Publications / Complete Catalogue / Craft Cider Making
THIS BOOK IS for anyone who wants to grow and to make good cider or even simple apple juice. Whether you have a back garden with a couple of apple trees, several acres of orchard deep in the countryside, or you’re just ‘scrumping’ apples from friends and neighbours every autumn, this book is for you.
Here you can learn about the equipment you need, the techniques to use and just how they work as they do. You’ll also learn what to do when things go wrong, and how to put them right! Packed with a wealth of practical experience and understanding, Craft Cider Making is for beginners and old hands alike.
Andrew Lea is a retired food biochemist who started his career in the tea industry and then spent 13 years at the Long Ashton Research Station (the National Fruit and Cider Institute). For the past 20 years he has been a hobby cider maker with his own small orchard and cider press and has won many prizes at national and international cider competitions. Paperback 144 pages
Reviews
Add ReviewD C Galletly - Sep 6 2010 1:40PM
Andrew Lea is a recognised authority on the science of cidermaking, and every sentence in this book is clearly the product of that understanding coupled to practical experience. The book expands upon the information provided on Andrew's own web site and provides the novice with sensible, clear guidelines for producing good cider, from the initial planting of the cider apple trees through to the bottling of the finished cider. Since the early 20th C French cidermaking text by Warcollier (translated by Charley) there have been few books on the science and practice of cidermaking, and of these Andrew Lea's book is probably one of the best. It is not a recipe book, but if you have already had a few attempts at cidermaking (using "Real Cidermaking on a Small Scale" by Pooley and Lomax - a great book) and want to take it another step towards producing true award winning craft cider, this book is a valuable (and cheap) addition to your cider library. Craft Cider Making can be read at a longish single sitting, the style is simple and complex concepts are understandable. Although the definitive guide to cider-making is still to be written, I value this cider book more highly that anything else written in the last 50years. Thanks Andrew for a great little book...
Dai Dant - Sep 6 2010 1:41PM
To make use of an annual surfeit of apples, cider making is the perfect solution. It makes an enjoyable pastime, and provides a product which aids conviviality, reduces stress and tastes good too (usually). There are several books on the subject including, one much acclaimed title Real Cider Making on a Small Scale. Both books would provide an excellent grounding in the theory and practice, but of the two my preference is definitely for this title. This book is concise, technical and scientific in its' approach, yet very readable and easy for beginners to follow. It provides inspiration to start, together with confidence in the ability to make a satisfying product. If you are contemplating cider production, this book would be an excellent first investment to select equipment and plan an orchard. For the more experienced it also provides authoritative guidance on customising your cider and solving the problems which will inevitably occur.
backyardfarmer - Sep 6 2010 1:41PM
Written by an enthusiast, this book starts with an easy to read history of cider and approaches the production in a scientific but accessible manner. A jolly good reference title.
