Containers for Bulk Cider

It has come to my attention (while looking at the neighborhood apple trees) that I am going to have a TON of apple cider this year. But unfortunately, I'm short on milk jugs (I usually have lots but had to maim them for making planting pots this year)

I was wondering what container ideas people might have for storing cider. Barrels? Glass containers that I can buy? I'm interested in freezing some, but will quickly run out of room. Thoughts?

Food grade 5 gal buckets?

IBC (intermediate bulk carrier) tote? 275- and 330-gallon are common sizes.

The contents of a  gallon jar of pickles nicely into a  gallon ziplock bag.
3 gallon food grade bucket with lids are generally free,  5 gallon bucket without lids easily at least $1.00 around here.
5 gallon water bottles are about 13-15 dollars, I think.
I believe I saw them in the camping section of Walmart.
5 gallon coolers are about $20.00 at Menard's.
A set of 6, 8, 12 and 16 quart stainless steel stock pots  are about $25.00 ,$ 20 with the ever present 20% discount coupon at Harbor Freight.
Food grade closed head 55 gallon drums can be had for $15.00 where I live,$10.00 without their oddball sized bungs...
I doubt the insides of a water heater tank would do well with alcohol,  but they are plumbed,  and free or cheap.
Food grade IBC totes are at least $50.00 here.


A question - can cider be made from dried fruit?
If so,  dried fruit might take up less space,  and can become cider in the future.

5 gallons of liquid  is probably a good upper limit, realistically.

Carboys for winemaking and other associated fermentation equipment like food grade plastic buckets are often VERY cheap in unused or used once condition on local kijiji/buy and sell groups. I once picked up all the equipment one would need or more at a local church yard sale for $15.... carboys, buckets, a wine corker, etc, etc...  they literally shoved more items in our car to get rid of them. On that note, the jugs used for communion wine are great, screw top, and much bigger than a normal wine bottle, with a handle too .

Winemaking stores are also good for food grade plastic buckets, which are sizes that can be easily lifted.

Has anyone canned cider. I don’t want to use plastic. Any ideas to freeze cider NOT in plastic. I have around 20 gallons.

Hi Schatzi,

Welcome to Permies.

 I have frozen soups in Mason Jars.  I don’t see why cider could not be frozen.  Be sure to allow room for expansion. Also, I would experiment with a single jar to see how it works out.

Schatzi Hall wrote:Has anyone canned cider. I don’t want to use plastic. Any ideas to freeze cider NOT in plastic. I have around 20 gallons.

silicone rubber bags?

for glass jars: smaller is better in my experience. 20 gallons would involve a whole lotta glass.

A neighbor of mine has canned cider in quart jars before. Seemed to work fine. We got maybe 5 quarts of it.

***Edit - just to clarify for the non-US members. My neighbor canned sweet cider. I do not know if it would work any differently using hard cider.

I like the suggestion John made to use mason jars.

Also you might check with some bars to get liquor bottle.

My neighbor has a yard full of 5 gallon wine bottles that we salvage a couple to make wine in.  Those would be great for Cider.

Did you ferment the cider?  What did you ferment it in?

If the content of alcohol in the cider is equal to wine it will not freeze.  

Why do you want to freeze it?

Schatzi Hall wrote:Has anyone canned cider. I don’t want to use plastic. Any ideas to freeze cider NOT in plastic. I have around 20 gallons.

Cider is essentially apple juice. Lots of recipes online for canning apple juice.

This gives instructions for safely canning pints, quarts, and half gallons:

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-fruits-and-fruit-products/apple-juice/

Frozen cider makes Applejack, a shelf stable product.

William Bronson wrote: Frozen cider makes Applejack, a shelf stable product.

How does freezing cider turn into Apple Jack?

Inquiring mind want to know ....

The name applejack derives from the traditional method of producing the drink, jacking, which is the process of freezing fermented cider and then removing the ice, increasing the alcohol content.[1] Cider produced after the fall harvest was left outside during the winter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applejack_(drink)

Anne Miller wrote:

William Bronson wrote: Frozen cider makes Applejack, a shelf stable product.

How does freezing cider turn into Apple Jack?

Inquiring mind want to know ....

The name applejack derives from the traditional method of producing the drink, jacking, which is the process of freezing fermented cider and then removing the ice, increasing the alcohol content.[1] Cider produced after the fall harvest was left outside during the winter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applejack_(drink)

Alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than water. If you pour off the unfrozen part of a partially frozen low-alcohol beverage, then refreeze, and pour off the partially frozen part again, you can dramatically increase the alcohol content. (This is called freeze distillation)

Note that this also concentrates OTHER kinds of alcohol, so it's not a clean product like a heat distilled spirit (anecdotally, relatives who have tried it report a massive headache the day after).

I wonder if this is the origin of the term 'jacking up the price'.