How is sparkling cider made?

Sparkling cider, also known as hard cider, is a carbonated alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. It has been a popular drink for centuries, especially in Europe and North America. Let’s take a look at how this refreshing, bubbly drink is made.

Table of Contents

Selecting and Washing the Apples

The first step in making sparkling cider is selecting the right apples. Cider apples are preferred as they contain high levels of sugar, acidity, and tannins which provide the flavor and body for cider. Popular varieties used include Ida Red, Jonathan, McIntosh, and Winesap.

The apples are washed and rinsed thoroughly to remove any dirt, debris, or pesticide residues. Proper cleaning at this initial stage helps prevent contamination during the rest of the cider making process.

Milling the Apples into Pomace

After washing, the apples are fed through a milling machine to be ground up into pulp or “pomace.” This breaks open the fruit to expose the juice-filled cells inside. The milling chops the apples into small chunks, typically under a quarter inch in size.

There are a few different types of mills used in cider production:

Hammermills – Use swinging hammers to crush the apples
Scratter mills – Rotate sharp chains to shred the apples
Twin-screw mills – Employ two intermeshing screws to grind the apples

The type of mill used impacts the texture of the pomace. Hammermills produce a coarser, chunkier pomace while screw mills create a finer, more pasty consistency. Cider makers choose the milling method based on the desired mouthfeel and pulpiness of the finished cider.

Pressing the Pomace to Extract Juice

Once the apples have been milled into pomace, this mash is then pressed to squeeze out the juice. Presses apply gradual pressure, squeezing the pomace between two flat surfaces. The fresh apple juice flows out while the dry pulp (or “cheese”) is left behind.

There are a few main types of cider presses:

Basket presses – Pomace is placed in a circular basket chamber which compresses from the top down.
Bladder presses – Pomace is wrapped in inflatable nylon or rubber bladders that are pumped with air pressure to gently press out juice.
Rack and cloth presses – Pomace is stacked in layers between grooved wooden slats called racks which slot together. Pressure is applied using hydraulic jacks.

The type of press impacts juicing efficiency and labor requirements. For example, bladder presses are very efficient at extracting juice but require more monitoring while basket presses take more effort to operate but are simple in design.

Fermenting the Apple Juice into Hard Cider

Once the fresh sweet apple juice has been pressed, yeast is added to ferment the sugars into alcohol. The main steps of fermentation include:

The apple juice is poured into fermentation tanks.

Yeast is added to the tanks to start fermentation. Cider yeast strains like Saccharomyces cerevisiae or S. bayanus are commonly used.
The yeast converts natural sugars in the juice into alcohol. This process also produces carbon dioxide which starts saturating the cider.
Fermentation is allowed to progress for 1-3 weeks at temperatures between 55-75°F. Cooler temperatures result in slower fermentation.

Once fermentation is complete, the cider’s alcohol by volume (ABV) reaches 4-8% for typical hard cider. Higher ABV ciders ferment longer.

Throughout fermentation, the cider is closely monitored. Factors like juice chemistry, yeast health, temperature, and tank pressure require control to ensure optimal cider quality.

Clarifying and Maturing the Hard Cider

After fermentation, the young hard cider is fairly cloudy and raw tasting. Additional processing helps clarify and smooth out flavors:

Fining – Finings substances like bentonite clay or gelatin are added which attract haze particles. This helps settle out suspended solids for a clearer cider.
Filtration – The cider is passed through filtration machinery like plate filters or centrifuges to further remove yeast, pulp, and proteins.
Maturation – Hard cider is aged anywhere from 1 month to over 1 year before bottling. Maturation in tanks or oak barrels allows flavors to meld and mellow.

These techniques remove undesirable compounds and refine the final product. Additional ingredients like fruit purees or flavorings may also be added at this stage to impart desired qualities.

Carbonating the Hard Cider

For sparkling cider, natural or forced carbonation methods are used after fermentation to dissolve carbon dioxide into the liquid:

Natural carbonation – Also called bottle conditioning. Before bottling, a small amount of yeast and sugar is added to the cider, re-starting fermentation in the bottle and trapping CO2 bubbles.

