1. General product characteristics
2. History reference
3. Useful properties of the product
4. Homemade Apple Cider Recipe
5. The use of an alcoholic ingredient in cooking
6. Things to know (Q&A)

Cider is considered a close relative of apple cider vinegar and a classic manifestation of Western gastronomy. Over the past ten years, the drink has gone through a rapid path of development and transformation. Even nutritionists who are skeptical about alcohol have labeled cider as a catalyst for the correct acidity and the most healthy and enjoyable drink.

On the CIS space, cider appeared relatively recently, but quickly won back the retail space and received popular love. The main advantage of the drink is its lightness and sweet and sour taste, which are successfully intertwined with alcohol. Cider is suitable for both self-consumption and cooking, and its taste can change depending on the temperature of the liquid.

What is a drink, how to make homemade cider and what you need to know about the modern alcoholic market?

General product characteristics

• General product characteristics
• History reference
• Useful properties of the product
• Homemade Apple Cider Recipe
• The use of an alcoholic ingredient in cooking

Cider is a low alcohol drink. It is obtained by fermenting fruit juice. The use of apple juice is considered traditional, but the alcoholic market offers pear, blueberry, raspberry, grapefruit, and even mint or lavender liquor. Some formulations provide for natural fermentation of liquids, others with the help of special cultured yeast.

Features of production

For the preparation of the drink, specially cultivated apple varieties are most often used. The common apples that we see on store shelves and eat are not entirely suitable for industrial production. Why? They contain a minimum concentration of tannins.

Tannins are phenolic compounds of plant origin that contain an abundance of hydroxyl groups. They have tanning properties and a specific astringent taste. Tannins are responsible for the rich caramel shade of the drink, sour notes and a pleasant aftertaste.

Some manufacturers do use table apples or dessert apples for their cider. In this case, the taste, color, structure and aftertaste will be less pronounced. Typically, a number of other ingredients (both natural and chemical) are added to such drinks to make up for the missing characteristics.

Manufacturers divide apples for cider into 4 categories depending on the concentration of tannins and acid:

• sweet (little tannin and acid);
• sour (little tannin, a lot of acid);
• bitter sour (a lot of tannin, little acid);
• bitter-sour (a lot of tannin and acid).

The best cider comes from a combination of all apple varieties, but one specific variety can be used to achieve a sweet / bitter / sour / tart palate.

Important: you cannot use fresh fruit for the drink. They must lie down for at least 1 week before using. Apples are peeled, sent to the press, squeezed out of juice and sent to fermentation. After that, the liquid is bottled and delivered to the point of sale.

During preparation, the drink goes through 2 different stages of fermentation. At the first stage, yeast is artificially added. Together with the yeast that is originally found on the apple peel, the fruit undergoes fermentation. Some producers refuse artificial ingredients and wait for the apples to ferment on their own. During the first fermentation, the alcoholic component of the drink is also formed - the sugar is reduced to ethanol. The second fermentation takes place in the juice. Natural bacteria regulate the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid and carbon dioxide.

In many countries, the state closely monitors the industrial production of alcoholic beverages. For example, in the UK, at the legislative level, the minimum dose of apple juice, which must be in cider, is 50% or more. If this requirement is not met, the consignments simply do not end up on the counter and are disposed of.

The strength of the finished drink traditionally varies from 1 to 8%. According to its sweetness, cider is divided into several categories from dry to sweet. There is also a specific gradation of shades. The color of cider depends on its constituent components and can convey the entire palette of known shades. With a low degree of filtration, the liquid may appear cloudy and form a sediment - this indicates not poor quality, but the peculiarities of production.

In the modern alcoholic market, carbonated or champagne cider holds the leading position. Its strength varies from 5 to 8%. The taste and structure of the drink is very similar to sparkling wine. The only difference is the variety of fruit flavors and combinations.

History reference

There are many theories about the origin of the apple drink. One of them mentions Charlemagne - King of the Franks (VIII-IX). Legend has it that Karl accidentally sat down on a bag of overripe apples. The fruit was crushed under the weight of the ruler, but the resulting liquid became the impetus for the invention of cider. But Pliny, an ancient Roman writer, also mentioned the properties and popularity of the drink. The years of his creativity fall on 60-79 AD, which makes the version with Charlemagne nothing more than a fiction.

During the Middle Ages, cider became the national drink of the Basques. These are the people who inhabited the Basque lands in the southwest of France and the north of Spain. In 1189, the rules for growing apples, their preparation, cleaning and fermentation to create an alcoholic drink were conditionally approved.

Fact. The first state to regulate the production of apple cider was the Kingdom of Navarre. By the end of the 16th century, the drink became the most popular in the kingdom, and in terms of production it significantly exceeded beer. During the reign of Louis XII, a Navarre nobleman, Guyon Dursu, brought production technology to Normandy and contributed to the spread of the apple drink.

For squeezing the juice, they used to use a special horse-drawn crusher and a cider press. The press was a huge vat for draining liquid, a special box for fruit and weighting materials. A similar design can be made independently from scrap materials.

