# Apple Cider in Gallon Jugs



## Studhauler (Jul 30, 2011)

I would like to make some apple cider (not hard cider) and put it in gallon jugs, specifically one gallon glass bottles. How do I preserve it?


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## OH Boy (Dec 22, 2010)

I have waterbath canned cider in half gallon mason jars, don't know why you couldnt do the same in the gallon jars if you have a good lid.


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## Studhauler (Jul 30, 2011)

That is what I was thinking, but I would only be able to do one at a time. How long would you need to process gallon?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Vinegar is one of the easiest products to manufacture and store, on the homestead.

Use glass, stainless or ceramic for both, storage and fermenting time.

Steel is a big nono and plastic is just, well, nasty for the cause.

To make vinegar, just leave apple cider (or any other fruit juice, if you like to experiment) in the container, with a cloth to cover; sometimes I even use a wooden lid, or cork, depending on your container.....and let it set at room temperature.
I've had strong vinegar in less than a month, and had batches take several months to come out of the half wine/half vinegar stage.

Glass, five gallon carboys are the most efficient containers to make wine or vinegar, in my experience. Air flow can be easily regulated and a cork fits nicely.

Finished vinegar can be stored indefinitely in the fermenting container or in glass jars.
There is no need to heat or can vinegar. In fact, heating will kill the good stuff that you are after for health purposes.
Never use a steel cap to store vinegar. For that application, a plastic cap will do, or a cork.


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## Studhauler (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks Forerunner vinegar sounds easy to make, I will have to make some of that also. I was looking to bottle plain old regular apple cider, the stuff you warm up and drink especially around Thanksgiving or Christmas.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Canning cider will give you apple juice. The heat kills the cider flavor, but with a spot of cinnamon added, you should be able to get that holiday flavor you're after.


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## Anonymooose (Jul 13, 2012)

Ok, question on this. I took a whole bunch of apple cores this fall, covered them with water and weighted the cores down beneath the water, covered it and...promptly forgot it. Took it out a few weeks ago, and it was pretty NASTY. The date read Sept. 10. Is it possible to let it ferment too long? Or was that just a rogue batch? My other two batches turned out well, but I didn't forget about them


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## Studhauler (Jul 30, 2011)

So what is the stuff the sell me in the store labeled Apple Cider because it sure tastes allot different than Apple Juice? The label on the jug of cider said it is made with water and apple juice concentrate. I read somewhere that juice is just filtered more than cider.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Anon......... the extra water you added spoiled the process. Vinegar is best made with the pure juice of the fruit.
If you had crushed those cores and let them sit, they juice oozes out over time and ferments nicely.

StudH...... I suspect some sort of chemical enhancement in any cider flavored product that has been heated.
We have canned cider......and it always ruins the rich cider flavor, and ends up tasting just like store-bought apple juice.


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## Anonymooose (Jul 13, 2012)

Crushing them makes sense. My other two batches that turned out had a higher core to apple ratio, if I remember correctly.


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## OH Boy (Dec 22, 2010)

Studhauler, just heat your cider to (almost) boiling before you put it in the bottles then just bottle it up, put on the lid and waterbath it for maybe 30 minutes or so and I think you would be fine. Maybe do a little research on canning juices and you should be able to figure out what the reccommended times are for quarts and half gallons. Go longer for a gallon of course. IIRC I waterbathed my half gallon jars for 20 minutes. Make sure your bottles are sanitized well of course.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

My elderly dyslexia must be setting in.

I coulda swore I read the thread title, Apple Cider _Vinegar_....... 

All the same, our attempts at canning cider produced juice.

I will say this....I've preserved grape juice by heating to 170 degrees, F and pouring into hot jars; no pressure can, no hot water bath.
That worked to preserve grape juice. I don't know what it might do for the flavor of cider.


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