The book we've all been waiting for! - this new book is a definitive guide to artisan cider-making. Written by Andrew Lea, a food biochemist, who worked for many years at the Long Ashton Research Station (The National Fruit & Cider Institute), the book is essential reading for anyone who wants to grow apple trees and to make good cider and apple juice. Whether you have a couple of trees in your back garden or several acres of orchard this is the book for you!

Features / Benefits

• Andrew Lea is a leading authority on cider-making, having a scientific background and 20 years experience as a hobby cider-maker.

• The easy to read, step-by-step guide encompasses all aspects of cider-making including chapters on:

1. Cider making history
2. Selection of equipment
3. Choice of fruit trees, their cultivation and orchard management
4. Techniques of juicing and fermentation including the use of yeast.

• Further sections include:

1. Customising cider - blending, techniques for producing sparkling cider including carbonation, bottle conditioning and the 'champagne method', cask conditioning and the production of sweet ciders including the French and English tradition of 'keeving'.
2. When things go wrong - problem identification and problem solutions including what to do with 'stuck' fermentations, 'off' flavours, hazes & deposits and information about fining and filtration.
3. Apple juice making, preservation and storage
4. Cider vinegar production
5. Perry making.

• Useful tables include:

1. Composition of apple juice
2. Vintage cider apple cultivars and their properties
3. Sugar content / specific gravity / potential alcohol
4. Addition of sulphur dioxide / Campden tablets
5. CO₂ pressure & bottling advice
6. Cider fining with bentonite & gelatin

• Illustrated with colour and black & white photographs.

• Soft back
• 160 pages