How To Make Apple Cider – Home Brewing Using Bakers Yeast

This video shows how to make hard apple cider. All you need is apple juice and bakers yeast and you can make apple cider at home.

All you need is pure apple juice with no preservatives. This is really important as preservative may inhibit fermentation.
Yeast (bakers yeast will do ok- Brewers yeast will be much better)
Yeast nutrient Optional (However fermentation will probably be more vigorous and quicker to start)
I used 1 litre of pure apple juice and to this I poured out about 50 to 60 ml into a plastic measuring cylinder. I then dropped in a wine or beer maker’s hydrometer in order to measure the density of the apple juice. The reading I got was about 1.040. Looking at a chart of potential alcohol concentration, it can be estimated that I will get about 5%ABV assuming that the juice ferments completely.
The Process:
Ensure your apple juice is warmed to at least room temperature slightly warmer is better.
(Optional) 1. Put about 1 quarter teaspoon of yeast nutrient into the apple juice and then replace the cap and shake vigorously for several minutes.
2. Put a teaspoon of yeast into the apple juice- again replace the cap and shake vigorously for several minutes to ensure yeast is well mixed with the juice.
3. Put some water into your airlock and push the airlock onto the bottle of apple juice ensuring a snug airtight fit.
Lastly…..
Place the fermentation bottle into a warm place and leave it there until all bubbling from the airlock stops can take days to weeks depending on how much you decide to make and temperature.
Sterilisation of equipment:
It is vital that all equipment used in the home brewing process is properly cleaned and sterilised. If it is not then you can spoil the fermentation and could end up ill by drinking a contaminated brew. Don’t pour your sample back into the apple juice bottle as this may introduce slight contamination and spoil your cider.
If you want a higher alcohol content…
Then you can spike your apple juice with lots of sugar and you may be able to get ABV of more than 10%. Its highly doubtful you will get much more than this using baker yeast so use the proper brewers yeast if you want higher.