Big Book of Cider Making

by Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey, 336 pages, 8x9, softcover. This fermentation power couple is finally getting boozy. As in their other popular books, the Shockeys provide a spectrum of tools and methods to suit both the casual dabbler and the fastidious fermentista. I’m somewhere in between—I’m not going to buy a lot of expensive equipment and I deplore precise measuring, but I also want interesting delicious results that are worthy of sharing. This book inspires me to take my skrumpy homebrews up a notch without compromising my enjoyment of the process. The instructions seem easy to follow. The Shockeys like to get crazy with their flavors, but it’s okay if that’s not your thing: they first lay a solid groundwork of basic recipes and techniques. Wild or cultivated, infused or straight, sparkling or still, extra-boozy or ciderkin for the kiddos—there’s a cider for any occasion. -Elisabeth Benjamin