Nothing beats cider fresh from the farm, but I made this batch with grocery store cider and it was still incredible. Just choose an unfiltered variety without any preservatives. You want 100% apple.

A gallon of Ashton Orchard's homemade cider costs around $11, and a half-bushel, or 20-25 pounds of apples, costs $28, depending on the variety of apple. "The price of jugs, for one thing, has ...