How to Make Cider at Home (The Easy Guide for Using Frozen Cider Juice)

Oct 29

Making scrumptious cider at home is easy, fun, and incredibly rewarding. Whether you want a quick, budget-friendly project or you’re aiming for a top-tier craft cider, you have options.

The two main methods are:

Cheap and easy: Using grocery store apple juice.
Premium and professional: Using frozen cider apple juice from Wine Grapes Direct.

Both can work, but let’s be honest—if you want a cider that tastes like the real deal, you’ll want to buy frozen cider apple juice. Grocery store juice will ferment, but the quality is similar to making wine from Welch’s grape juice. Drinkable, sure. Exceptional? Not so much.

👉 And yes—we’re also working on a fun flow chart for “prison-style” wine and cider at home, so keep an eye out for that one.

Choosing the Best Cider Juice: French vs. English Blends

When you’re ready to buy cider juice, you’ll want to pick the style:

French cider apple juice → very tannic, moderate acidity.
English cider apple juice → more acidity than French, slightly less tannin (but still way more than grocery store juice).

If possible, ferment both separately and then experiment with blending trials. That’s how cider makers find their perfect balance. But if you’re just buying one:

Our French Blend = maximum tannin.
Our English Blend = higher acidity.

Step 1: Order Your Frozen Cider Juice

Go online to Wine Grapes Direct and order your cider juice pail(s). They typically arrive within 1–2 weeks in a partially frozen state.

Place the pail on a towel indoors and let it thaw for 1–2 days.
Once thawed, stir thoroughly! Sugars and acids settle at the bottom and must be re-suspended before fermenting.
A sanitized long-handle spatula works best. (No spatula? Sanitize your hand and forearm and stir directly—cider making is hands-on!)
Don’t leave solids behind—they’re important to your cider’s body and flavor.

Step 2: Measure and Adjust Your Juice

Your cider juice should measure:

12–16 Brix (sugar %)
pH 3.3–4.0

If needed, adjust with sugar (for higher alcohol) or malic acid (for brightness).

Optional cider-making helpers:

Yeast nutrient (Fermaid O, etc.) for healthy fermentations.
Pectic enzyme if you want clearer cider faster.

Step 3: Fermentation

Ferment in the bucket your cider juice came in, or transfer to a sanitized fermentation vessel. If you’re using a carboy, leave at least 30% headspace because cider is a mega-foamer.

Ideal temp: 55–65°F for a slow, clean fermentation.
Yeast choice:
- Commercial yeast → predictable, safe results.
- Wild/ambient yeast → adventurous, unpredictable.

Fermentations can take 1 week to several months, depending on temperature and yeast. Early on, CO₂ bubbles protect against oxidation. Once activity slows, rack into a carboy with minimal headspace.

Step 4: Taste, Rack, Repeat

Always taste your cider along the way—it’s part of the fun.

If it ferments to dryness (no sugar left) and tastes great, you can bottle as-is.
Expect some haze and maybe light sparkle—that’s normal.
If sugars remain, beware: fermentation can restart in bottle. That’s great for Champagne-style cider but risky without proper bottles.

Optional: Add 30 ppm SO₂ at bottling if you plan to age your cider.

Step 5: Clarity & Style Adjustments

Want a crystal-clear cider? Options include:

Time (letting it naturally settle).
Fining agents like Super Kleer (effective, shellfish-based).
Pectic enzyme for haze reduction.

Too dry? Most modern ciders are back-sweetened. Add apple juice before bottling to hit around 1.5 Brix for an off-dry profile. If it referments, you’ll get delicious sparkling cider—just make sure you use Champagne bottles!

Why Use Frozen Cider Juice?

Better flavor than grocery store juice.
True cider apple varieties with tannin and acidity you simply can’t get from supermarket apples.
Flexibility: Blend French and English styles, or stick with one.

If you want to make cider that tastes like craft cider from a cidery—not just “fermented apple juice”—you’ll want to buy frozen cider juice online.

Ready to Make Your Own Cider?

Order your frozen cider juice today at Wine Grapes Direct. With just a bucket, yeast, and patience, you’ll be enjoying delicious, handcrafted cider in no time. 🍎🍻