How Cider is Made

Cider makers are skilled at their craft but, like winemaking and brewing, there is a bit of magic that goes into every batch. Seasonal precipitation and temperature affect flavour and yield a distinctive vintage for each pressing.

Cider begins with apples that are harvested, washed and milled to a pulp. The quality of the apples determine the quality of the cider. (You would not drink wine made from table grapes, so why drink cider made from eating-apples?)

The juice is then extracted in a cider press powered by a hydraulic pump. Typically, 1.5 kilos of apples yield a litre of juice (14.5 pounds of apples yield a gallon of juice). The juice is then combined with champagne yeast and sometimes other ingredients, depending on the cider being created. It is then fermented in small batches and carefully monitored. Great care is taken to make certain that the perfect blend of apples is used to obtain the desired taste. Once the fermentation is finished, the product is filtered into another cask for storage. When required, it is put into bottles or kegs and refrigerated to preserve its natural freshness.