This book is brimming with information on the generations-old tradition of cidermaking. Until I picked this up, I had no idea how much was involved... so many types of apples, so many choices of what kind of cider you could make, and I learned things about apples and how incredible they are (one apple tree will grow different types of apples!) I also was fascinated to learn how apple growers preserve the various varieties found around the world by sharing their rootstocks and grafting them onto existing apple trees. There is also a lot of really lovely photography in this book too. My favourite part of the book was the section on making ciders with wild botanical yeasts! If you're interested in trying your hand at cidermaking, this book is a great resource. Thank you to the publisher for the free advance copy from which I have written an honest review.

This is an extremely comprehensive guide to cidermaking. I found myself looking up terms constantly which was distracting. Possibly a list of terms in the front or back would have been helpful.

A little advanced for me but I did enjoy reading through the book and checking out the recipes. Even though I’ll probably never make my own cider.

I did enjoy the insight to cider making, vinegars, and just good background information.
The photographs were lovely.

4.75 STARS lusting for cider ★★★★✬

This book is for you if… you have the time and resources to start your own orchard and go sail the cider seas. ‘If you are someone who loves any or all these drinks or who thinks that something this good is worth making yourself. Maybe you are interested on going in and creating a fall family tradition of cider pressing and cidermaking or maybe are thinking that infusing wildflowers into some bland hard commercial cider as a way to hack a complexly flavored cider with tastes from your local flavorshed sounds pretty cool.’

⤐ Overall.
This book offers pleasures for the gums, the eye and the heart. It injected me with an irresistible sense of longing for the cultural things I will not be able to enjoy in 2020 (thanks COVID-19). In that it has it's very own special value to me that extends far beyond the spiritual and physical aspects of cider making.

Let me tell you a little bit about my hometown, the medieval city of Nürnberg.

Not only do we have a huge ass beautiful castle and the old town to match it, but festivities surrounding alcoholic beverages are also just as much part of our culture. And although I have a distaste for the romanticisation of provoking alcoholism in teenagers, The Big Book of Cidermaking made me lament the loss of said festivities for the year of 2020. No Apfelwein, no Kirschmet and certainly no fruity Schnapps at this year's Burggrabenfeset (Castle Moat Fair).

Basically, we're just a bunch of wannabe knights who mainly see our war horses from below mostly because we're just too unskilled and undisciplined to stay put on their backs.

That being said, The Big Book of Cidermaking made me vow to myself that I'll definitely pick up cidermaking should my economical situation ever allow it. Not only is it something that would for sure fulfil my desire for culinary adventures and experiments, it is also a chance to boost your health, reduce food waste, feed your livestock and make your own vinegar. The environment will thank you. You can get creative from beginning to end which surely involves a lot of trial and error but also unexpected pleasant surprised that will make you feel like standing on top of the world.
‘If beer is country music and wine is classical, then cider is a playlist of your favorite tunes at the moment. It’s an adventure and it starts with finding a flavor worthy of your quest.’

⤐ The book is structured as follows.
The Ark of Apples
Cider: A Sustainably Made, Healthy-ish Adult Beverage

I: MAKING CIDER
1 Choose your Cidermaking Adventure
2 Equipment Overview
3 The Master Process

II: RECIPES - LET THE FERMENTATION BEGIN
4 Wild Ciders
5 Cultivated Ciders
6 Crafting Ciders with Wild Botanical Yeasts
7 Infused Ciders
8 Cider: Iced, Wined, and Spirited
9 Drinking Cider

Acknowledgements
Appendix
Glossary
Endnotes
Bibliography
Resources
Index
_____________________
writing quality + easy of reading = 4*

pace = 5*

structure = 5*

enjoyability = 5*

insightfulness = 5*

There is almost nothing I enjoy more to drink than a good cider. My favorite is a black cherry cider that I can't seem to find in Texas anymore (at least in my area) so I was thrilled to find it over the summer in Pennsylvania (it is made in New York). I love the idea of making my own cider. I don't have the space or equipment to do it, but I still enjoyed reading this book about the cider making process. I loved the pictures of each step, and the sheer amount of detail that went into the book. My only complaint is that the font is really difficult to read and something the author might consider changing up before publication. The Big Book of Cidermaking has me ready for fall with all of the cider talk and gorgeous pictures. I will be counting down the months until it arrives!

I think I'm more suited to "cider-making for dummies" instead of this tome of a book.

Let me start off by saying I am a huge fan of drinking cider. Its my go-to drink, I'm a complete snob about it and I love trying different varieties that you can't buy in supermarkets.
We have an apple tree down at the end of our garden that largely goes to waste, so when I saw this book it clicked in my head that we might actually be able to make cider out of the apples. After reading this, I'm absolutely sure of that fact.

However, unfortunately I don't think that will be with this book as my guide.

