One for the ciders

Participants will learn how to make cider from various fruits

Craft brewer Mehul Patel, who studied fermentation in Pune, was first introduced to ciders when in the USA on an exchange programme. He realised that the abundance of fruits in India, could result in many interesting varieties of ciders. A fermented fruit drink, a cider is suitable for warm weather conditions and can be drunk any time of the day. Following a successful stint at beer brand White Owl, Patel - who later started Wildcraft Beverage - now wants to pass on his knowledge to those enthusiastic about brewing, through workshops.

"This is a 45-minute long, closed format workshop that will give you an introduction to the drink and some common recipes like ginger beer, mango cider, pomegranate cider and pineapple tepache. Once you have learnt these, you can experiment with different kinds of fruits," says Patel, adding that the process of fermentation takes seven to eight days on an average and requires basic kitchen ingredients and yeast. Once you register, you will be sent a list of things you need to have ready. "All you need is a stainless steel container, a juicer/mixer, a strainer or muslin cloth and some bottles to store. The only reason why you-ll probably have to step out is for fresh fruit," he says.

Mehul Patel

One of the objectives of the workshop, according to Patel, is to raise awareness around ciders by teaching people how to brew their own. "They are vegan, have no preservatives and are also gluten-free unlike beer," he explains.

On June 13, 5 pm
Log on to insider.in
Cost Rs 700

Keep in mind

. Ensure your working area is clean and limit air flow as much as possible.
. Make sure all your equipment is sanitised, especially for the bottling process.
. You don-t need to have the prettiest fruit; even a damaged one will do. Avoid rotting fruit.
. Don-t use just one variety of fruit. Mix it up to give the cider more character.
. Storing your fruit away before fermenting can help develop aromas for your cider.
. Always ensure that your cider is kept for fermentation in a cool and dry place.

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