Wash and core 12 large apples or 24 small apples. Cut them in halves or quarters, depending on how big they are. Place them in a large pot.
Pour 2 quarts of water on top. For a thinner apple cider, use 16 cups of water.
Add 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of all spice,and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg.
Cover the kettle and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and let it simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Place a fine mesh strainer over another large kettle, and using a soup ladle, gently ladle apples onto the strainer.
Use a potato masher to mash the apples, releasing the juice into the kettle below.
Repeat this process until all apples have been mashed.
Discard the remains of the apples on the strainer.
Add 1 cup of brown sugar for a sweeter cider, less for a tart cider.