It is believed that its appearance is due to Charlemagne. Although, according to historical documents, the ancient Greeks also knew what cider is. They loved this drink in Russia. Our ancestors were not averse to pampering themselves. Although cider production in Russia does not exceed just a few percent, its share in the alcohol market continues to increase.
What kind of drink is this?
The name "cider" comes from the French word cidre. This is a drink that is very popular in Europe and has a national status. In Russia in former times it was called "buza", emphasizing the last syllable.
The distinctive features of cider include:
- raw materials in the form of apple juice, in extreme cases - other fruits;
- the inability to prepare from packaged juices sold in retail chains;
- lack of yeast in the technological process;
- the existence of an alcoholic (about five percent) and non-alcoholic type available for children;
- yellow or green color of the drink, characterized by a pleasant consistency and transparency;
- similarity in some cases with sparkling wine;
- pleasant apple smell.
Interestingly, the attitude towards cider varies among different peoples. So, some of them compare it with beer. The Germans raise this drink to the rank of wine, spending special holidays in his honor.
Like wine, cider has a certain gradation. It is divided into sweet and dry varieties, the strength of which decreases from the first to the second.
People who prefer the use of other cider alcoholic beverages note that it improves the digestive system, has an excellent prophylactic effect and leads to the appearance of an anti-alcohol effect.
According to research, this product has a lot of trace elements and vitamins, beneficial acids and phenolic substances with a very low percentage of alcohol, and even apple, which, of course, differs from ordinary.
Such qualities of cider make it possible to talk about it as a drink that has a number of preventive and therapeutic properties. Indeed, it is used to treat gout and rheumatism, as well as remove heavy metals and radionuclides from the body.
Promising business
Recently, the production of cider has been constantly increasing. England is in the first place by the amount of this drink. It is followed by South Africa. The third place of honor was shared between two countries - Germany and France. As for Russia, here so far the volumes of consumption of this low-alcohol drink are very small in comparison with other alcohol-containing products.
All these facts suggest that the production of cider in the Russian Federation is a very promising business for investors. For them there is a huge field of activity, which is facilitated by the almost complete absence of competition and the likelihood of increased demand. It is noteworthy that the production of cider in the first stage, if carried out at home, will not require large expenditures. And this is also a plus of this business.
Variety of low alcohol product
Having tried cider, experts can always accurately name the country of its production. And really. This drink may have somewhat excellent taste depending on the preferences of a particular people.
This is manifested in the organoleptic properties of the drink (its bouquet and aroma), as well as in terms of physical and chemical composition. For example, you can compare the ciders of England, France, Spain and Germany. The first of them are dry and tart, with moderate acidity. The second - more sweet and characterized by medium astringency, pronounced aroma of fresh fruit. The ciders of Spain are less tolerant and sweeter, and the preferences of the German people are given to sour and less tolerant.
Raw materials
The production of cider in its classical form requires the use of special technical (cider) varieties of apples. These fruits are cultivated specifically for making the drink. Similar varieties were bred for several centuries in those countries where classic cider is produced. Accordingly, the use of such fruits is one of the main factors in shaping the quality of a traditional drink.
Cider apples have significant differences from fresh and dessert canteens. This applies to their chemical composition and organoleptic properties. Cider varieties of apples are distinguished by a long shelf life, which does not impair the structure of the fetal tissue, juicy and dense pulp, as well as high mass concentrations of sugars and phenolic substances.
The cider production technology, which has been preserved in our country since Soviet times, contains recommendations on the use of zoned apple varieties. These fruits must have a titratable acidity of at least 7 g per cubic decimeter. This is possible if the fruits are picked at the stage of their technical maturity.
Cider production in our country uses autumn-winter varieties. Among them are Antonovka and Borovinka, Grushovka and Donestu, Renet Pumazhniy and Uman Winter. These apples must be ripe, juicy and sweet. Cider production technology allows the use of several varieties of the above. This will give the drink the most harmonious taste.
Among the juices that are used in the production of the drink, four varieties are distinguished. It is fragrant and astringent, acidic as well as neutral. If these juices are mixed in different proportions, the drink will receive special taste.
Apple cider production is not the only type of base. The product can also be made from pears. A drink from such raw materials is called “peri”. It is made from fermented pear juice with a high sugar content. Peri is especially popular among the peoples of Great Britain, France, and Spain.
Features of the technological process
How is apple cider made? The production of this drink includes many different operations and steps. At the first one, apples are picked, which are then delivered to the workshop. The technology for producing apple cider requires washing and crushing them.
At this point, the first stage of the beverage preparation process ends. Next, the apples that are crushed are pressed. This allows squeezing juice out of them.
