Cider recipes - OT?

I've made a couple of ciders. For one, a 1 gal batch, I just put cider, White Labs Sweet Mead Yeast, and a little yeast nutrient into a carboy and let it go. I racked once after a month and then bottled after about

2 more months. Bottled with Coopers carbonation tabs and let sit about 3 weeks before trying. A little dry but tasty and refreshing. Another batch I made I also added some honey (3 lbs./5 gal ?) and used WYeast American Ale yeast instead of the mead yeast. Same fermenting technique and same bottling. Turned out a little sweeter but still on the dry side comparied to say Woodchuck Cider. Cheers,

Michael Herrenbruck Drag> Sorry if this is off topic, but every year the apples from my garden go to

Get some cider yeast (it's called that for a reason). Juice the apples. Put juice in a suitable sized container Add yeast, place airlock and wait with great anticipation.

Not a better summer drink to be had since Adam was a boy!

The old English traditional way of making cider is to press the apples between layers of straw, then rely on the natural yeast for fermentation. Fresh fruits always contain natural yeast so none needs to be added.

Persnally, not having a fruit press, I would chop the apples and ferment on the pulp for several days. Strain, fit an airlock and allow to ferment out. I made some many years ago using this method from apples taken from an orchard. The farmer had knocked a tree over with his tractor and didn't pick its apples. I did and it was quite nice. If you want Cider to be clear, you will need to add Pektolase, else it will be cloudy. Won't affect the taste though ! Traditional cider apples are very small and bitter, not for eating at all!

Regards, A in Devon-UK