The New Cider Maker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide by Claude Jolicoeur, 1603584730

The New Cider Maker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Producers by Claude Jolicoeur

Print Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Language: English
ASIN: B00DJBAEYE
ISBN-10: 1603584730
ISBN-13: 978-1603584739
File Format: EPUB

All around the world, the public’s taste for fermented cider has been growing more rapidly than at any time in the past 150 years. And with the growing interest in locally grown and artisanal foods, many new cideries are springing up all over North America, often started up by passionate amateurs who want to take their cider to the next level as small-scale craft producers.

To make the very best cider―whether for yourself, your family, and friends or for market―you first need a deep understanding of the processes involved, and the art and science behind them. Fortunately, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is here to help. Author Claude Jolicoeur is an internationally known, award-winning cider maker with an inquiring, scientific mind. His book combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today’s cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders.

The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is divided into five parts containing:

– An accessible overview of the cider making process for beginners;
– Recommendations for selecting and growing cider-appropriate apples;
– Information on juice-extraction equipment and directions on how to build your own grater mill and cider press;
– A discussion of the most important components of apple juice and how these may influence the quality of the cider;
– An examination of the fermentation process and a description of methods used to produce either dry or naturally sweet cider, still or sparkling cider, and even ice cider.

This book will appeal to both serious amateurs and professional cider makers who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to orchardists who want to grow cider apples for local or regional producers. Novices will appreciate the overview of the cider-making process, and, as they develop skills and confidence, the more in-depth technical information will serve as an invaluable reference that will be consulted again and again. This book is sure to become the definitive modern work on cider making.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Claude Jolicoeur first developed his passion for apples and cider after acquiring a piece of land on which there were four rows of old abandoned apple trees. He started making cider in 1988 using a “no-compromise” approach, stubbornly searching for the highest possible quality. Since then, his ciders have earned many awards and medals at competitions, including a Best of Show at the prestigious Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP).

Claude actively participates in discussions on forums like the Cider Digest, and is regularly invited as a guest speaker to events such as the annual Cider Days festival in western Massachusetts. He lives in Quebec City.

Best Cider Book I Have Seen

I have read a lot of books in search of guidance on successful cider making. And I have made a few batches of passable cider, always felt they could be better, but didn’t know how to improve my crafting. There are a lot of books out there worth reading, but none have put all the pieces together, until now. Jolicoeur’s book is the one I have searched for all these years!

The author thoroughly details the steps to making great cider–everything from selecting the right apples, handling the apples properly, to the qualities to look for in a grinder and press. There is a wealth of information here–far more than you’ll need for your first batch, but plenty to reward you for re-reading, and for improving each batch of cider you make. The author’s research has clearly been exhaustive and there is a lot of personal experience underpinning the advice. There is also a lot of technical information in this book, mostly in the form of fermentation chemistry, but the book is organized in such a fashion that it is easy to breeze through the chemistry and focus on the practicalities of making cider (that said, the chemistry is important and something every eager maker should work through at least once).

The author’s writing style is quite approachable and conversational in tone.

I am really grateful for this book! It arrived as I began gathering apples for this year’s pressing. On my first glance through the book the author saved me from making three mistakes that would have compromised the quality of my cider. This encouraged me to slow down and get through the book before committing any more mistakes, and now I’m confident that this year’s cider will be my best ever.