MAKINGANDPRESERVING

APPLECIDER

U.S. DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE- FARMERS'BUllETIN NO.21 25- /~

CONTENTSPage

Preparation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Selecting and blending the apples -Grading and washing the fruit - - -Grinding the fruit - - -- -.. - .--- ----Pressing - - - - -- - -- - - - --Juice sedimentation - - - - - - - - - - --

Preservation - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - - - - - -

Refrigeration - -- - -- - - - - - - -- --Freezing - - -- -- --- - -- -- -- - - - -- -Pasteurization - - - -- - -- - - -- - - .-- -Ultraviolet irradiation - - - - - - - - --Chemical preservation - - - - - - - - - -

Cider containers -----------------Glass jugs - -- - -- - -- - -- -- -- - - ---Tin cans ----------------------Plastic containers - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Plant and equipment design - - - - - - - -Sanitation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fly control - - -- -- -- - -- - -- - - -- - - uPrecautions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11334777779

101010101111111313

This edition incorporates changes in insecticide recommendationsthat make all previous editions obsolete. For this reason, all earliercopies should be destroyed.

Washington, D.C. Revised July 1971Slightly revised November 1972

For sale by the Superintendellt or Documents, U.S. Government Printing OlllceWashington, D.C. 20402- Price 15cents

Stock Number 01()(H)2671

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MAKINGAND PRESERVING

APPLECIDERBy JAMES F. ROBINSON,'C. F. WOODWARD,'W. O. HARRINGTON,and C. H. HILLS,

Eastern Regional Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service;KIRBYM. HAYES,Department of Food Science and Technology, University ofMassachusetts; and TRUMANNOLD,National Apple Institute.

Cidermaking is an art as old asthe cultivation of apple trees.Until about 1930 apple cider wasmade and consumed in greaterquantities than any other juice.Since then, production has de-creased. This decrease can bepartly attributed to the rapid in-crease in the commercial canningof other juices.

However, apple cider with itsown distinctive appeal has neverlost its particular place amongthe beverages. The market poten-tial for good "country" cider isincreasing. It can be an impor-tant and profitable source of in-come to applegrowers in all partsof the country.

PREPARATION

Selecting and Blendingthe Apples

The starting point in cider-making is the judgment and dis-crimination of the cidermakerhimself. By carefully selectingand blending the apples, a repu-tation can be built for makinggood cider at all times. Instead oftaking the "ciders" as they come,a little manipulating of the avail-able fruit gives the best practicalcombination of characteristicsfor each batch.

There are no hard and fastrules or formulas to follow, butthe two most important factorsto consider are maturity and va-riety.

1 Retired.

Maturity

Firm-ripe apples-those thatare ripe enough to eat out ofhand-make the best cider andgive the highest yield. Immatureor overripe apples lower thequality. Early-maturing varietiesshould be allowed to ripen suffi-ciently to yield a high-qualityjuice. The practice of storing thefruit as harvested allows closercontrol of maturity and blendingof the cider lots.

Variety

Every variety offers a medleyof characteristics, one or more ofwhich may come through pre-dominantly in the juice.

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Anattractiveroadsidemarketpromotessaleof applecider.1159x154-14

The best cider is usually madefrom a blend of different vari-eties of apples. A blend providesan appealing balance of sweet-ness, tartness, and tang, as wellas aromatic overtones.

A single variety of apple sel-dom makes a satisfactory cider.However, a few of the familiarvarieties - Gravenstein, New-town-Pippin, and Mclntosh-have been used alone success-fully, but only at the peak oftheir maturity.

Sometimes the desired fullnessand balance can be obtained fromtwo varieties. A blend of three ormore varieties is better. Using

. several varieties permits greaterlatitude in varying the propor-tions to obtain the desired blend,and also allows practical man-agement of the available supply.

Varieties that have a some-what neutral juice flavor-suchas Rome Beauty-often may be

used in fairly large proportionsbecause of their ability to pick upand merge the more pronouncedflavors of other available vari-eties.

