Best-selling authors and fermentation experts Kirsten and Christopher Shockey enter the realm of fermented beverages with this comprehensive guide to making hard cider that features techniques for achieving a wide range of styles and flavors.
I have enjoyed what we Americans typically call hard cider—by the way, the authors prefer just calling it “cider”—for quite a while. Living in Oregon, I have access to some fantastic local ciders as well as the national brands. Cider even shows up on restaurant menus. I had never considered making my own until I saw this book. If you ever considered making your own small-batch cider, this book is chock-full of techniques, photographs, information, and recipes. While, of course, they advocate working with juice that you press yourself or buy from a local farmer, they have a whole page discussing using apple juice from other sources to make your cider. I think that’s a great idea if you want to test out to see if you enjoy doing this before you invest in more expensive equipment or purchase a large number of apples for cider making. Facebook goes into so much detail, completely demystifying the process. As I enjoy flavored ciders as well as straight-up ones, I loved that this book included techniques and recipes for those. Honestly, even if you only just enjoy cider with no interest in making it yourself, this book has so much information about the process that you might just enjoy the book to see how small-batch cider is made. The book is lushly photographed. Some pictures out in the authors’ orchard and of the apples are just beautiful. And, too, I also appreciate the practical photographs that help instruct how to do the different parts of the process. If you love cider or want to make it, I highly recommend this book.
I received a free electronic copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Author
brf1948
2 years ago
I received a free ARC electronic copy of this How-To from Netgalley, Kirsten K. Shockey, and EBookDigital. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this work of my own volition, and this review reflects my personal, honest opinion of The Big Book of Cidermaking.
This Self-Help book is very complete, giving us all the necessary steps to preparing, aging, and storing cider of all sorts. Shockey includes methods of naturally flavoring ciders with companion fruits, making vinegar and alcoholic ciders, Also included are recommendations for on-site computer aids, and sources for the necessary tools required for successfully producing cider of all sorts.
Author
cathygeha
2 years ago
The Big Book of Cidermaking by Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey
Expert Techniques for Fermenting and Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider, from Sweet, Bubbly, Botanical, or Hopped to Barrel – Aged Apple Brandy and Pommeau
As my husband continues to bring in fruit from the garden, I truly wish that I had this book available to me in my house. Not only are the photographs gorgeous but the information is excellent and instructions easy to follow…well relatively easy to follow. That said, the book is not out till September 1 so perhaps I will be able to find it before next season’s harvest.
What I liked:
* The gorgeous photographs
* The section on making cider and what is needed to do so
* Information on the years used in fermentation, the differences in plain, infused, iced, drinking and spirited varieties of beverages
* The history portion and mention of the amazing Nick Botner – Ark Keeper of apple varieties
* The anecdotes
* The details included
* Some information on actual cider makers
* The inclusion of French, Welsh, Spanish and perhaps other foreign ciders and their makers
* Learning the types of wild yeasts that can be used
* Finding out that cider is not just made from apples
* The information on a few other fermented foods
* The Appendix that includes information with photos
* Everything except…
What I didn’t like:
* That the book is not already mine to use with the produce I have on hand 🙂
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I recommend/buy this book? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Author
beth
2 years ago
Incredibly inspiring manual for making all types of “hard” ciders, with step-by-step instructions, gorgeous photographs, and interesting profiles of cider-makers worldwide. I liked the variety of recipes – from single apple to fruit blends to distilled to barrel-aged – but I would’ve liked some non-alcoholic recipes as well.
In-depth Exploration of Home Cidermaking
I have enjoyed what we Americans typically call hard cider—by the way, the authors prefer just calling it “cider”—for quite a while. Living in Oregon, I have access to some fantastic local ciders as well as the national brands. Cider even shows up on restaurant menus. I had never considered making my own until I saw this book. If you ever considered making your own small-batch cider, this book is chock-full of techniques, photographs, information, and recipes. While, of course, they advocate working with juice that you press yourself or buy from a local farmer, they have a whole page discussing using apple juice from other sources to make your cider. I think that’s a great idea if you want to test out to see if you enjoy doing this before you invest in more expensive equipment or purchase a large number of apples for cider making. Facebook goes into so much detail, completely demystifying the process. As I enjoy flavored ciders as well as straight-up ones, I loved that this book included techniques and recipes for those. Honestly, even if you only just enjoy cider with no interest in making it yourself, this book has so much information about the process that you might just enjoy the book to see how small-batch cider is made. The book is lushly photographed. Some pictures out in the authors’ orchard and of the apples are just beautiful. And, too, I also appreciate the practical photographs that help instruct how to do the different parts of the process. If you love cider or want to make it, I highly recommend this book.
I received a free electronic copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I received a free ARC electronic copy of this How-To from Netgalley, Kirsten K. Shockey, and EBookDigital. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this work of my own volition, and this review reflects my personal, honest opinion of The Big Book of Cidermaking.
This Self-Help book is very complete, giving us all the necessary steps to preparing, aging, and storing cider of all sorts. Shockey includes methods of naturally flavoring ciders with companion fruits, making vinegar and alcoholic ciders, Also included are recommendations for on-site computer aids, and sources for the necessary tools required for successfully producing cider of all sorts.
The Big Book of Cidermaking by Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey
Expert Techniques for Fermenting and Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider, from Sweet, Bubbly, Botanical, or Hopped to Barrel – Aged Apple Brandy and Pommeau
As my husband continues to bring in fruit from the garden, I truly wish that I had this book available to me in my house. Not only are the photographs gorgeous but the information is excellent and instructions easy to follow…well relatively easy to follow. That said, the book is not out till September 1 so perhaps I will be able to find it before next season’s harvest.
What I liked:
* The gorgeous photographs
* The section on making cider and what is needed to do so
* Information on the years used in fermentation, the differences in plain, infused, iced, drinking and spirited varieties of beverages
* The history portion and mention of the amazing Nick Botner – Ark Keeper of apple varieties
* The anecdotes
* The details included
* Some information on actual cider makers
* The inclusion of French, Welsh, Spanish and perhaps other foreign ciders and their makers
* Learning the types of wild yeasts that can be used
* Finding out that cider is not just made from apples
* The information on a few other fermented foods
* The Appendix that includes information with photos
* Everything except…
What I didn’t like:
* That the book is not already mine to use with the produce I have on hand 🙂
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I recommend/buy this book? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Incredibly inspiring manual for making all types of “hard” ciders, with step-by-step instructions, gorgeous photographs, and interesting profiles of cider-makers worldwide. I liked the variety of recipes – from single apple to fruit blends to distilled to barrel-aged – but I would’ve liked some non-alcoholic recipes as well.