When you think of cider, the first and probably the only fruit that comes to mind is the apple.
But is cider only made from apples?
While apples are the traditional fruit that is used in cider, they need not be the only fruit you can use.
If you found this fact interesting, read on, for this article is just for you.
Can Cider Be Made From Anything Other Than Apples?
Yes. Pears, peaches, cherries, and pineapple are some of the fruits that you can use to add to your cider.
Tired of apple cider, are you? Now that you have other options, choose one of these fruits the next time.
They provide a great flavor and give you some interesting cider. However, that’s not all. Berries and mangoes are two other fruits that you can try.
Does Cider Need To Be Made From Apple?
Hope this does not disappoint you, but the answer to this is also yes. In other words, the apple is the main basis of cider, so you can have no cider without an apple.
What about the above fruits, you may ask? Well, these additions you can make to your cider will give it more flavor.
Can You Make Cider Out Of Any Fruit?
You are now beginning to get creative, are you? What is the fruit on your kitchen counter right now?
Don’t worry; there is no fruit left on the list. You can flavor your apple cider with just about any fruit.
Apart from the ones already mentioned above, some others you can try are our raspberries and blackcurrants, as these can also give you some good hard ciders.
However, note that some fruits may not work so well, like oranges with their sweet and tangy mix, which could end up giving the cider a mellow beer-like bitter taste.
The same holds with lemons, so make sure that you avoid these two. On the flip side, the ciders from these fruits are better for your health, giving you a good amount of Vitamin C. They may just not be the best when it comes to taste.
What Fruit Is Best For Cider?
That was a good question to ask and shows that you are passionate about cider. That said, if you want to make the best cider, pears and pineapples are the best fruits you can come up with, apart from apples.
This is because both of these fruits can provide just the kind of tanginess that one would look for from this beverage. Pears can, be used to replace apples.
Perhaps you can try our pears and pineapples the next time you are about to make some cider.
And then, know that the kind of apples (or pears) that you choose here also play a role in determining the taste of the cider you are about to make.
Does Cider Need To Be Apple?
Yes, and this is a rule according to the Alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau.
There is another rule here. If the beverage contains more than seven percent of alcohol, you cannot call it a cider. Instead, you need to label it as fruit wine.
This is important to note, as some say that you can even make cider from grapes. Perhaps you can, but again the drink has another name, sparkling wine.
For apple cider with grapes, you can add grapes to the apple when making the cider but remember the seven percent rule mentioned here.
If you are not careful, you may end up making wine and not cider.
How Is Non-Apple Cider Made?
Bent on coming up with a non-apple cider, aren’t you? Sadly, you cannot make cider without apples.
When you add pears, as said above, what you get in the end is not cider but perries. The process may be the same, but the drink can be a little different.
Coming back to apple cider is a beverage you make by forming a pulp with apples and extracting juice from it.
And the same is done when you want to make perries. However, the beverage here is going to feel different from apple cider.
It will be more hazy and unfiltered, and the acidic experience will be combined with a bit of creaminess, all of which is enjoyable but disqualifies it from being called cider.
Is Cider Made From Apples Or Pears?
Now, you are confused, are you? Keeping this short. Cider is made from apples; perries are made from pears.
That should make it clear and so, without wasting any more lines, moving on.
You see, only apples can give it the right amount of acidity to create this adult drink that we know as cider.
Perhaps the second place goes to Perry. Perhaps you want to try out Perries the next time.
If so, here is a word of advice. Choose smaller pears as they tend to produce the right amount of sweetness to the beverage.
What Fruits Are Used In Cider?
You saw enough of that in this article, didn’t you? So, let’s talk about the kind of apples one needs to use instead.
While there are varieties of apples that you can get, it would be best to use cider apples, as these provide the right amount of acidity that you need in the cider.
These are mainly grown in the US and may be unavailable in your region.
If you find them, you should choose this, but if you don’t, don’t worry. Any apple will do.
Another variety that you have is crab apples, so you can see if your region has this too.
The cider that comes from this apple is sharp, delicious, and very refreshing.
Final Words
With that, you learn some new things about apple cider, its cousin, the Perry, and a little about wines.
Which one did you like best? Which one do you now plan to prepare?
If the answer is cider, remember that you need to be plucking apples; if the answer is perries, you must be plucking pears.
If you are plucking any other fruit, remember that you will be making either wine or juice unless you add it to the cider.
Is cider made only from apples? Yes!