To make sure you get a pre-mium-quality cider, taste-testsamples of .each lot of apples,also samples of trial blends ofjuices.

Many commercially importantvarieties may be separated intofour groups according to theirsuitability as cider material:Sweet subacid, mildly acid toslightly tart, aromatic, and as-tringent. A strict classification isnot possible becaus.e many vari-eties have a number of differentflavor characteristics. For exam-ple, Delicious may be listed inboth the sweet subacid and aro-matic groups. Moreover, varietiesdiffer in their characteristicsfrom one area to another.

Varieties in the sweet subacid

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group are grown primarily foreating raw; they usually furnishthe highest percentage of thetotal stock used for cider.

Varieties in the aromaticgroup have outstanding fra-grance, aroma, and flavor that arecarried over into the cider.

Crabapples, in the astringentgroup, provide tannin-a constit-uent difficult to obtain in makinga high-grade cider. The juices ofthis astringent group also arehighly acidic. Only a small quan-tity of these apples should beused in the blend.

Use the following list as aguide in selecting the right blendof varieties.

Sweet subacid group: Baldwin,Hubbardston, Rome Beauty,Stark, Delicious, Grimes, Cort-land.

Mildly acid to slightly tartgroup: Winesap, Jonathan, Stay-man, Northern Spy, York Im-perial, Wealthy, R. I. Greening,Newtown-Pippin.

Aromatic group: Delicious,Golden Delicious, Winter Ba-nana, Ribston, McIntosh.

Astringent group: FlorenceHibernal, Red Siberian, Tran-scendent, Martha.

Grading and Washingthe Fruit

Always use sound, clean ap-ples. They may be the small sizes,promptly gathered drops, fruitssorted out of the market grade be-cause of mediocre color or finish,or an occasional tree-run lot.

Generally, apples coming fromthe grader line need no addi-tional sorting. Washing the fruitprior to grinding is advisable. Agood plan is to place the washerso that it feeds into the elevatorthat leads to the grinder. Severaltypes of washers can be used: A

.,J

It-B-2720

An inspectionbelt and sprayrinse are usefulin large-scaleproductionof cider.

rotating cylinder in a continuousflow of water, a wet-brush andspray, or a roller-bath. Regard-less of the type used, it is best tofinish the washing operation'with a high-pressure water blast.For small operations, dump theapples into a tank or large tuband grade and wash them byhand.

Grinding the FruitTwo types of machines are

available to break up the fruitfor pressing-a grater and ahammer mill.

BN-6885xAn apple grater disassembledto show the

cylinderandgraterknives.

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L8-2793

A typicalhammermill usedfor grindingciderapples.

A grater consists of a cylinderequipped with 3 or 4 serratedpieces of steel, or teeth, that pro-ject not more than one-fourthinch above the cylinder surface.The whole assembly revolves athigh speed. The cylinder is ad-justed for a clearance of one-six-teenth inch or less between thehousing plates and the cylinderteeth. Graters are available in

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sizes that break up eight bushelsto several hundred bushels of ap-

, pIes an hour.A hammer mill consists of

stainless steel bars 'evenly spacedon a shaft that revolves at highspeed. A semicircular perforatedscreen is attached to the bottom ofthe mill. Screens are available inmesh sizes from 3fs to % inch.Larger sizes are used for ripefruit, smaller sizes fpr fruit oflesser maturity. Scr~ens may beeasily removed for, cleaning orchanging sizes.

The hammer mill has a largercapacity than the grater; it canbe cleaned more easily and givesa higher yield of juice. However,it requires more horsepower tooperate.

Pressing

Equipment for grinding andpressing is usually combined intoone machine-the cider press.

BN-6883xAtypicalcommercialpress,includingthe elevatorandgrinder.

4

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A

L ,

B

BN-6884x

Stepsrequiredto form the "cheeses" for pressing.