This book is an extremely comprehensive guide to cidermaking. I guess the clue should have been in the "expert techniques" part of the title. As a beginner, the level of detail is fairly overwhelming. It doesn't mean that it's bad by any account, but going in with some basic knowledge of cidermaking would be hugely helpful.
I think my main problem with this is that the language used was completely foreign to me. It was explained, yes, but often 30+ pages after it had been used frequently. Maybe a "beginners guide to cidermaking jargon" in the front would be helpful.

Overall, if you are interested in expanding your simple batch of cider you make every year, this book is 100% for you. If you're looking to make a business out of it, let this book be your guide.
However, if you're considering trying to make cider for the first time, the complexity in this book may well just put you off.

I can't fault the level of information provided though and their knowledge of the subject is abundantly clear, so although this book isn't for me, it doesn't feel fair to give it any less than 3 stars.

The Big Book of Cidermaking has beautiful pictures and is detailed for the cider hobbyist. Inside, you will find details on how to grind your apples to make your juice , and recipes for different ciders. There is a reference in the back that details some of the problems that will occur and either how to save your batch or to dispose of it. I recommend this book for the cider hobbyist

Not only is this very nicely photographed, this is educational and provides step-by-step directions on how to make apple cider. Everything you ever wanted to know about the craft and how to do it is explained and shown in great detail. The photography is stunning! Absolutely fascinating!

This gorgeous book is the cider bible everyone interested in home brewing ciders should own. From picking the right apples to mixing up fruits to create sophisticated flavors, the big book of cider making is what it promises to be. Elaborate instructions, tips on picking the right equipment and helpful inspirations on blending juices make the book a quintessential guide for the beginner cider maker. However, cider making is a labourious process and involves investing in equipment so it could serve as a hindrance for beginner maker wanting to dip their fingertips in cider making. Yet, the book is worth an investment.

This is a well designed book with beautiful pictures. I would have loved to know more about how to make cider that was not "hard". This is a good option too. There are many details included in this book from start to finish in the process. It is a complicated process and the pictures are very helpful.

"The Big Book of Cidermaking" is an informative, well written and easy to grasp book. I'm not someone who often makes ciders homemade but I found this to be really healthful in my beginning to.

I love making cider and country wines, and have read a fair number of books on the subject. This is one of my favorites, and is a must-have for anybody who wants to get started on cider-making or up their game. It's full of photos, beautifully illustrated, and a treat to read. The authors give information on how to do whatever cider you want to make -- sparkling or still, with wild yeast or purchased, using chemicals (the modern way) or all natural, and tons more. They cover how to use wild yeasts, how to make cider without a press, how to use wild plants galore for flavoring, how to make cider with other fruits, and tons, tons more. It's a huge book and a fantastic resource. Highly, highly recommended.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

I'd be giving this a higher rating if I were already a brewer of some form I'm sure but as someone with general interest in cidermaking I didn't find this book to be the easiest or most open invitation to the world of cidermaking.

Quite frankly... love love love! A a real cider drinker love the concept of this book. Great ideas and recipes.

I wasn’t able to get all the way through this arc before the ebook expired but, from what I read, it was very informative and easy to read. I think I’m going to hold off on making cider for now but I’m in love with the idea of this and if I ever want to make the jump I now know I don’t need much equipment and this is the book I’m going to buy. Thank you

Really enjoyed this book, filled with useful and interesting tit bits. I can't wait to start putting what I learnt into practice.

Wow! What an amazing resource. This book gets into all of the details of going from Apple to cider. It includes tips and tricks for producing exact the type of cider you want.
Many recipes and pictures are included! This is a great resource for anyone looking to get into cider making!

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

An interesting book that shows how you can make apple based drinks of various types and various amounts!

I received a free ARC electronic copy of this How-To from Netgalley, Kirsten K. Shockey, and EBookDigital. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this work of my own volition, and this review reflects my personal, honest opinion of The Big Book of Cidermaking.

This Self-Help book is very complete, giving us all the necessary steps to preparing, aging, and storing cider of all sorts. Shockey includes methods of naturally flavoring ciders with companion fruits, making vinegar and alcoholic ciders, Also included are recommendations for on-site computer aids, and sources for the necessary tools required for successfully producing cider of all sorts.

Innovative and enthralling book covering every aspect you can think of in respect of making cider.. Beautiful apple photographs, helpful "stages in the process" photographs and and a huge wealth of recipes makes this an enjoyable book to read. There's enough about the background processes, the chemistry and "techie" stuff to keep one happy but the encouragement to find your particular 'thing' for flavours also appeals. I make my own cider from our various apple trees, a dry traditional English type generally, but will now think about some of the flavour additions for next season's juice. Must also watch out for the 'slow in faster out' effect of perry - made that for the first time in 2019 and it's just about ready to drink!! Thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Incredibly inspiring manual for making all types of "hard" ciders, with step-by-step instructions, gorgeous photographs, and interesting profiles of cider-makers worldwide. I liked the variety of recipes - from single apple to fruit blends to distilled to barrel-aged - but I would've liked some non-alcoholic recipes as well.