Cider

FFCE offers beverage consulting solutions for every aspect of Cider production. We assist you in everything to ensure that your process is optimized and fine-tuned for the production of premium cider. We support every process of production starting from fermentation, through filtration, all the way up to packaging to come up with a cider that adheres to the standard industry protocols as well as the customer expectations. All our plants support plant infrastructural establishment and expansion of plant production to meet the required production level; large-scale commercial production or small-scale artisanal craft cider production. FFCE assists in controlling the sensory characteristics and quality of your cider, its flavor, refresh and uniformity.

Besides, FFCE provides Licensing and Permitting Assistance that will ensure you obtain all the licenses for producing, selling, and exporting cider. We keep track of all the papers and communicate with the necessary bodies to make sure your business is legal. Documentation Preparation services extend from rightful labeling and packaging to meeting the set regulations through our producers. We also offer third-party collaboration services that grow your businesses. 

What is Cider?

Cider cider-making process starts with the essential choice of Washington apples or other fresh, suitable fruits. The fruit is rinsed, mashed then squeezed to produce juice as a result of this process. This juice is than taken to fermentation tanks to where yeast is added to start the process of fermentation. The sugars in the fruit juice are then consumed by the yeast, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide: this gives the basic cider. The natural fermentation process may last for several days to a number of weeks if one has to produce high levels of alcohol and correct taste.

Temperature affects the process since fermentation has to be controlled to get the best flavor that the cider should possess. Some cidery may decide that sweets are desirable, and thus stop fermentation to leave some of the cider sweet, while others allow the fermentation to through to completion and end up with a dry cider. Secondary fermentation for producing flavored beers can also be prepared at this stage, with hops, spices, or more fruits.

After fermentation, the cider is brightened and fined to clear up any suspensions, yeast or other matters. Sometimes, based on the style of the cider, it will be aged so that the taste may be what is required and be somewhat complex. Ciders that have a sparkle are secondary fermented or carbonated to the appropriate level of sparkle.

Ideally, when the cider has been fermented to the right taste and quality, it is bottled in a bottle or a can, and also kegged. Another vital aspect of the cider is that its packaging has to preserve the freshness, carbonation, and actual flavor of the beer. Labeling must indicate the type of apples or fruits in the wine or brandy; percentage of alcohol content; and other features associated with the brand.

Types of Cider

Cider is best understood and categorized the three perspectives: its sweetness level, it is alcoholic or not ie whether it is carbonated or not and whether it contains any additional flavors added to the cider. Here are some common types:

Sweet Cider

• Profile: It also has some residual sugar content, making its taste sweet.
• Applications: Served as a single beverage or used together with desserts.

Dry Cider

• Profile: Less residual sugar provides the beverage fruitier and crisper taste instead of sweetness.
• Applications: Especially enjoyed by consumers who opt for lower sugar content in cider and express apple flavor.

Sparkling Cider

• Profile: Carbonated which make the body of the gel have bubbles that pop when they are squished, making it more fun to interact with.
• Applications: Served cold and to some extent, can be taken as an alcoholic party beverage.

Still Cider

• Profile: Not sparkling, and has less fizz or cobwebs in its mouthfeel.
• Applications: Consumed in a more conventional and more earthen way.

Flavored Cider

• Profile: Admixed with other things such as berries, spices or herbs.
• Applications: Gives a consumers different and diversified experiences of tastes that may attract a large number of people.

Ice Cider

• Profile: A product obtained by fermenting apple juice that has been previously concentrated by freezing.
• Applications: Usually mild, had a strong tendency towards sweetness and the fruit full-bodied taste makes this cider perfect as a dessert cider.

The production process of cider 

Picking and Harvesting

• Objective: Also select those apples with right amount of sweetness, acidity and tannins depending on your desired taste.
• Process: As far as product quality and especially juice is concerned, apples used are harvested at a time when they are fully ripe. The following changes depend on the type of apple used when coming up with this cider.

Crushing and Pressing

• Objective: Squeeze the water out of the apples.
• Process: Juice extraction involves washing the apples and then smashing them before(tbl 2) passing them through a press to remove the juice content from the pulp and skins. The liquid called must, is used for the subsequent fermentation process.

Fermentation

• Objective: Plays a role in conversion of fermentable sugars in the apple juice into alcohol and CO2.
• Process: The must is then transferred to these vessels – fermentation tanks, and yeast is innoculated. Hence the selection of the yeast strain and the fermentation temperature can in one way or the other affect the flavor and aroma of the cider. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the specifics on the cider to created.

Aging and Maturation

Objective: All actual cider is unique and must go through consistent development and fine-tuning of the resulting flavors.

Process: After the primary fermentation the cider is left to mature, giving the flavors some time to blend. Evaluations can either happen in stainless steel tanks, wooden barrels or bottles. A few ciders go through malolactic fermentation for the purpose of reducing sharpness in acidity and increasing flavor profiles.

Filtration and Stabilization

• Objective: Increase the clarity of the cider, which will enable it to be packaged.
• Process: The cider may be clarified by filtration to remove yeast and other suspended particles leaving a clear product. Preservation processes include pasteurization, or the use of sulfites which help to inhibit the development of spoilers and thereby increase the product’s shelf-life.

Carbonation and Packaging

• Objective: Allow the cider to carbonated to the level that you want and then bottle the product.
• Process: Cider can be naturally carbonated through bottle conditioning or forced carbonation either conducted in the keg or cask. The cider is sometimes bottled in the bottles, cans or kegs and oxygen control is performed to avoid its infiltration that leads to spoilage of flavor.

Packaging Material Engineering for Cider

In essence, packaging has an important function of keeping cider fresh and of good quality for a given time. Decisions about the sort of packaging material used are more technical and must address the issue of carbonation retention, oxidation control, and attractiveness to consumers.

Glass Bottles

Objective: Deliver a clear, chemically inactive storage vessel that retains taste.

Materials: Using glass bottles for cider is preferred due to its non- ]reactive characteristic. Bottles are darkened so as not to allow light onto the cider since this leads to the formation of off-flavor.

Cans

Objective: Make the packaging thin yet sturdy and reusable, environmentally friendly as well.

Materials: Aluminum cans are particularly good at protecting products from light and oxygen more than any other packaging material. Can linings of the contemporary industry should not allow any contact between metal and cider to affect the product’s flavor.

Kegs

Objective: Satisfy draft cider quickly.

Materials: The large supply kegs are made from stainless steel and help to keep the cider in the keg fresh and carbonated. Using keg served beer is cheaper and does not negatively impact the environment as rapid serving dispenses with the containers.

Crowns and Caps

Objective: Cap the container and keep pressure or carbonation intact.

Materials: Bottle crowns and can pull tabs are meant to form an air-tight barrier that prevents leakage of carbonation content, and exposure to oxygen.

Labels and Branding

Objective: Gain customers’ attention and thus communicate the intended name and image of the brand.

Design Considerations: A label should therefore meet legal necessities and features absolute ingredient declaration, ABV and other matters. Packaging and labeling of products means that there can be a distinction of the products in the market so that customer can identify easily.