Wednesday, November 30th -0001
DIY | Make Your Own CIDER!
By Kerith
STEP 1: GET SOME APPLES!
Pick your own at NIEMAN ORCHARDS (9932 Pioneer Road, Cedarburg, WI 53012). They have over 40 varieties and are open daily 9-5. Or you can head on down to BRIGHTONWOODS ORCHARD (1072 288th Street, Burlington, WI). They don’t have “pick your own,” but they do have great apples, cider, and a winery. They’re open 9-6 daily through November. Both have markets where you can purchase cider, caramel apples, pumpkins, and all sorts of fall favorites.
STEP 2: PRESS YOUR APPLES!
Clean, core, and slice your apples first. Use a food processor or a blender to crush the apples to a pulp! Then put the pulp in cheesecloth and squeeze out all the juice. If you’ve got the space and the ambition, go ahead and buy a cider press! You’ll save on the cheesecloth.
STEP 3: KILL THE BAD BACTERIA!
This is an optional step that makes cider different than juice. Juice is pasteurized, which is why you can find it unrefrigerated,
boxed or canned. Cider goes through a process called ultraviolet germicidal
irradiation and, thus, must be refrigerated.
STEP 4: FERMENTATION
The experts at Brightonwoods Orchard say this starts to happen just after 2 days of bottling. Don’t let it sit longer than 10 days unless you’re interested in making vinegar. If you prefer your cider sans alcohol, please skip this step.
STEP 5: DRINK UP!
Whether it’s straight from the orchard or waiting for you at the bar, your cider is now ready to satisfy your thirst! There are many ways to enjoy
cider: warm, cold, spiced, spiked, or fermented.
Places We Recommend
If you’re looking for authentic French cider, head over to CHEZ JACQUES (1022 South 1st Street, Milwaukee, WI) for a glass of le cidre brut (which goes great with a crêpe). They also serve non-alcoholic, as well.
THE COUNTY CLARE (1234 North Astor Street, Milwaukee, WI) serves several cider and beer mixed drinks. We recommend the Diesel.
Go check them out!
Your very own III DACHSHUNDS BREWERY
brews a Dachshund Original Hard Apple Cider. You can find this tasty brew at the City Lounge (3455 East Layton Avenue,
Cudahy, WI).
If you’re just into hot toddies (hot spiked cider, tea, coffee, or water), visit Daniel at BRYANT’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE (1579 South 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI) on Wednesdays, and he’ll serve you one up just how you like it!
