Introduction: Homemade Super Easy Apple Cider

About: I'm one of the people who a member of the AV club, and radio club, and was a geek long before it was a good thing to be. Played D&D until the group I was in moved on (local hospital most of them worked at clos…

When I was growing up, one thing I always looked forward to every year was the barrel of Apple Cider, my grandfather had in his garage. From the fresh drink that came in October, to the good stuff with a nice little bite in January and February, it was one of the highlights of my youth.
I found a book, Edible History, that describes how homemade yeast, cider, mead, and beer were made from the old days in Germany, Britain, and the Norse home of the Vikings. I have made the yeast, have a batch of dough rising, now for a jug of cider to ferment.
The picture above 2 batches of the yeast, one that has been aged is being used, one that I just started (see my instructable about making homemade apple yeast). The other jug is the cider. The yeast I just made will take 10 days to 2 weeks before ready to use, the cider will be ready to drink by Christmas day (today is Friday the 20th). This batch is only a half gallon jug, but later when I make larger batches, I am going to set one aside to go from sweet cider to hard cider, to see how it goes.

Step 1: Ingredients

I used a half cup of the homemade apple yeast
5 apples juiced
a half gallon of store bought apple juice, minus about 2 cups used in making the new yeast, and replenishing the last batch of yeast.

A knife and cutting board
The juicer
A 2-cup measuring cup

and of course the Red Balloon

Step 2: Make the Juice

I juiced the 5 apples, mixing it with the half cup of the apple yeast I ended up with just under 2 cups of juice.

Step 3: Fill the Jug and Now It's Time to Wait

I put the freshly juiced apple juice and yeast mixture into the jug with the store bought apple juice.
Added the holey Red Balloon to cover it so the fermentation can take place.
Now it's just wait for the fermentation to start, and nature to give that tangy bite to make the cider.
The cider will be ready by Christmas day.

Step 4: After the Weekend

It's now Monday morning and there are some bubbles indicating that the cider is fermenting.
The balloon is filled with the gas from the reaction, it's already gone from juice to cider, but would be very little taste difference yet.

Step 5: Christmas Day, Time to Have a Taste.

Pictures to come then updates as I make a new larger batch in the new year

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