preserving food as an aid to digestion, but the centralization of modern foods has made it less popular. Katz introduces a new generation to the flavors and health benefits of fermented foods. Since the first publication of the title in 2003 he has offered a fresh perspective through a continued exploration of world food traditions, and this revised edition benefits from his enthusiasm and travels.

Primitive beers, country wines, herbal meads, natural sodas, and more Baudar has elevated the concept of terroir into the realm of extreme beverages, both fermented and unfermented. His book brings to life the innovative quest of the Palaeolithic shaman/healer/brewer.--Patrick E. McGovern, author of Ancient Brews Fermentation fans and home brewers can rediscover "primitive" drinks and their unique flavors in The Wildcrafting Brewer. Wild-plant expert and forager Pascal Baudar's first book, The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, opened up a whole new world of possibilities for readers wishing to explore and capture the flavors of their local terroir. The Wildcrafting Brewer does the same for fermented drinks. Baudar reveals both the underlying philosophy and the practical techniques for making your own delicious concoctions, including: Wild sodas Country wines Primitive herbal beers Meads Traditional ferments like tiswin and kvass. The book opens with a retrospective of plant-based brewing and ancient beers. The author then goes on to describe both hot and cold brewing methods and provides lots of interesting recipes; mugwort beer, horehound beer, and manzanita cider are just a few of the many drinks represented. Baudar is quick to point out that these recipes serve mainly as a touchstone for readers, who can then use the information and techniques he provides to create their own brews, using their own local ingredients. The Wildcrafting Brewer will attract herbalists, foragers, natural-foodies, and chefs alike with the author's playful and relaxed philosophy. Readers will find themselves surprised by how easy making your own natural drinks can be, and will be inspired, again, by the abundance of nature all around them. With gorgeous photos and clear technical details, this book will be a source of great inspiration.--Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation

*SHORTLISTED for the 2021 Gourmand World Cookbook Award* *SHORTLISTED for the 2022 Taste Canada Award for Single-Subject Cookbooks* A sustainable lifestyle starts in the kitchen with these use-what-you-have, spend-less-money recipes and tips, from the friendly voice behind @ZeroWasteChef. In her decade of living with as little plastic, food waste, and stuff as possible, Anne-Marie Bonneau, who blogs under the moniker Zero-Waste Chef, has preached that "zero-waste" is above all an intention, not a hard-and-fast rule. Because, sure, one person eliminating all their waste is great, but thousands of people doing 20 percent better will have a much bigger impact. And you likely already have all the tools you need to begin. In her debut book, Bonneau gives readers the facts to motivate them to do better, the simple (and usually free) fixes to ease them into wasting less, and finally, the recipes and strategies to turn them into self-reliant, money-saving cooks and makers. Rescue a hunk of bread from being sent to the landfill by making Mexican Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding, or revive some sad greens to make a pesto. Save 10 dollars (and the plastic tub) at the supermarket with Yes Whey, You Can Make Ricotta Cheese, then use the cheese in a galette and the leftover whey to make sourdough tortillas. With 75 vegan and vegetarian recipes for cooking with scraps, creating fermented staples, and using up all your groceries before they go bad--including end-of-recipe notes on what to do with your ingredients next--Bonneau lays out an attainable vision for a zero-waste kitchen.