Cider Brewing

[colarulli]

Hi - anyone out there have experience setting up a commercial scale cider production facility? I've done a bit of homebrewing, but am now looking at trying to put together a business.

Any input would be great.

Thanks,
Peter

[revnatscider]

1. Cider ain't brewing

2. Homebrewing ain't cidermaking.

Maybe you need to do some more research on cidermaking?

3. Don't double post.

[TL Services]

Hi Peter,

As Nat says, it's worth doing some research into cidermaking as the process is quite different from brewing beer.

Here in the UK the craft cider market is doing well, with companies like Thatchers and Aspalls as well as a host of others, making some excellent products.

You would need to ensure you can obtain a supply of good cider apples - these aren't the same as the usual varieties for eating/cooking.

Regarding plant, cider can be very corrosive so you need to bear this in mind when you're specifying kit, too.

Best of luck!

[revnatscider]

You would need to ensure you can obtain a supply of good cider apples - these aren't the same as the usual varieties for eating/cooking.

That is undoubtedly true for "traditional" west country style English cider, but not true for the rest of the world, including the US. Nearly every cidery of any size and definitely every cidery of medium to large size does not use 100% cider apples. How much cider apples you use is dependent on the product/taste you want to make.

You must, however, use apples. If you use anything other than incidental amounts of apple juice concentrate, sugar, or water, you will burn for 10,000 years in hell.