The traditional drink was considered seasonal and had a minimum shelf life. It was cooked and drunk in the fall - at the same time, large-scale cider festivals were organized, which have survived to this day. In some French provinces of the 19th century, the drink became more popular than wine, the hallmark of France. But after the twentieth century, apple cider still gave way to beer. This was due to the minimum shelf life of the drink and its seasonality.

Geographic features of production

It is believed that the highest quality ciders are produced in the north of France, namely in Normandy and Brittany. Norman cider is used not only as an independent drink, but also as a raw material for Calvados. Calvados is a brandy based on apple or pear cider. The cider is distilled, infused, combined with additional components and calvados is obtained with a strength of 40%.

In Hesse and the middle Rhine valley, a tart, slightly sour apple cider is produced, which the locals call apple wine (Apfelwein). In Frankfurt, at the beginning of autumn, they traditionally hold a cider festival - Apfelweinfest.

Basque Country and Asturias (autonomous communities in northern Spain) consider themselves the birthplace of the drink. The traditional serving of cider in these areas looks like this: liquid is poured from a bottle from a height of 60-80 centimeters directly into a special glass.

Fact: West England has the highest per capita cider consumption.

In Eastern Europe, the drink did not receive such colossal approval and popularity. For example, in Poland, cider occupies only 1% of the alcohol market, and in the former Soviet republics, the sale and industrial production of the drink was launched only in the post-Soviet period. In North America, cider is not even classified as alcohol. There it is considered one of the varieties of concentrated apple juice.

Useful properties of the product

Cider has taken over the lion's share of the benefits of its main ingredient, apple. The drink with the purest and most organic composition has a rich set of vitamins / minerals that contribute to:

• vasodilation and harmonization of pressure;
• activating the work of the gastrointestinal tract, accelerating metabolic processes and increasing the degree of digestibility of food;
• reducing the risk of developing depressive conditions and serious problems with psycho-emotional health;
• increased salivation and increased appetite;
• blocking free radicals and protecting the body from early aging;
• acceleration of lipid metabolism;
• quick and effective elimination of toxins, cleaning the body.

The beneficial properties of the drink depend on the variety of apples, on the basis of which it was prepared. You also need to pay attention to the composition. The shorter it is, the better the product is in your hands. Avoid drinking drinks with extra sugar and preservatives - it's better to find a responsible manufacturer or make your own cider.

Cider is an organically pure drink, therefore it contains no harmful and hazardous components (chemical additives, carcinogens, toxins). Along with a relatively low calorie content (40 - 47 kcal per 100 ml of product), cider is rich in carbohydrates, since it contains sugar added during the production process. The sugar content does not go beyond the normal limits and does not pose a danger to the body.

Homemade Apple Cider Recipe

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This is an authentic drink recipe that uses only apple juice - no yeast or sugar needed. If you want to diversify the taste and add some additional accents - add spices before fermentation. The taste of the finished drink depends mainly on the selected apple variety. Of the most common varieties, Antonovka is perfect.

Important: you do not need to thoroughly wash apples with soap before fermentation. Natural yeast should remain in the peel, and the chemical components of the soap will destroy them.

You only need apples to make cider. You can vary the number yourself depending on your personal needs.

Required inventory:

• juicer;
• massive fermentation vessel (it is best to use metal or glass);
• sealed container for storing liquid;
• latex gloves.

The total duration of fermentation is 20 days. How do you know when fermentation is over and the cider is ready to drink? This can be understood by the rubber glove that will cover the container with cider - it should go down. The finished liquid can be additionally filtered through cheesecloth or cotton waffle towels.

Cooking technology

Rinse apples under running water, cut into arbitrary wedges and remove tails / hard cores. Pass the prepared fruits through a press or juicer. Pour the prepared juice into a glass or metal container. The container should be with a water seal. If there is no shutter, put on a rubber glove. The main rule is that air should not enter the liquid. Place the container in a dark room at room temperature for 20 days. After this time, pour the juice into an airtight container (you do not need to raise the sediment) and store the cider in the refrigerator.

The use of an alcoholic ingredient in cooking

Cider can be used in all recipes that involve alcohol. On its basis, sauces, marinades, gravies, and various dressings are made. You can soak fruits or berries in cider before preparing the pie - the taste of the ingredients is filled with a slight sourness and a characteristic alcoholic aftertaste.

Strawberry gazpacho with cider recipe

We need:

• fresh strawberries - 300 grams;
• dry cider or light ale to taste - 200 milliliters;
• peeled cucumber - 200 grams;
• ice - 40 grams;
• green basil - 1 sprig for decoration.

Cooking technology

Leave a few grams of fresh strawberries and cucumber for decoration, the rest - beat in a blender until smooth. Add cider to the resulting mass, mix the contents thoroughly. Pour gazpacho into a deep bowl, garnish with cucumber, strawberry wedges and a sprig of green basil. Serve immediately after cooking.

Things to know (Q&A)