How to Ferment Apple Juice

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: April 30, 2024 References

The result of fermented apple juice is cider, which requires the natural yeast in apples to be present for the fermentation process. Cider is simply fresh pressed apples but cider takes on different meanings depending on where you are in the world. For Americans, cider is a sweet, non-alcoholic apple juice enjoyed during the fall and winter months but for many other countries, cider is a fermented alcoholic apple juice drink. You can learn how to ferment apple juice at home to achieve sweet apple cider.

Steps

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You can use any type of apple and even use a combination of different apples. If you pick the apples right off the tree, let the apples age for 1 week.^{[1]
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Use an apple corer to make this process quicker and easier.^{[3]
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Pour the liquid into glass bottles using a funnel, for ease.
A cotton plug will pop out if too much pressure builds during the fermentation process, whereas a regular cap could make the bottle explode. Pressure builds when the bubbles from the carbon dioxide in the apple juice rise to the top of the bottle.
Sediment will begin to form on the bottom of the bottles as a result of the fermentation process.^{[4]
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Discard the sediment, as this is not palatable.
Pasteurize the fresh cider to prevent food born illnesses by heating it to 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (71 to 77 degrees Celsius) in a stainless steel pot. Skim the foam that forms on top due to the heat and discard.
Drink the fresh cider within a week.^{[5]
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Research source} Freeze the fresh cider in glass or plastic freezer containers for up to 1 year after cooling the liquid down in the refrigerator.

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How do I consume fermented fermented apple cider without heating to avoid destroying live enzymes?

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You can add some to water with some honey and mix well. It makes a great morning tonic.

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I had a jug of apple cider that became fermented. Is there a way of reversing that process so that the alcohol is gone from it?

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No, unfortunately you cannot reverse the fermentation process.

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Is the finished product alcoholic?

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Yes, it is. Fermentation is a metabolic process that converts sugar into acids, gases or alcohols. It occurs in yeast and bacteria, and also in oxygen-starved muscle cells, as in the case of lactic acid fermentation. Fermentation is also used more broadly to refer to the bulk growth of microorganisms on a growth medium, often with the goal of producing a specific chemical product.

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Tips

For best results, use freshly pressed juice from apples that were not previously pasteurized, before putting the juice through the fermentation process; fermenting pasteurized juice results in lower quality cider.

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Use a fruit or cider press for large quantities of apples.

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Use a clean pillowcase in place of the muslin sack to juice the apples.

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Warnings

Do not use bruised or spoiled parts of apples, which will cause the juice to ferment too fast, or under ripe apples, which will leave the cider tasting flat.

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Do not use apples that have fallen from the tree, if you are picking fresh apples.

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Do not store cider in aluminum, iron or copper, as the cider will react negatively with these metals.^{[6]
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