The liquid thus obtained is subjected to filtration in special tanks. In these containers, the resulting juice settles, clarifies and begins to ferment. At the next stage, the production of cider in an industrial environment requires storage of the resulting product until it reaches stability. This is followed by bottling the drink. If necessary, it is saturated with carbon dioxide.
Equipment selection
It is worth mentioning that there are no uniform requirements for the method of production of various varieties of cider, nor for the quality of the finished product. And even when receiving a classic drink, it is possible to use several schemes that differ from each other by the characteristics of the apple processing process. But regardless of the technology used, the equipment for the production of cider must be of high quality.This will achieve not only a high speed of the technological process, but also a good taste of the final product.
Equipment for the production of cider is various crushers and presses, containers made of special metal, etc. Without buying the normal units and accessories to make a quality drink will not be an easy task. And this is definitely worth considering for those who are interested in the industrial production of cider as a business.
Type of equipment
Today, ready-made production lines are available for sale, with the help of which almost the entire process of manufacturing a low-alcoholic beverage is automated. With the help of such equipment, the necessary raw materials are selected and the marriage is separated. And only after that apples are cut, pressed and are in the process of fermentation. Additional features of such equipment are bottling the finished drink and sticking labels on the bottles.
There are also such lines that have minimal automation. However, their use requires the presence of a person. Of course, such lines have a much lower price, which sometimes attracts a novice businessman.
The main stages of the process
Appropriate apples are selected first by any producer. Rotten fruits must be excluded from the process. This procedure is carried out on a special belt sorting and inspection conveyor. Next, the apples should be washed twice. For this stage, a unified washer is used. Next, clean apples follow the elevator and are chopped. Fruits are divided into small pieces by a disk or hammer mill.
Shredded apples, called pulp, are placed in containers where they are infused without oxygen. This stage of the technological process lasts from 6 to 24 hours. Then, using a press, apple juice is squeezed from the pulp, which must be peeled. To speed up the process, you must add a defecant to it. It is a waste of sugar production, which is formed during the defecation of sugar juice. This leads to the precipitation of the calcium salt of pectic acid obtained in the process of hydrolysis. Further, the product must be insisted for several days. The readiness of the juice for subsequent processing is determined by the appearance on its surface of a thick foam having a brown color. Specialists call it a sliver.
The next stage in the preparation of cider is the fermentation of juice. For this, the raw material for the drink is poured to the top in barrels. The temperature in the room where such containers are located should not exceed 12 degrees. During juice fermentation, water locks are put on barrels.
A similar method of production allows you to get homemade cider, or, as experts call it, "bad". Such a drink is distinguished by a strong gas contamination. That is why such a cider is bottled with a bridle, like champagne, and then stored in a cool and dark cellar. To increase the shelf life of the product, it is pasteurized.
Additional actions
The process described above is suitable for preparing a classic drink. However, the cider plant allows for a number of additional actions. Their need is due to the short shelf life of the product. In this regard, on a scale of industrial production, cider includes components such as ridge grape must, as well as oak wood. These ingredients allow you to extend the shelf life of the cider and give it a little astringency, as well as a unique mixed flavor.
In general, in industrial production, two methods can be used to give stability to the drink. At the first of them, champagne bottles are filled using membrane filtration.The product must be cold and sterile.
The second method involves bottle pasteurization of the product. Juice in special containers is clarified, cooled and well sedimented. Only after that it is filtered. The result is a must, which serves as the basis for the future cider. About twenty percent of the juice squeezed from wild apples is added to this raw material. Then it is left in completely filled vessels, closed in compliance with tightness. Thus prepared blend is subjected to clarification, filtration and pasteurization. The treated cider base is cooled and saturated with carbon in the acratophore. The finished drink is bottled using wire and corks.
It should be borne in mind that cider is a highly carbonated drink. That is why wire protection is mandatory for him.
Equipment list
Industrial production of cider will require special equipment. This can be the automatic line described above, the main components of which are:
- a ten-ton press equipped with a hydraulic drive;
- a crusher grinding fruit;
- pasteurizer;
- filler of glass bottles;
- metal frame for crusher and press.
The technological process of preparing cider will require the use of water that meets the requirements of GOST 2874-73 "Drinking water".
Production profitability
All entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in the production of cider are primarily interested in the profitability of the event. The first positive moment when working on this project is the adoption of a law abolishing the need to obtain a license for this type of activity. In the manufacture of these low-alcohol products, only excise taxes will be needed.
To start production, you need initial capital in the amount of about two and a half million rubles. Most of these funds will be purchased equipment. Among the costs of the project, one can single out the purchase (or lease) of the necessary premises, the involvement of at least two workers, the purchase of raw materials, as well as containers for packaging.
Profit after such investments, according to experts, is possible after 1.5-2 years of active work. With proper organization of production, this business can become quite profitable.