| How to Make Apple Cider Posted: 09 Feb 2022 12:00 AM PST Nothing says autumn like a delicious glass of fresh apple cider. That crisp, tangy smell is a treat all its own, and aside from brilliant fall foliage, is one of the best treats of the season! But what if it's the dead of winter, and you have a desire for some fresh cider? This article will show you how to make fresh apple cider. See How to Make Hot Apple Cider for the heated version of cider. - Total time (Non-Alcoholic): 30-45 minutes
[Edit]Non-Alcoholic Cider - Obtain the right apples. The best cider has a balance between sweetness and tartness. Often times, apple producers (who will often make their own brand of cider) will blend different apples together to get the right combination. Finding "your" blend is just a matter of experimentation, and experimenting will be a delicious endeavor! Here are some basic characteristics of common apple varieties:[1]
- Red Delicious: Large, firm red apple with a sweet flavor.
- Yellow Delicious: Large, firm yellow apple with a sweet flavor.
- Jonathon: Medium, crisp semi-tart apple, with red near the top, descending to green lower down the fruit.
- Granny Smith: Medium/small, crisp, tart apple with green color.
- Gala: Medium, crisp semi-tart apple with yellow skin blushed with orange to red tinge.
- Choose apples from the above list. Shop the local produce stands, fruit markets or grocery store shelves. If you lean toward a sweet juice, use a ratio of three sweet to one tart, or for medium sweetness, use a "two sweet to one tart" ratio. If you intend to make hard cider, use all sweet apples.
- It takes about one third of a bushel to make one gallon of cider.
- Clean the apples thoroughly. Cutting out any bruises or damaged parts, and remove stems. As a rule, it is not recommended to use any fruit for cider that you would not eat as it is.
- Quarter the apples. Leave the skins on them for the color, flavor, and nutrients that processing will release.[2]
- Puree the apple quarters. Use a food processor or blender, and process till your apples have the consistency of applesauce.
- Strain the pulp. Squeeze the pureed apple through a cheesecloth, extracting all of the juice possible.[3]
- If you have a fine-mesh sieve or chinois, you can use the back of a spoon to press even more juice out.
- Always keep your cider refrigerated. After enjoying a tall glass of fresh apple cider, store the rest in a sealed container below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5°C) for up to two weeks, or freeze for extended storage.[4]
[Edit]Hard Cider - Make cider. See above, and prepare enough sweet cider for five gallons.[5]
- Get yeast. Visit your local brewing supply store, or look online for cider yeast. Dry wine yeasts are also a good choice, and are more common—and therefore, less expensive.
- Make a starter. A day or two before you plan on brewing your hard cider, make a yeast starter. This will ensure that your yeast is alive and ready to go, and will let you control the final flavor of your brew.[6]
- In a sealable jar, add one yeast packet to a half cup of your fresh apple cider. Seal the jar, give it a good shaking for five to ten seconds, then set it aside for five or six hours, or overnight.
- When you see it bubbling, release the pressure by partially twisting off the lid, then resealing the jar. Put the start in the refrigerator until a couple hours before you're ready to use it.
- Prepare your cider. Fill a stock pot or brew pot with fresh cider, and bring it to a very low simmer over medium heat. Continue simmering for about 45 minutes to an hour, to kill off any bacteria or wild yeasts that could alter the flavor of your cider.
- Do not boil the cider
- Add up to two pounds of brown sugar or honey to boost the sugar content, and make a harder hard cider!
- Prepare the fermentation bucket. To ensure that your bucket is clean and ready for hard cider making, sterilize it. Pour a capful of bleach into the bucket, fill with water, and let it sit while you finish simmering your cider. Empty the water, then rinse the bucket thoroughly with cold water.
- Pour the cider into the fermentation bucket. Let it cool until it's just warmer than room temperature, then add your starter. Stir with a sterilized spoon, then seal the lid and set the airlock.
- Let it ferment. Place the bucket in a cool, dark place—around 60° to 70°F (15° to 20°C). After a couple days, you should see the airlock start to bubble, as the yeast releases carbon dioxide. It should continue to bubble for a couple weeks. When it stops, let the cider rest for another week so that the yeast settles.[7]
- Bottle your cider. Using a clean, food-grade siphon, gently transfer the cider to sterilized bottles, seal them, and then let them sit for as long as you can stand it—at least a couple weeks. Like wine, hard cider will improve with age.[8]
- Note: Whatever the size of your container/bucket you must fill the container as close to the top as possible with your squeezed apple juice. If you do not do this, if you only half fill the container, and you will get vinegar instead of cider.
