Alcopops and Ciders

Cider is a crisp, cool, thirst-quenching drink that has been delivering refreshment and satisfaction since the days of the Norman Conquest. The global cider market is predicted to be the fastest growing alcoholic beverage market during the next decade, outpacing both mainstream beer sales as well as the fast-expanding spirits market.

Producing sparkling alcopops and ciders

GEA has the experience and know-how to provide all the components involved in the cider production process. Cider, also known as hard cider in the US, is increasing in popularity, particularly in developed markets, as consumers are drinking less beer but are willing to pay more for premium products. Also targeting the female drinker, cider commands a higher profit margin and tends to draw drinkers away from wine.

Produced from the fermented juice of apples and pears (and, occasionally, other fruits such as berries), the cider production process is identical to that used to make beer, which means that the same equipment used to produce beer can also be used to produce cider. Essential process steps are cooking, sieving, heating, cooling, filtering and carbonating.

Both alcoholic and low-alcohol versions are available, ranging in alcohol content from 1.5-8.5 %. And, whereas the market for the low-alcoholic cider is quite large in Scandinavia, high-alcohol cider only has a very specific market, especially in the UK. The low-alcoholic varieties have a more soft drink-like flavor, making it more popular with those who enjoy the fresh taste but don’t want the alcohol.  

Our range of products to process alcoholic beverages includes alcohol mass measuring systems, reception and blending systems for alcohol/water mixtures, deaeration and filtration systems, storage tank facilities, batch, continuous and combi-blending systems, carbonation and mobile metering systems, freeze concentration, automation and clean-in-place (CIP) solutions. We can provide all the components involved in the process, from raw ingredients handling to the bottling phase.