5

p~~-)I I

settling tankI ,r~ervolrbottled pasteurizer

r-~, r~

Lj M

Presses range in capacity from100 to 1,000 bushels a day.

Two types of cider presses areavailable. The mechanical pressuses a heavy screw for pressure.The hydraulic press uses a hy-draulic ram to exert pressureagainst the apple pulp. Bothtypes use slatted racks and presscloths to hold the pulp for press-ing.

To load the press, lay the slat-ted rack, or press board, on thepressing platform. Place thesquare frame on the press boardand cover it with a press cloth.The corners of the cloth shouldextend over the sides of theframe. Fill the frame with applepulp. Be sure that the corners ofthe frame are well filled. Thenfold the cloth over the pulp andremove the form. This makes the

apple storage sorting -washing

capped

holding period cooling

Thisflowchartshowstheessentialstepsin theproductionof cider.

storage

first of several layers, or"cheeses."

Lay another press board on topof the first layer, place the frameon it, and prepare the secondcheese. Repeat this procedureuntil the press is filled. Finally,place a press board on top of thelast cheese. Apply pressure to thecheeses gradually, to avoid rup-turing the press cloths. Build upthe pressure to approximately150 pounds per square inch andhold for several minutes. Mostgages show pressure on the ramand not the pressure per squareinch on the cheese.

Commercial press sizes arelisted according to the dimensionof the square frame: 17-inch,22-inch, 36-inch, 42-inch, and 52-inch. A 17-inch press will pro-duce 200 to 300 gallons of juicein a 10-hour day.

grinding -pressing

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Juice Sedimentation

,J

As soon as the juice is pressedfrom the fruit pulp, strain it toremove coarse particles, and thenpump it into a temporary ~toragetank. The length of time for pro-per sedimentation may vary.Most juices take 12 to 36 hours tosettle. If the temperature of thejuice can be kept at 40° F. orless, it may be held in the set-tling tank for 24 to 72 hourswithout danger of fermentation.

When settling is completed,the juice must be drawIf off with-out disturbing the sediment. Thisis commonly done by siphoning,tapping, or draining. Othermethods for removing sedimentinclude heat treatment. centri-fuging, filtration, and enzymeclarification. These treatmentsare seldom used in small-scalecider operations.

cider -

hole

Three methodsof drawingcider from thesettling tank: A. siphoning;8, tapping;and

C,draining.

PRESERV ATION

Four methods are commonlyused for preserving cider: Refrig-eration, freezing, pasteurization,and preservation by chemicals. Anew method, ultraviolet irradia-tion, is now available.

Refrigeration

Refrigeration is one of themost economical methods of pre-serving Cider. Cider cooled imme-diately after pressing and storedat a temperature between 32°and 36° F. retains it originalflavor for 1 to 2 weeks withoutdanger of fermentation. Settlingcan take place under refrigera-tion.

Refrigeration is especiallyadaptable where cold ~torage fa-Cilities for fresh fruit are availa-

ble. If a refrigerated room is notavailable, the operator can installan insulated metal or woodentank and cool the cider with asmall refrigeration unit.

FreezingThe best method known for

preserving the fresh flavor ofcider is freezing. Frozen Cider re-tains its quality for at least ayear. No heat treatment isneeded. Freeze the juice as soonafter settling as possible. Usecontainers of tin, glass, or plasticand fill them to only 90 percent ofcapacity to allow for expansion ofthe juice on freezing.

PasteurizationPasteurized cider keeps indefi-

nately without fermenting. The

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juice is heated to 1700 F. andheld for 10 minutes. A highertemperature or a longer holdingperiod may result in a cookedflavor. Use a metal-stemmedthermometer to check the tem-perature; a glass one may breakand contaminate the product.Three methods of pasteurizationare generally used.