- Yeast need an anaerobic environment. So the more space––hence air––left in the container contributes to the vinegar taste. Carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen and will eventually be purged through the valve at the top.
- If you watch the video on making alcoholic cider, the trick to making cider and not vinegar is to fill the barrel/bucket to the top with the pressed apple juice. If you only half fill that bucket, you're going to get vinegar.
- Choose a variety of apples, and process each separately, then combine the juice to sample different flavors and see the difference in the colors you may produce using golden, green, and red apples.
- For large batches of cider, you may choose to buy a cider press.
- Thoroughly process the apples and squeeze all liquid through the cheesecloth to get all the juice with its nutrients from your fruit. Some solids will get through the cheesecloth, and the juice will have a cloudy appearance.
- There is some debate about the difference between cider and apple juice, but the general consensus is that cider is raw apple juice that hasn't been filtered or heavily processed.[9] Cider is quite perishable, and must be refrigerated. Apple juice has been pasteurized and filtered, and bottled with the express purpose of extended shelf life. The method above describes how to make apple cider.
- Caution: pasteurize juice by heating to at least 160ºF (71ºC) but not more than 185ºF (85ºC) to destroy harmful bacteria such as e coli. Use a food thermometer to determine the temperature. Infants, the elderly, and anyone with immune system disorders should not drink fresh unpasteurized apple juice.
[Edit]Warnings - Keep the processing equipment clean and sanitary.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Apples
- Food processor, blender or juicer
- Cheesecloth sack or chinois
- Brewing equipment (see your local brewer supply store for specifics)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Keep Your Glasses Clean Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:00 PM PST Glasses are a popular and effective type of eyewear, but unlike contact lenses, they can be delicate and, in some cases, difficult to keep clean. The lenses are prone to getting smudged, and can easily become dirty if touched or worn in dusty environments. However, with a mixture of protective measures, common sense, and occasional cleanings, you can keep your glasses clean and safe. [Edit]Avoiding Common Ways of Smudging Your Glasses - Wash your hands before handling your glasses. This is especially important if you've been touching dirty or greasy objects. Even your fingers have natural oils on them, which will leave streaks and smudges on your lenses. Only touch your glasses and lenses when you need to, and always wash your hands first. Common sources of dirt and oils that get on eyeglasses include:[1]
- The fur and skin of household pets
- Food products that include flour, oil, grease, or spices
- Workplace objects, including stair railings and elevator buttons
- Do not touch the lenses while adjusting your glasses. If your glasses have slipped down your nose and you need to push them back up, grip the frames to do this. Never push directly on the lenses, as this will transfer grease and oils from your hands onto the lenses.
- Adjusting your glasses by gripping the frames will become a habit over time if you do it consistently and never adjust your glasses by pressing on the lenses.
- Remove or protect your glasses while cooking on a stove. If you are cooking greasy foods on high heat, the hot oils will spray out of the pan, and can splatter high enough to smudge your glasses. If you need to wear your glasses while cooking, put a lid over the pot to protect yourself and your glasses from being sprayed with hot oil. If your glasses have been smudged by grease, clean them as soon as possible. Foods that are likely to splatter grease and oil while being cooked include:
- Bacon or other pan-fried meats
- Eggs
- Anything sautéed, especially onions
- Prevent oils from your face and hair from smudging your glasses. The skin on your face will naturally build up oils during the day, and these can transfer to your lenses if you push your glasses up high on your face. Similarly, natural oils from your hair can leave streaks or smudges on your glasses.
- Wash your face regularly—at least once a day—to prevent oils from building up and smudging your lenses.
- If you have long bangs, these can carry oils as well, and potentially transfer that oil to your lenses. Pin your bangs back to prevent them from smudging your glasses.
- Protect your lenses from inclement weather. Windy, rainy, and dusty weather all present unique challenges for individuals who wear glasses. Be aware that your glasses will be smudged and speckled with dirt after being in a dusty or dirty environment, and will be streaked with water after a rainstorm. Take your glasses off in these environments, or avoid spending much time outdoors when the weather is windy or rainy.
