Wards Green Tea Cider Recipe

Sanitize

Sanitize all fermentation vessels, airlock, stirring spoon and siphoning equipment with a no-rinse sanitizer to avoid unwanted contamination.

Heat 500 ml of the fresh-pressed apple cider in a saucepan until just warm (not boiling, ~60–65°C / 140–150°F). Remove from heat.

Stir in the white sugar (200 g) until fully dissolved into the warm cider. If using honey (optional), add the 100 g now and mix until incorporated.

Allow the sweetened warm cider to cool to room temperature (<25°C / 77°F). Meanwhile crush the campden tablet and add to the remaining 3.5 L of cider in your sanitized primary fermenter; stir and wait 24 hours before pitching yeast to allow sulfite to dissipate (this step reduces wild yeasts and bacteria).

After the 24-hour wait and once the sugar/honey-cider has cooled, combine it with the campden-treated cider in the fermenter. Add yeast nutrient (1 tsp) and mix gently to incorporate.

Rehydrate the champagne yeast per package instructions (typically in 20–30 ml of warm water) and add to the fermenter. Seal the fermenter with an airlock and place in a stable 18–22°C (64–72°F) location for primary fermentation.

Allow primary fermentation to proceed for 5–10 days, or until vigorous activity slows. Take gravity readings if you have a hydrometer; primary should reach near terminal gravity (~1.010–1.020 depending on desired sweetness).

While primary fermentation is active but beginning to slow (around day 4–7), prepare the green tea infusion. Bring 500 ml of water to about 80°C (just below boiling) and remove from heat.

Steep the 6 g of loose-leaf sencha green tea in the 500 ml hot water for 2–3 minutes for a delicate, grassy aroma. Avoid over-steeping to prevent excessive bitterness and astringency.

Cool the tea rapidly to room temperature (place the vessel in an ice bath or let sit). Once cooled, transfer the infusion into a sanitized jar and, if desired, filter through a sanitized fine mesh to remove leaves.

When primary fermentation has slowed, rack (transfer) the cider off the heavy lees into a secondary sanitized fermenter and gently add the cooled green tea infusion. Seal with an airlock.

Allow the cider to condition on the tea in secondary for 5–10 days at 15–18°C (59–64°F). Taste periodically; the tea should impart a subtle grassy/umami note without dominating the apple character.

Once conditioning on the tea is complete and fermentation has reached stable final gravity (no change over 2–3 days), prepare for bottling. Sanitize bottles, caps/swing-tops, siphon and bottling equipment.

Dissolve the priming sugar (30 g) in 100 ml of boiling water, cool, and add evenly to the sanitized bottling bucket.

Siphon the cider gently from the secondary fermenter into the bottling bucket over the priming solution to mix. Avoid splashing to keep oxygen pickup minimal.

Fill 355 ml bottles, leaving ~2–3 cm of headspace, and cap or close. You should have approximately 11–12 bottles (depending on losses).

Store bottles at 18–20°C (64–68°F) for 7–14 days to carbonate. Check carbonation after 7 days by chilling one bottle and opening carefully. If carbonation is low, allow additional days.

Once carbonated, chill and store bottles in a cool place. Let mature for an additional 1–2 weeks for flavors to integrate. Serve chilled.