Batch pasteurization

Fill a stainless steel or alumi-num container with cider, cover,and heat to 1700 F. Pour the hotcider immediately into a cleanjug that has been preheated withwarm water and cap at once.Place the jug on its side for 10minutes to allow the hot cider tosterilize the cap. Then place thejugs in a tub or sink containinglukewarm water (1100 to 1200F.) Remove the jugs after sev-eral minutes and allow them tocool in the air.

This method of pasteur.izing issatisfactory for batches of 50

~ gallons or less. Always use anon-corrosive metal container forheating the cider. A pour spoutat the bottom of the container ishelpful in filling the jugs.

Semicontinuous pasteurization

This method requires two wa-ter-bath tanks as shown on thispage. The first tank containswater heated to 1200 F. Place jugsfilled with cold cider in this tankand hold them for at least 5 min-utes. Then transfer jugs to thesecond tank and hold them untilthe temperature of the cider is

- brought to 1700 F. Remove jugs,cap tightly, and place them ontheir sides for 10 minutes to ster-ilize the caps. Return the jugs tofirst tank for aftercooling.

Semicontinuous pasteurizationprocesses the cider at a fasterrate than batch pasteurization.

o filled containers(start cold)

L p"heat ~I~~~~I 001

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aftmaal l~J",;zeA cap & holdU in air 10 min.dry & store

Aflowchartofthesemicontinuousmethodofpasteurization.

The preheating step permitsgreater fuel saving, because thewater in the preheating tank iskept warm from the heat of thefreshly pasteurized juice.

Continuous pasteurization

Equipment for this processconsists of a coil of thin-walledaluminum tubing immersed in atank of hot water. An immer-sion-type electric heater may beused to heat the tank.

Cider flows from the settlingtank reservoir through metal orrubber tubing to the heating coil.The reservoir outlet should be atleast 6 feet above the dischargeend of the system.

Adjust the flow of cider so thatit comes out of the coil at a tem-perature of 170°F. If the ciderrises above or drops below 1700F., increase or decrease the flowby adjusting the setting of thevalve or pinch clamp near thethermometer.

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juice inlet;>thermometer

'>..~40 volts50 om ps.

hose and

pinchvalve'-I

juice ,Ioutlet

55 gal.drum

Aluminum

1/2" tubing40' long

12 KW.immersion heater

A home-builtcontinuous pasteurizer heated byelectricity.

Preheat containers before fill-ing them with the hot cider, thenseal. Lay each container on itsside for 10 minutes to sterilizethe cap. After the holding period,place the containers in a bath oflukewarm water for cooling.Pack cooled containers in casesand place in storage until needed.

The continuous pasteurizationmethod heats the cider to a hightemperature in a short time. Itgives a high-quality product andis one of the most commonly usedmethods.

Complete construction detailsand a list of materials for buildinga homemade pasteurizer of thistype may be obtained by writingthe Eastern Regional ResearchLaboratory, Agricultural Re-search Service, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, 600 E. MermaidLane, Philadelphia, Pa. 19118.

Ultraviolet Irradiation

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiationconsiderably extends the refrig-erated shelf life of cider withoutaltering the flavor. UV light de-stroys most, but no all, of the mi-croorganisms in fresh cider. Thephotograph shows a six-lampcommercial unit capable of treat-ing 50 gallons of cider per hour.Larger units are also available.Further information on the source

11-4200

Commercialultravioletirradiationunitfor applecider.

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of the commercial unit and on ahomemade unit is available fromthe Eastern Regional ResearchLaboratory.

The cost of UV treatment isabout 1 cent per gallon. If thecider if first clarified or filtered,the treatment is more efficient.

Since UV treatment does notcompletely sterilize the cider, re-growth of spoilage microorgan-isms must be retarded by refri-geration. For stiH further protec-tion, potassium sorbate (prefera-bly 0.03 to 0.05 percent) can beadded to the cider after irradia-tion.

