Making cider at home is a great way to get started with homebrewing. Whether you're fermenting shop-bought apple juice in a demijohn or pressing fresh apples from your own garden, you don't need a huge amount of equipment to get started.
At Hooley Homebrew, we stock the essential homebrewing equipment and ingredients you'll need, including cider yeast, fermenting vessels, hydrometers, cleaning products and bottling equipment.
In this guide, we'll explain what you need for your first batch of homemade cider and how you can build on your setup as you gain experience.
1. Getting Started: Making Cider from Apple Juice
The easiest way to make cider at home is to start with apple juice. You can use suitable shop-bought juice and ferment it yourself, without needing to crush or press any apples.
For a small batch, a demijohn kit is a convenient starting point. These kits provide the basic equipment needed to ferment juice at home, making them ideal for beginners who want to try cider making without investing in a larger setup.
Your basic equipment should include:
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A demijohn or suitable fermenting vessel
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An airlock and bung
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Cider yeast
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A hydrometer and trial jar
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A siphon for transferring the finished cider
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Suitable bottles and closures
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Cleaner and sanitiser
Check the contents of your chosen kit before purchasing, as additional equipment and ingredients may be required.
New to cider making? Browse our Starter Cider Demijohn Kits to find a suitable starting point.
2. Cider Yeast: Choosing the Right Yeast
Yeast converts the natural sugars in apple juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Using a suitable cider yeast gives you greater control over fermentation than relying on wild yeasts.
Different yeast strains can influence the aroma, flavour and fermentation characteristics of your cider. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the recommended temperature range and quantity of yeast to use.
Apple juice can ferment to a relatively dry finish, so don't assume that choosing a particular yeast will automatically produce a sweet cider.
You can browse our Cider and Wine yeast to find a suitable yeast for your next batch.
3. Fermenting Buckets: Making Larger Batches
Once you've mastered small batches in a demijohn, you might want to increase your production.
A food-grade fermenting bucket is a practical option for making larger quantities of cider. A 33-litre bucket is particularly useful if you're fermenting several litres of apple juice at once.
Look for a suitable lid and airlock arrangement, sufficient headspace for fermentation and a wide opening that makes cleaning easier.
A second bucket can also be useful when transferring cider away from the sediment before bottling.
Explore our fermenters to build a setup that suits your batch size.
4. Making Cider from Fresh Apples
If you have access to fresh apples, you can take your cider making a step further by extracting your own juice.
An apple crusher breaks the fruit into small pieces, while a fruit press squeezes the juice from the crushed apples. Together, they provide an effective way to process larger quantities of fruit.
For smaller batches, a slow juicer may be a more convenient option, although processing a large harvest can take considerable time.
Once you have extracted the juice, you can ferment it using a suitable cider yeast and your chosen fermentation equipment.
If you're using shop-bought juice instead, you can skip this equipment entirely. Check the ingredients for preservatives that may inhibit fermentation.
5. Pectinase and Yeast Nutrient
Two additional ingredients worth considering when making cider are pectinase and yeast nutrient.
Pectinase, also called pectic enzyme, breaks down pectin in fruit juice. It can help improve juice extraction and reduce persistent pectin haze, particularly when working with fresh apples.
Yeast nutrient supplies nutrients that support fermentation. Apple juice can vary in its nutrient content, so supplementation may be helpful depending on the juice and yeast being used.
Both are optional additions rather than requirements for every batch. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, and check whether your chosen recipe or other ingredients already provide what is needed.
Browse our additives, finings and clarifiers for suitable products.
6. Cleaning and Sanitising with Chemsan
Good cleaning and sanitising practices are essential for producing cider that tastes as it should.
All equipment that comes into contact with your juice or cider should be thoroughly cleaned before being sanitised. This includes your demijohn, fermenting bucket, airlock, siphon, bottles and any other equipment used during the process.
Chemsan is a convenient no-rinse sanitiser when used according to its instructions. It is particularly useful when preparing equipment for fermentation and bottling.
Remember that sanitiser is not a substitute for cleaning. Remove visible dirt and residue first, then prepare and use your sanitiser at the recommended concentration and contact time.
Shop our cleaning and sanitising products before starting your next batch.
7. Hydrometers: Checking Fermentation
A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of your cider, allowing you to track fermentation and estimate its alcohol content.
Take an initial reading before fermentation begins and compare it with subsequent readings as fermentation progresses. Stable readings over several days, alongside your recipe's guidance, help establish when fermentation has finished.
Don't rely on airlock bubbles alone to determine whether your cider is ready for bottling.
Browse our hydrometers and testing equipment to monitor your cider throughout fermentation.
8. Bottles and Bottling Equipment
Once fermentation is complete, you'll need suitable bottles and closures to store your cider.
For still cider, choose appropriate bottles designed for still beverages. For sparkling cider, use bottles specifically designed to withstand carbonation pressure.
Crown-cap bottles require compatible caps and a suitable bottle capper. Pressure-rated swing-top bottles are another option, provided they're in good condition and suitable for your intended carbonation level.
A bottling wand can also make filling bottles easier and help reduce splashing.
Before bottling sparkling cider, ensure fermentation has finished and measure any priming sugar accurately. Never bottle unfinished cider or add excessive sugar, as the resulting pressure can cause bottles to burst. Sweetening cider also requires a suitable method to prevent unwanted refermentation.
Explore our glass bottles and bottling equipment to finish your setup.
Start Making Your Own Cider
Making cider at home can be as simple as fermenting apple juice in a demijohn or as involved as pressing fresh apples and fermenting larger batches.
For beginners, a basic demijohn kit, suitable cider yeast, a hydrometer and the right cleaning and sanitising products provide a sensible starting point. As you gain experience, you can expand your setup with larger fermenting buckets, additional testing equipment and fruit-processing tools.
At Hooley Homebrew, we stock the equipment and ingredients to help you get started, whether you're making your first small batch or preparing to process a full apple harvest.
Ready to get started? Explore our demijohn kits, cider yeast and homebrewing equipment to find what you need for your next batch.