About apples:

Entire volumes could be (and, indeed, have been) written on the immense variety of apples in the world, most of which few of us have ever seen. There are literally hundreds of different types that were specifically developed over the ages for making cider, but because they are smaller, less sweet, or more bitter, they aren't kept on store shelves. But don't despair, and don't shy away from pressing on that account. Even if all you have is supermarket varieties, you can still get good results. The most important factor is choosing a balance of flavors. Blend milder flavors with sharper ones, and your cider will be a more complex, more flavorful drink. It's probably best to avoid the blandest varieties, like Red Delicious or McIntosh, which were developed more for their looks and their ability to last for months in warehouses and on shelves than for flavor. If you can get ahold of some Golden Russets, Winesaps, or Gravensteins, by all means use them.

About fermentation:

Whether you've pressed from apples or simply picked up a bottle from the store, the process from here out is the same. Once you've got the pressed juice, you're ready to ferment. In fact, unless you keep it tightly capped and refrigerated, you can't help it. Natural yeasts abound in the air and on the skins of fruit, and will eagerly turn that sweet juice into an alcoholic nectar. Back in the old days, that's all that was done. Natural wild yeasts were allowed to ferment, and nature took its course. These days, for the sake of sanitation and for a more predictable product, most people prefer to introduce a yeast culture with known good qualities rather than risk contamination.

The process of fermentation is essentially the same in cider as it is in wine. Yeast microorganisms convert the fruit sugars in the juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This microbial activity continues until the sugar is all consumed, or until the alcohol level rises to the tolerance level of the yeast, whereupon it goes dormant (much like you will if you drink enough of the fermented product). Your choice of yeast strain will make a great deal of difference to the finished product. Most traditional English and American ciders were left flat and slightly (and I mean just slightly) sweet, so a yeast with moderate alcohol tolerance is used. For a French-style cider, in the traditions of Normandy and Brittany, a drier taste and sparkling mouthfeel are preferable, so try a Champagne yeast with its higher alcohol tolerance. Your tastes are your own, however; don't feel too bound by tradition.

Further Information:

Annie Proulx, best known for her fiction, has also written one of the definitive books on cider-making Cider: Making, Using & Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider (Storey Publishing), which gives the reader a wealth of information on the entire process, from the planting of seedlings to the pouring of the glass. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to take it to the next level.

FRESH PRESSED APPLE CIDER

Apple cider. The words bring to mind evocative images of brisk nights, sleigh bells, and good cheer. Nothing says autumn like a glass of fresh-pressed apple cider. And, it's as American as, well, apple pie. In fact, until prohibition, hard cider was one of the most popular drinks in the country. Back in the good olde colony days, everyone—men, women, and children—drank it with meals. After prohibition, cider pretty much fell into obscurity for the better part of a half-century. With the growth in popularity of home brewing and craft brewing, however, came a resurgence of interest in handmade cider. And whether you have access to local orchards and want to try your hand at the entire process, or just want to start from a bottle of nice all-natural apple juice from the market, the process is deceptively simple.