Chemical Preservation

Chemicals may be used to pre-serve cider for a few days orweeks. Potassium sorbate, a rela-tively tasteless material, is pre-ferred instead of benzoate ofsoda and is just as effective. Ben-zoate of soda imparts a burningtaste that many people find objec-tionable.

Add potassium sorbate. to the

cider as soon as possible afterpressing. If the cider is to bestored at room temperature (700F.), add 0.10 percent by weightof potassium sorb ate, the maxi-mum permitted by law. Thus, 1gaHon of a 25-percent solution ofpotassium sorbate would be suffi-cient for 250 gallons of cider, or1 ounce for 2 gallons. Because po-tassium sorbate is only slightlysoluble in cider, add it to thecider slowly and stir vigorously.

Mild refrigeration (500 F. orbelow) greatly increases the ef-fectiveness of potassium sorbate.At this temperature 0.05 percentof the solution preserves ciderfor several weeks.

It is recommended that youconsult your State health depart-ment concerning regulations gov-erning the use of potassium sor-bate.

If potassium sorbate is notavailable in your area, consultyour State experiment station orwrite to the U.S. Department ofAgriculture for information onsources of supply.

CIDER CONTAINERS

Glass Jugs

GaHon and half-gallon glassjugS are used most often forfresh cider. These jugs are usu-ally of the narrow-mouth typeand are fitted with metal screwcaps or corks. Clean containersand caps thoroughly with hotwater and a good detergent be-fore fi1ling. If you pasteurizeyour cider, select glass containersthat are capable of withstandingrapid temperature changes. Lessbreakage wiH occur if the jugsare heated and cooled gradually.Use screw caps fitted with rubbergaskets rather than cardboardlinings. The gaskets insure a

tight seal even on rough-lippedbottles.

Clear glass containers permitcustomer inspection of the prod-uct and thus provide a certainamount of sales appeal.

Tin CansPasteurized cider is often

packed in tin cans. However,they must be lined with a specialjuice enamel. When a plain tincan is filled with cider, it reactswith the metal and produces anoff-flavor. Also a plain tin canwill cause a definite fading incider color. Suppliers of metalcans wiH provide further infor-mation on this type of container.

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Live steam or hot water shouldbe sprayed into the inverted tincans on the processing line priorto filling.

Plastic Containers

Cider is often packed in plasticcontainers, usually in half-gallon

or gallon sizes. These containerBare used for fresh cider and alsofor cider that is to be refriger-ated or frozen. To allow for ex-pansion of the cider if the juiceis to be frozen, fill the carton toonly 90 percent of capacity. Con-tainers should be rinsed in cleancold water before filling.

PLANT AND EQUIPMENT DESIGN

In designing or remodeiIing acider mill, keep in mind ease ofproduction and sanitation. Coverwalls and ceilings with a mate-rial that is easily cleaned. Eitherhardboard or metal sheets aresuitable for ceilings; smooth con-crete or glazed tile-to a heightof 6 feet-are best for the walls.

Use acid and alkali-resistantcement for floors. A smooth sur-face facilitates cleaning. Slopethe floor 1 inch in 8 feet for ef-fective drainage. To insure watercarry-off, no part of th~ floor

should be more than 15 feet froma drain. A trough drain along thecenter length of the room is rec-ommended.

If possible, use equipment ofstainless steel, especially forthose parts of the press thatcome in contact with the cider.Many existing cider plants couldDe improved by installing coolingcoils for cider storage tanks,pumps to move cider from thepress to the storage room, andbottle-washing facilities.

SANITATION

The keeping quality of cider isdirectly related to the sanitationpractices observed during the op-erating season. Unsanitary prac-tices foster the growth of micro-organisms, which cause fermen-tation or produce undesirable fla-vors in the final product.

After a day's run, observe thefollowing procedures in cleaningthe cider plant:

Dismantle the press for clean-ing. Rinse it thoroughly with ahose to remove surface dirt.Scrub all parts of the press thor-oughly, using a sanitizing or de-tergent-sanitizing solution. Wherepossible, use hot water for bothrinsing and the scrubbing opera-tions.

