Having a go at cider making....

[slowworm]

We're talking cider, not wine. A bulk product where barrels of juice were traditionally fermented. So, you would not ferment on skins, pulp etc or sulfite the juice. If you're making small batches you could choose to sterilise before adding yeast if you wish.

As for alcohol, it'll depend on the apples used, it seems to range from around 4% to over 8%.

 

[Robson Valley]

I'd try, but chopping the apples looks like a daunting task.
I presume the mash is exactly that, little pieces?
And after pressing, you utilize the wild yeasts which were on the apple skins?

 

[slowworm]

Something called a scratter is used to chop a large amount of apples, but for a small batch just chopping them and pounding seems ok. I've seen people use garden shredders...

Traditionally people relied on yeasts on the fruit, but I'd use a bought yeast if I wanted more reliable result (personally I'd hope the commercial yeast would out compete anything dodgy but that;s up to you).

 

[Native Nathan]

I Love the apple press where did you get it?

 

[Toddy]

I know of several reasons why cider is made from pressed fruit.
Firstly, it reduces the bulk enormously, speeds up fermentation and keeps ahead of moulds developing, and secondly the squeezed fruit was used to fatten pigs before Winter slaughter.....Pork and cider are a good mix.
Thirdly if you leave the fruit in then the cider is a right pain to clear at all because all the pectin is there, not just that which comes through in the juice. Rough cider, scrumpy, cloudy cider, can really deliver a hellish hangover.

Bound to be other reasons though, like adjusting the mix of apples for particular qualities, etc.,

 

[Woody girl]

I have livedited in cider country most of my life. I have made it in the past and still have a gadget for chopping the apples. It's a gallon food grade plastic bucket with a lid. There is a hole in the lid for a blade on a long metal bit that goes through the hole and into an electric drill. Fill bucket with apples, turn on the drill and it chops them all up. A glorified blender realy. Works a treat. Saves hours of backbreak.

 

[Janne]

You need to be able to find the car keys.....
A bonus if you manage to remember where in the car park you put the car!

I prefer even my beer to be between 3 - 4 %. For the same reason!

At my old water hole, The Star Inn in Old Heathfield, Mike the Publican knew to pour me a pint and while I drank that one he pulled nomber two.
First one to quench the thirst, the rest to enjoy!

 

[Janne]

You are lucky to have access to real cider/scrumpy.
Here we have that Irish stuff, and a half decent Saffie one. The US made ciders are vile.

For some reason we have problems with making bread and fermentation here. Even sourdough.

 

[Toddy]

If the Irish one is Magners (Bulmers) then they add glucose syrup to it.

 

[Janne]

Yes, that is the one.
Considering the very even taste of the commercial ciders, year after year, I guess they start with a careful blend of multi national concentrates?

They make a perry too, I tried it a few times. You can see it is a perry because the label is green and it has a pic of a green pear on it.

You Brits, take care of your Cider heritage! Home ferment on!

 

[JohnC]

I Love the apple press where did you get it?

Theres a store in edinburgh, the brew store, they also do loans of presses.

 

[Snake]

Ref hoping to get eating apples from the neighbour next year, in my experience cider made solely from eating apples lacks any body and tastes almost of just water alcohol.
I was trying a experiment a year or to ago to improve the cider from this one particular apple tree and included a lot of crab apples, it was an improvement but I never did get the ratio quite right.

you will also find the cider will improve with age, if you make enough or have the patience, it will be far better if you can leave 12 months, it seems to loose the acidity.

 

[JohnC]

Ref hoping to get eating apples from the neighbour next year, in my experience cider made solely from eating apples lacks any body and tastes almost of just water alcohol.
I was trying a experiment a year or to ago to improve the cider from this one particular apple tree and included a lot of crab apples, it was an improvement but I never did get the ratio quite right.

you will also find the cider will improve with age, if you make enough or have the patience, it will be far better if you can leave 12 months, it seems to loose the acidity.

That's useful to know, I've been putting the yeast and yeast feed in just now, so 20 mins later it is bubbling, so I assume that is a good sign

 

[Snake]

Yes that is the yeast working, it can be very violent for the first couple of day, depending on how full your demijohn is, it may push up into the airlock and block it, when I was making cider I would not put the airlock in for this initial vigorous stage, I would leave it to foam out the top of the barrels and after a day or two clean them up and then put the airlock in.
If you decide to leave the air lock out as I did cover the top with something to keep anything out (upturned glass maybe) but can also let the co2 escape, also put the hole thing some where that's is easy to clean up I case it does bubble over.

 

[JohnC]

Good tip! It wouldn't go down well with jane!!

 

[Woody girl]

A bung made of some cotton wool works well at the initial stage. I use it all the time. Wait day or two till it calms down then pop in the bung with the airlock.

 

[Janne]

I have always used large demijohns myself, but know that traditionally a wooden barrel was used.
Has anybody tried that?
Wood would maybe give Give some nice taste, and remove the need for adding yeast after a few ‘brews’?

 

[Snake]

This is what happens when you have a lot of apples turn up, and the hobby gets a bit out of hand.

 

[Robson Valley]

Looks like a good time will be had by all. Very pleasant sight.
Who does the heavy lifting at racking time?

 

[Snake]

I have a crane built in to the roof.

Looks like a good time will be had by all. Very pleasant sight.
Who does the heavy lifting at racking time?