- Although rainwater will evaporate from your glasses, it will leave behind a residue which smears the lenses.
- If small dust particles get stuck to your glasses, do not try to rub them off without first rinsing the lenses. Dust can permanently scratch your lenses if rubbed or pressed farther into the glass.
- Take your glasses off before going to sleep. It's important that you never sleep while wearing your glasses. While sleeping, you'll roll over and move around, and this poses a threat to your glasses. They can easily become smudged by oils from your face and pillow. Worse, you're at risk of breaking the frame if you roll over while wearing glasses.
- Even if you're only lying down to rest, take off your glasses. It's not worth the risk of rolling over and snapping the frames.
- Prevent your makeup from smudging your glasses. When putting on makeup, determine where your glasses' nose pads contact the bridge of your nose. Lightly wipe that spot on your nose clean from makeup. Otherwise, the makeup on the bridge of your nose is likely to smudge your glasses. Once you've cleaned off the makeup from the spots of contact on the bridge of your nose, clean your glasses and gently scrub your nose pads.
- Because of its high oil content, makeup can be difficult to remove from your lenses.
[Edit]Cleaning Your Glasses When They're Dirty - Run the lenses under lukewarm water. At some point, your glasses will inevitably get dirty, whether from contact with your fingers, dirt in the air, or other incidental contact. If the lenses are smudged, moisten them to loosen the dirt and by running the lenses under water.[2]
- It's a good idea to wash your hands as well, so that you're not smearing oils from your fingers onto the lenses.
- Hot water can damage anti-glare treatments.
- Rub dish soap onto the lenses. Put a small drop on each of your glasses' lenses, and rub the soap around to cut through the oils and dirt on each lens. Make sure to clean both sides of the lenses, not only the inner side.
- You can also use hand soap to clean your lenses. Make sure that it is a lotion-free soap, though; otherwise you'll smudge the lenses with the lotion in the soap.[3]
- Rinse and dry the lenses. After you've washed them, re-rinse the lenses under lukewarm water. Then dry them using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth (microfiber is preferable), taking care not to rub any more dirt or grime on the lenses.
- Avoid products that contain ammonia, bleach, or vinegar. These substances are abrasive and will strip away the protective coatings on your glasses.[4] For the same reason, do not clean your glasses using Windex or window cleaner. You should use only commercially-made or homemade eyeglass cleaners to clean your glasses.
- Be sure the cloth used to dry the lenses has not been laundered with fabric softener or a dryer sheet. Doing so can leave streaks behind.
- Never spit on your glasses, or clean your lenses using saliva. Saliva is not sanitary and often contains germs and oils which will smudge your glasses.[5]
[Edit]Protecting Your Glasses and Lenses - Keep your glasses in their case. When you're not wearing your glasses, keep them safe by placing them in an eyeglasses case.[6] Without a case, glasses can easily get smudged or damaged.
- Keep your glasses in their case whenever you're sleeping. If they're reading glasses, keep them in a glasses case (when you're doing an activity other than reading) to prevent dust from getting on them.
- Keep a clean, soft cloth in your glasses case. Optometrists will often give you a soft microfiber cloth with your purchase of glasses. Keep this in the case, and it will provide 2 benefits: keeping your frames cushioned (should you drop the case), and giving you an easy way to wipe the lenses if they become dirty.
- If you get dust and water or smears of some sort on them, you can just grab your cloth out of your case and clean the lenses.
- Avoid cleaning the lenses with your shirt, as the fabric will not be as clean as the microfiber cloth.[7]
- Remove your glasses before physical activities. Since participating in sports can involve running, flying dust and dirt, falling, and colliding with other players, it's best to remove your glasses so they do not become smudged or even broken. If you don't take them off, you risk damaging the lenses and frame.
- Many people who wear glasses also have backup contact lenses, and choose to wear these when they're playing sports.
- Never lend your glasses to other people. Not only is your prescription meant for you alone, but you also lose control of what happens to your glasses if someone else is wearing them. Other individuals may not know how to handle glasses delicately, and may smudge your lenses or crack the frames.
- Many lens treatments have properties that resist dust, water and oil helping keep your glasses clean in the first place. Ask your eye doctor about these options.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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