Craft Hard Cider: Recipes, Tips, and Ideas for Making & Enjoying Hard Cider
As I noted in an earlier post on Rosé ciders, I was surprised to find so many during a visit to Normandy, France. I even saw some of the red-fleshed apples, which they use, growing in an orchard. Red or pink fleshed apples are a great option for making a rosé. However, if you are … Continue reading Making Rosé Cider
Rosé wine is made by allowing the grape juice to macerate and even partially ferment on the grape skins to extract some anthocyanins and produce a pink to light red color of wine. For cider, you actually have two methods for producing a pink or red cider. Unlike grapes, there are red and pink apples. … Continue reading Rosé Cider
You may have noticed some changes to the Recipe Page on PricklyCider.com. If not, check it out here. I used to list the recipes by alphabetical order. As the number of recipes has grown over the years, I thought it might make more sense to group them by cider type and then alphabetical order. Someday, … Continue reading Exploring Prickly Cider: The Recipes
Pommeau is traditionally a French drink made by blending apple juice with calvados (apple brandy) and aging it. But, why can’t we make pommeau with other spirits, especially spirits made from what is local. If you live in the Southwestern United States, specifically Arizona, that local spirit would be tequila. Arizona Pommeau is the result … Continue reading Making Arizona Pommeau
I was debating what type of ice cider to make from last season’s frozen juice. I usually like to have some type of dessert cider option that I can offer. As a note, I think of cider in three categories: Traditional, Adjunct, and Dessert. Traditional ciders are those made just from apples and pears (perry). … Continue reading Making Prickly Pommeau
Types of Cider Drinks Just like wine, you can distill cider into a spirit. Please recognize that this process is illegal in many countries without a specific license. This is because it can be dangerous. One reason is because of the method, heating a flammable liquid, often over an open flame, and the other is … Continue reading Cider Words: Pommeau
Nuts! Cider Recipe: A cider aged on walnuts. This recipe started several years ago when I learned how astringent walnuts are. Go put a raw, unsalted walnut in your mouth and slowly chew it. Chew it for a good 30 seconds if you can. Have some water handy in case you choke. That experience led … Continue reading Making Nuts! Cider
A Simple Recipe for Making Hard Cider I’m frequently asked for a simple hard cider recipe. I published “My First Cider” recipe several years ago, which was intended to help guide the first time cider maker. However, I recognize that it may not be considered the simplest or easiest recipe. In fact, it’s less recipe … Continue reading Making Simple Cider
Flora Dora Cider Mistelle Label Flora Dora is another fortified hard cider recipe. It is what I call a cider mistelle. I put mistelles in my Dessert style of ciders. These are ciders with higher levels of alcohol and are normally served with the dessert course. The dryer versions I sometimes serve as apéritifs and … Continue reading Making Flora Dora Cider Mistelle
Easy Cherry Cider Label I didn’t always press my own apples to make cider. Like many people, I started making cider using store bought juice. I also think I made some good cider from store bought juice and you can as well. For this recipe, I thought I would go back to my roots and … Continue reading Making “Easy” Cherry Cider
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