Rinse and scrub the press

racks, then submerge them in atank of dilute sanitizing solutionuntil the next pressing. Theracks may pick up weight fromwater absorption, but thismethod insures clean racks.

Wash press cloths thoroughlyin cold water, preferably in awashing machine. After wash-ing, place cloths in a dilute sani-tizing solution. Rinse press racksand cloths thoroughly with clearwater just before the next press-ing.

Flush tanks, pipelines, and fill-ers with clean water immediatelyafter use. When possible, disman-tle all pipelines for efficientcleaning. Pipelines can be cleanedin place by flushing with deter-gent and filling with a sanitizin~

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nwashing

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grindingL-.l

sorting

apple

storage-+

' ;1pressingI I

/3%

00pasteurizing

bottling

coldstor.

containerstorage

4% /2 %

o 5h 4j

sales room

Asuggestedfloorplanfor a cidermill.

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solution. Scrub tanks and filler,rinse with clean water, and thenrinse or spray with a sanitizingsolution.

Rinse floors and walls with ahose after the other equipment iscleaned.

Sanitizing compounds may be

of the chlorine or quaternary am-monium types. Dairy-cleaningcompounds are usually of thesetypes, and they are easily ob-tained. Directions given by themanufacturer of the solution forcleaning dairy equipment will besatisfactory for cider plants.

FLY CONTROL

Control of house flies and vine-gar flies is needed during the earlyfall months. Cover all doors andwindows with a mesh screen(about 24 x 24 mesh) fine enoughto prevent vinegar flies from pene-trating it. Install large fans toforce a strong blast of air outwardthrough doorways.

Strict sanitary measures toprevent fly breeding, both insideand outside of the building,should be followed. Without ade-quate sanitation, no other proce-dure is completely effective.

Apply residual sprays to sur-faces where flies rest outsidebuildings. Include areas aroundwindows, doors, and loading plat-forms, but be careful not to con-taminate apples or 'containers.

Dimethoate, ronnel, or other ma-terials approved for surface treat-ments to control flies, should bediluted and applied as directed onthe labels.

Some flies are likely to escapethe insecticide and enter thepressroom despite strict sanita-tion and control. To control theseflies, use only space sprays, suchas synergized pyrethrin sprays.

Apply these only when foodprocessing has been shut downand all food and food handlingservices are thoroughly protected.Thoroughly clean all .food han-dling services and equipment be-fore operations are resumed. Fol-low instructions on the productlabel, observing all the precau-tions listed.

PRECAUTIONS

Pesticides used improperly canbe injurious to man, animals, andplants. Follow the directions andheed all precautions on the la-bels.

Store pesticides in originalcontainers under lock and key-out of the reach of children andanimals-and away from foodand feed.

Avoid prolonged inhalation of

pesticide sprays or dusts; wearprotective clothing and equip-ment if specified on the con-tainer.

If your hands become contami-nated with a pesticide, do not eator drink until you have washed.In case a pesticide is swallowedor gets in the eyes, follow thefirst aid treatment given on thelabel, and get prompt medical at-

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tention. If a pesticide is spilledon your skin or clothing, removeclothing immediately and washskin thoroughly.

Do not clean spray equipmentor dump excess spray materialnear ponds, streams, or wells.

Dispose of empty pesticide con-tainers promptly. Have then bur-ied at a sanitary land-fill dump,or crush and bury them in alevel, isolated place.

NOTE: Some States have re-strjctions on the use of certainpesticides. Check your State andlocal regulations.

Pomace should riot be fed' tolivestock. It may result in thecontamination of milk or meatwith pesticide residues. Since vir-tually all apples are sprayed, andthe pesticides tend to concentratein the pomace, disposal of the po-mace in a pit is recommended.

U,tlun8111ffAUICtlllU

14U.S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OffiCE: 1972 0-477-690