Cider: a miracle of ordinary apples

Cider is not a very rare guest in our region, however, in terms of popularity, beer, light wine and many other low-alcohol drinks leave it far behind. And very vain, by the way.

Cider is obtained by fermenting fruit juices: most often apple, but also pear or quince. Pear cider has a separate name - perry. The fortress of such a drink usually does not exceed 8 degrees.

The invention of apple cider is associated with the name of the Frankish King Charlemagne, who ruled at the turn of the 8th and 9th centuries. Ostensibly the glorious monarch decided to sit down once on a sack with overripe apples, thereby transferring its contents. True, it is not entirely clear who and for what purpose decided to try the juice that emerged from the substandard apples. Most likely, in fact, someone just thought of giving the fruit fermented by analogy with grapes, hoping to get something like wine. And the result surpassed all expectations. Many people consider cider the most delicious of low-alcohol beverages.

In the west of Europe, this drink has long enjoyed a well-deserved fame, especially in the consumption of cider, the Spaniards are zealous, but in the east it remained for a long time almost unknown to the broad masses. In the USSR, for example, it was produced very little, but in the post-Soviet period, its popularity began to gain momentum again.

By the way, in the industrial production of cider ordinary apples have long been no longer used. To make the drink more tasty and useful, special sorts with a high content of tannin were bred. Modern cider is most often sold in carbonated form and something like a sparkling wine. However, this is not necessary: ​​the usual cider is also very good.

Combining business with pleasure

Usually alcoholic drinks are drunk solely for the sake of pleasure. However, cider allows you to combine business with pleasure. This drink is a source of antioxidants that protect the body from the action of free radicals and slows down our aging. Cider also accelerates the removal of toxins from the body, improves digestion and metabolism. It dilates blood vessels and normalizes blood pressure. In addition, the malic acid contained in cider is a good antiseptic, that is, it kills pathogenic bacteria qualitatively.

Cider is a relatively caloric drink. In 100 ml contains about 40-50 kcal, which in the case of a half-liter bottle gives already 200-250 kcal. However, in the favorite cocktail "Pina colada", the calories contain 4 times more.

Cooking the cider at home

Cider as a home-made alcoholic drink has one huge plus. Unlike hops or grapes, almost every autumn literally has no place for apples. But not everyone knows that you can cook from them not only compote.

Best fit late or winter apples (just do not be inspired by the example of Charlemagne and do not take overripe: they are not enough juice and a bit too much pectin). First you need to sort the apples. Just do not think that the most beautiful and juicy apples are better to eat, but for ciders will come down those that are worse. On the contrary, choose the most beautiful fruits and, preferably, several different varieties. Wipe them with a dry cloth, but do not wash them to leave the fermentation yeast necessary for fermentation. Put on for two or three days in a warm dry place.

Now you can start cooking cider. Remove everything that is included in the concept of "stub" (some, however, remove only the tails, and leave the stone), and grind the rest with a blender or, at worst, meat grinders. Fill the usual jars with the resulting mass of ⅔, having previously covered them with boiling water, and sugar at the rate of 100-150 g per 1 kg of apples. Instead of the lid, close the jars folded several times with gauze, fix it and put it in a warm place to wander. Each day mix the contents, and by the end of the fourth day you will begin to smell the yeast well and see a profuse foam. It's time to strain the puree, draining all the resulting liquid into a separate container (in a few if it turned out a lot). It is further to work exclusively with her.

Put on each jar or bottle a rubber glove with a punctured finger (or use a septum) and again leave in a dark place - this time for at least a month (or better for all two). The surest sign of the product's readiness is a change in its condition. Air bubbles cease to be released, a sediment forms on the bottom, and the liquid becomes lighter.

Again strain the drink, pour it into the bottles (to the very neck, so that contact with the air was minimal) and put the ripen. This time the place should be not only dark, but also cool: a temperature of no higher than 10-12 degrees is allowed. Cider will be ready in three months. If everything is done correctly, you can store it in the refrigerator for about two to three years.

How to drink?

Must be chilled. In addition, it is recommended to fill the glass so that the cider's jet breaks from its wall, that is, to raise the bottle higher. So the drink is enriched with oxygen and much more fully reveals its taste.