Cider

Made from apple juice only cider differs from normal winemaking because sugar is not often added. The secret lies in the blend of apples used, and probably the best will be found in a mixture of one-third each of Bramley Seedlings (or other cooking apple), dessert, and crab apples. The fruit must first be washed, chopped into small pieces, and the juice extracted either with the aid of a press or an electric juice extractor. As the juice is collected, it should be sulphited by the addition of 1 Campden tablet. For those using a hydrometer, the starting gravity should be around s.g 1060. Yeast is added by means of a starter bottle prepared beforehand, preferably using a Champagne yeast, ferment under airlock. Bottle in screw-top bottles.