Forced carbonation – Cider is chilled and CO2 gas is injected into the cider under pressure in a carbonation tank. The CO2 dissolves into the liquid.

The level of carbonation is adjusted based on desired bubble texture and mouthfeel. Higher carbonation levels result in a livelier, frothier cider.

Packaging the Sparkling Hard Cider

The final step is packaging the carbonated hard cider into bottles, cans, or kegs for distribution and sale. Important considerations include:

Choose containers suited for pressurized carbonated beverages. Thicker glass bottles or cans with higher internal pressure thresholds.
Use oxygen barrier materials like brown glass or aluminum cans to prevent air exposure which can oxidize and stale flavors.
Sanitize all containers before filling to prevent contamination.

Fill containers purged of oxygen by CO2 flushing to prevent foaming and overflow.
Leave adequate headspace above liquid to accommodate foam and expansion from carbonation.

Filled containers are sealed, labeled, and packed for shipping to retailers or consumers. Refrigerated storage helps maintain carbonation and freshness.

Standard Process for Making Sparkling Cider

Here is a summary of the typical sparkling cider production process from start to finish:

Select and wash cider apples
Mill apples into pomace

Press pomace to extract juice
Ferment apple juice into hard cider
Clarify and mature cider

Carbonate hard cider
Package carbonated cider

However, cider makers may customize this process based on creative preferences and desired flavor profiles. Additional steps like juice blending, secondary fermentation, or adjunct ingredient additions allow for unique ciders.

Major Sparkling Cider Producers

Some of the top commercial producers of sparkling cider include:

Angry Orchard – Walden, NY
Crispin – Colfax, CA

Woodchuck – Middlebury, VT
Strongbow – Heineken-owned, imported from England
Magners – Irish cider company, imported from Ireland

Noble – Monterey, CA
Original Sin – New York, NY
Ace Cider – Sebastopol, CA

These major brands are widely available across North America and overseas. However, there are hundreds of smaller independent cideries crafting excellent sparkling ciders as well.

Different Styles of Sparkling Cider

Sparkling cider encompasses a diverse range of styles including:

Cider Type	Characteristics
Traditional Dry	Crisp, tart, champagne-like, modest sweetness
Fruit Flavored	Flavored with fruit like cherry, peach, berry. Can be sweet.
Hopped/Botanical	Dry cider with hoppy, herbal, or spiced flavors
Ice Cider	Sweet, concentrated cider made from frozen apples
Rosé Cider	Pink-hued, berry flavored

Creativity and innovation continue to expand the diversity of hard cider options for every palate.

Factors that Impact Cider Quality

Some key considerations for producing a high quality sparkling cider include:

Apple variety – Using optimal cider apple varieties with balanced sugar and acidity.
Yeast strain – Choosing a cider-suitable yeast that ferments cleanly.

Juice quality – Pressing fresh, clean apple juice and preventing oxidation.
Fermentation control – Managing temperature, nutrients, and other conditions.
Maturation time – Allowing 1-12 months for flavors to condition and mellow.

Blending – Mixing varieties and batches to achieve complexity.
Balanced sweetness/acidity – Having moderate sweetness balanced by bright acidity.
Mouthfeel – Getting a lively, fine bubbled carbonation.

An expert cider maker skillfully manages these elements to craft the highest caliber sparkling cider.

Key Points

Here are some of the key points covered about how sparkling cider is made:

Starts with selecting optimal cider apple varieties and washing.

Apples are milled into pomace then pressed to extract juice.
Juice is fermented by cider yeast into hard cider over 1-3 weeks.
Cider is clarified, filtered, and matured over months to smooth flavors.

Natural or forced carbonation is used to carbonate the cider.
Cider is bottled using containers suited for carbonation pressure.
High quality depends on apple blend, yeast health, controlled fermentation, maturation, and balance of sweetness and acidity.

Conclusion

Crafting sparkling cider is a time-honored tradition that marries science and artistry. Following the key steps of milling, pressing, fermenting, clarifying, carbonating, and packaging transforms fresh-pressed apple juice into a refined effervescent beverage. An exceptional cider requires care and expertise throughout the meticulous process. With the cider renaissance ongoing, both traditional and innovative new sparkling ciders continue to blossom and refresh cider lovers worldwide.