Cider Time Again

[stovie]

With the bounty of apples this year, no excuse for failure, so early start on Sunday saw us starting as we meant to go on...

Ian checking out the quality of last years (what there is of it)

Wellsy contemplating the scratting

the set up

Creating a fine pulp

Ollie displaying fine cheese making

A pressing engagement

Giving it some wellie

One down...One to go...

In total 110 gallons for the coming year (barring disasters...)

 

[Melonfish]

110 gallons?! party at your place?

 

[stovie]

...ps...
that's one of two gallons of pear cider sitting on the press in the last shot...thought we'd diversify

 

[British Red]

Makes my few hundred pints of beer look paltry!

Great to see Stovie - especially the proper barrels

 

[stovie]

Makes my few hundred pints of beer look paltry!

Great to see Stovie - especially the proper barrels

Cheers Red!

A few hundred aint too shabby...especially if you're drinking it yourself...

After the fiasco of earlier this year, we went to town to ensure the barrels were sound. Knocked the hoops off and filled the worm holes, then re-tightened the barrels. Don't want to re-live that experience again...

 

[craeg]

Absolutely awesome setup Stovie Is it for personal/comunity consumption or do you sell as a small scall enterprise? Do you own the orchards or did you forage the apples/pears?

I have about 20 pints of cider on the go but from small acorns LOL.

Craeg

 

[stovie]

Absolutely awesome setup Stovie Is it for personal/comunity consumption or do you sell as a small scall enterprise? Do you own the orchards or did you forage the apples/pears?

I have about 20 pints of cider on the go but from small acorns LOL.

Craeg

Hi Craeg
personal consumption/parties etc...Just a bit of fun really...and keeps the chancellor out the equation

We have access to as many apple trees as we like...in fact this year too many; can't make use of them all; a bumper yeald.

Good luck with yours, you'll soon be making more and more...

 

[Bushwhacker]

Is it single variety cider or several varieties of apple?

 

[British Red]

I did wonder if the disaster would cause additional care

Mine is for sharing too - much the same way - got new neighbours here - including one who has been picking me sloes from Naval bases where they are all fenced in . They are a great crowd so a few winter parties are owed I suspect.....

Got to get the jerky machine running too.....I reckon they will enjoy some snacks with their beer (and the 10L of bullace vodka I have on the go. Blackberries are hopeless round here sadly - no blackberry brandy this year)

Cheers Red!

A few hundred aint too shabby...especially if you're drinking it yourself...

After the fiasco of earlier this year, we went to town to ensure the barrels were sound. Knocked the hoops off and filled the worm holes, then re-tightened the barrels. Don't want to re-live that experience again...

 

[stovie]

Is it single variety cider or several varieties of apple?

Many varieties, as it produces a better flavour, not having access to true cider apples. Single variety of anything other than cider apples tends to produce a fairly flavourless drink, but by varying the mix of cookers to eaters you get sharpness and sweetnes in the finished drink.

That said we're not that exact, and half the fun is the element of surprise. But so far we've produced some very palatable cider. And not that enamel stripping junk thats passed off as "scrumpy"...

 

[Bushwhacker]

And not that enamel stripping junk thats passed off as "scrumpy"...

Quite agree. There's some nasty stuff that gets peddled around.

 

[gsfgaz]

Whens the party...

 

[stovie]

That time again...one barrel into smaller vessels (1 gallon johns)...Very pleased with this brew, complex tastes, a sharp initial palette, with a sweet after taste, and a background of oak from the barrel, with a slight natural effervescence.

and so it begins

gallons of cider

Transferred the other barrel into the empty just created, as there is a worry about too much tannin leeching from the newer barrel...

Full and ready to be bunged down and left to age (possibly upto 2 years)

All good fun...

 

[British Red]

Looks brilliant

My new neighbours lad would adore that sight - he doesn't like much bar cider - and only "proper" cider then. If you were closer I'd trade you for a couple of demis for him - he's on his first tour in the sandpit right now flying rotary wings - a year older than my youngest - God I feel old

Enjoy mate - looks superb!

Red

 

[nuggets]

so could you talk us through the process of cider making ?? Do you add any sugars?? yeast ?? Ive only done a home brew beer kit once before !! Do you have to keep it at room temperature to ferment ??? how long till its drinkable ?? cheers

 

[stovie]

Looks brilliant

My new neighbours lad would adore that sight - he doesn't like much bar cider - and only "proper" cider then. If you were closer I'd trade you for a couple of demis for him - he's on his first tour in the sandpit right now flying rotary wings - a year older than my youngest - God I feel old

Enjoy mate - looks superb!

Red

Happy to put some in the post Red...but couldn't be sure of its safe arrival...get a pint or two of this inside ya and you'd soon stop feeling old...works wonders for me...

 

[stovie]

so could you talk us through the process of cider making ?? Do you add any sugars?? yeast ?? Ive only done a home brew beer kit once before !! Do you have to keep it at room temperature to ferment ??? how long till its drinkable ?? cheers

Its very simple...collect apples, mash them into small bits, press, transfer juice to barrel, pour yourself a drink and wait until the fermentation stops...then bottle and drink. Along the way you can add sugar to increase the O.G. if you fancy. Depends on my mood at the time. Our barrels stay outside over winter, and ferment just fine, the first month sees most of the fermentation complete. straw over the barrels keeps them snug. Take a look at these links of previous years...
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47326&highlight=
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24375&highlight=

 

[lab72]

wow thats one hell of a set up you have

 

[British Red]

Happy to put some in the post Red...but couldn't be sure of its safe arrival...get a pint or two of this inside ya and you'd soon stop feeling old...works wonders for me...

Thanks mate - but the postage would be horrendous I suspect!

 

[georann]

Hmmm looks good, might go crack open a magners to satisfy my thirst but Im sure it doensnt even come close to matching up