Cider Making

[mick miller]

Is there an idiots guide to this someplace? I have a bumper crop of tasty eaters and although I like an apple I don't think even my fat **** could work it's way through this lot!

 

I have a fermenting bin, and beer barrel, some CO2 (although it hasn't been used in years), cleaning agent to sterilse stuff with and a hydrometer. But where do I begin to make some scrumpy? I can get a loan of a cider press but it's a wee one, do I need anything else, is it hard? Any tried and tested recipes? Help!

Edited August 15, 2013 by mick miller

[henry d]

Mash apples, squeeze juice out, add yeast and Robert is your Mother`s Brother.

 

It will however be much better if you have several different types of apple.

[Outlander]

Yep its as easy as that, I make it every year with whatever apples I can get my hands on which is great for the next summer as no two years have tasted the same.

[ack-ack]

no two years have tasted the same.

Thats the beauty of cider :-)

[mick miller]

Is it as simple as that? Can i store it in my beer barrel? Dont i need to add sugar?

[henry d]

You can do, but why? You only add alcohol by adding more sugar and may destroy the taste.

[Jonty]

It is a s simple as the other lads have said mick. There's enough sugar in the apples to produce an approx 5% cider just on their own. Make sure you get a cider yeast or at a push you can use a champagne yeast. If you can blag a different variety of apples to throw into the mix even better. Once it's fermented out you can use your barrel to store it no problem. Use your co2 to put a protective blanket of gas over the brew and it will keep, in fact cider is much better after being kept a while.

[mick miller]

Top stuff. Thanks for the advice chaps. I guess the usual applies as regards sterilising everything.

[bakerboy]

Contact twitchynic, he is the man for Cider.

[Fatcatsplat]

Does this work with pears as well? My pear tree is looking particularly overburdened this year.

[henry d]

Absolutely, but as above a better cider/perry will have lots of different elements in it, therefore if you can get a few different types of pear, all the better.

[mick miller]

And is it possible to have an apple/pear combo going on?

[henry d]

Why not, if the apples are full of acid the pears may mellow it out, go for it

[al4x]

so when do you look to pick the apples? we've a fair few windblown ones already on the floor are these worthwhile or is it better to wait till they are ripe?

 

Fortunately we have an old house and the old dear that owned it before did like her apple trees and we have 4 different varieties and a mix of cookers and eating so I assume it might be worthwhile.

[twitchynik]

Cookers make great cider. Generally no need for sugar and yeast. Just wash, pulp and press in to clean barrels and ensure there is no air gap. Leave until Easter but you can rack regularly if you want, that's what the French do and they have some very nice Normandy and Breton ciders.

 

As for when, well, I'd say not until at least mid to late September. You could always pick up the windfalls and stick them in a chiller if you don't want to waste them.

[mick miller]

I got a bunch of apple boxes from tesco alex, then put straw in to line them and arranged the good windfalls into rows and seperated so theyre not touching. Covered and left in the cool outside shed. Im led to believe that theyll keep well until the others are ready for picking. Also, use no more than 20% cookers so im told!

Edited August 23, 2013 by mick miller

[mick miller]

Looking forward to bottling the first five gallons Saturday!

[nic]

10 gallons on the go at the mo from 3 different types of apple :-)

[mick miller]

First batch of mine was 4 types, second batch mainly just one type (no more than 10% of other types). Looking forward to seeing which turns out best next Summer!

[nic]

Next SUMMER!!!!!

 

you have way more patience than me Cider is a drink best drunk not in summer, but on days with a Y in them.

[ack-ack]

First batch of mine was 4 types, second batch mainly just one type (no more than 10% of other types). Looking forward to seeing which turns out best next Summer!

Next summer? I'll start smashing though my first press at christmas.

[mick miller]

Allegedly cider is alcoholic by Christmas, palatable by Easter and enjoyable by Summer. Or so they say...

[DannyNCC]

I made apple cider last year but added sugar

Was like rocket fuel

I'm waiting for a call to say the blueberrys are ready to pick

[kenj]

I make cider every year from a mix of apples that I scrounge, or pick at the roadside. I use a garden shredder to mash the apples and a home made wooden frame with a car jack for a press. I make around 80 pints a year. Best to leave until spring, but leave til summer if possible.

This my rig:

 

This shows my full production line. My wife chops the apples and feeds them into the shredder, while I put the mash in a fine net parcel and press out the juice. Add cider yeast to the juice, mix and cover and allow to start, then pour into demi johns to begin the process.

 

For the full story check out: http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/cider-bottled/

[FalconFN]

What factors decide the dryness? My juice came from eaters and cookers and wasn't very sweet to drink fresh so will I need to add sucrose/dextrose/apple juice when it is finished?