Fill the carboy to the brim with cold water and leave to work for at least 2 minutes.
Clean your sink, close the lid, and pour the contents of the carboy into the sink.
Soak the equipment in the sink for at least 2 minutes.
Remove the equipment and allow it to drain without rinsing.
Preparing the Wort
Pour the contents of the yeast sachet into a glass of warm water to rehydrate. Leave for 15 minutes.
Place the funnel on the carboy and pour in the rehydrated yeast followed by the apple juice.
Screw the cap on the carboy and shake vigorously to oxygenate the wort (this encourages yeast growth).
(Optional) Use a hydrometer to measure the initial density of the wort and record the value.
Fermentation
Insert the flexible tube into the rubber stopper, then fit the stopper onto the carboy.
Add ½ teaspoon of sanitizer to a large glass of water and place the end of the tube in this glass (to let the CO2 out without letting air in). This technique is more effective than an airlock and avoids the risk of overflows.
After 4-5 days, when fermentation is less vigorous, remove the tube and install the water-filled airlock in its place.
Let it ferment for at least two weeks at room temperature, without disturbing the carboy.
Bottling
Make sure that the cider has finished fermenting: there should be no bubbles in the airlock and the density of the mixture should be less than 1.005 (measured with a hydrometer).
Sanitize the bottles, auto siphon, and funnel.
Use the auto siphon to transfer the cider into the bottles, taking care not to disturb the lees at the bottom of the carboy.
(Optional) Add approximately 8-10g of sugar to each 750 ml bottle for sparkling hard cider.
Close the bottles and store them at room temperature.
Notes
Your homemade hard apple cider can be enjoyed straight away, but it will acquire greater complexity and smoothness if it is aged for several months in a cool, dry place. Be careful when opening bottles, as they could be under pressure if there is residual sugar at the time of bottling.
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