Cider

[VSS]

Anyone else doing their own cider?
I've joined forces with a neighbour to do ours this year. I've got all the kit and a decent place to work, and he's got the gift of the gab for scrounging apples! No tree in the area is safe from his charming persuasion!
Pressed about 700kg so far, and still got our own apples to pick.

 

[shotguntom]

I've made my own beer which has always turned out a good drop but never tried cider. Id be interested to hear how you go.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Anyone else doing their own cider?
I've joined forces with a neighbour to do ours this year. I've got all the kit and a decent place to work, and he's got the gift of the gab for scrounging apples! No tree in the area is safe from his charming persuasion!
Pressed about 700kg so far, and still got our own apples to pick.

We have a local micro brewery that comes and picks all the apples left in the gardens and the orchard.
The boss then receives quite a few boxes of bottled cider, some in the guns lodge rest for the beaters. Neat way of doing things I think.

 

[Essexsussex]

I always do - usually not quite as much as you, 240l is the norm.
Pressing on Saturday, looking forward to it!

 

[Essexsussex]

Do you have any interesting varieties? Blessed with access to an orchard with some good bittersweets, plus a good lot of scrumping!

 

[doigan]

Anyone else doing their own cider?
I've joined forces with a neighbour to do ours this year. I've got all the kit and a decent place to work, and he's got the gift of the gab for scrounging apples! No tree in the area is safe from his charming persuasion!
Pressed about 700kg so far, and still got our own apples to pick.

700kg, you will get HMRC visiting you. How many pints will that give? Not near Orkney by any chance, love a bit of cider.

 

[VSS]

700kg, you will get HMRC visiting you. How many pints will that give? Not near Orkney by any chance, love a bit of cider.

There's no limit on how much you can make. HMRC only get interested if you want to sell it (which I don't).
I've done roughly another 50kg since I first posted, so around 750kg altogether so far. Was hoping for about 400 litres of juice from that lot, but it won't be anywhere near that I don't think. The juice yield per kg is really low this year, probably due to lack of sunshine. Hopefully the later ripening varieties will do better, as the weather's pretty good now.

Do you have any interesting varieties? Blessed with access to an orchard with some good bittersweets, plus a good lot of scrumping!

No, nothing particularly interesting, just a good blend of different varieties.

 

[doigan]

Not many trees here, let alone orchards so no bloody chance of home brew. Enjoy

 

[Stevie/P]

Will the pulp be any use as fodder for the deer.

 

[Essexsussex]

Will the pulp be any use as fodder for the deer.

Probably - mine goes to pigs or cattle

 

[VSS]

Will the pulp be any use as fodder for the deer.

I feed mine to my pigs, but I'm sure the deer would love it.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Reminds me that back in the day you could partake of a truly rustic and wonderful scrumpy-like cider at the Golding Hop PH in Plaxtol, Kent. It left that authentic battery acid after-taste on the back of one's throat that no modern-day offering comes close to replicating.

Probably for H&S reasons!

K

 

[Overlay]

Reminds me that back in the day you could partake of a truly rustic and wonderful scrumpy-like cider at the Golding Hop PH in Plaxtol, Kent. It left that authentic battery acid after-taste on the back of one's throat that no modern-day offering comes close to replicating.

Probably for H&S reasons!

K

Kb
Is the golding hop still open i haven't been there for more than 20 years
Lovely place to sup a pint or two in the adjacent orchard

 

[old keeper]

We always used to feed the apple mop to the pheasants, they would spend ages picking through it picking out the seeds.

My neighbour who has a small vineyard also makes proper Devon rough cider, I have to say it's pretty lethal!

 

[Klenchblaize]

Kb
Is the golding hop still open i haven't been there for more than 20 years
Lovely place to sup a pint or two in the adjacent orchard

Agreed but I've not droped in there for the same number of years or longer so couldn't say. Either way, they sure won't be serving the stuff I'm referring to.

K

 

[Fair Hill]

I did a good few with the kits and they were very nice and hassle free. The last 40 pints I made were probably more like mead than cider. I used honey instead of sugar and left it for about 11 weeks until it was flat. No bottling, no added sugar, drank from the tap, two pints and you're waking up on the couch.

I have a couple of trees planted that are only starting to produce and I know I could scrounge another 100-200kgs next year no bother, they'll be different types at different times but I might be have a go at making a press if anyone has any experience.

 

[User00056]

I made Turbo Cider once. Filled a Demi-john with apple juice, extra sugar, and a high-alcohol 'Turbo' yeast. Was done in around five days. Tasted horrendous, and got you legless before you'd finished a glass. Think it was around 16%. I don't recommend it

The only time I was involved in 'real' cider-making was a trip to Dorset when I was around 15. The farm we stayed on made its own, and we were there as they were pressing the apples. The juice was delicious, and I was 'encouraged' to drink as much as I liked.

When I came out of the bathroom it had gone dark

 

[Essexsussex]

I did a good few with the kits and they were very nice and hassle free. The last 40 pints I made were probably more like mead than cider. I used honey instead of sugar and left it for about 11 weeks until it was flat. No bottling, no added sugar, drank from the tap, two pints and you're waking up on the couch.

I have a couple of trees planted that are only starting to produce and I know I could scrounge another 100-200kgs next year no bother, they'll be different types at different times but I might be have a go at making a press if anyone has any experience.

Pretty straightforward there are a few designs, use a car jack against a beam rather than a screw is my suggestions. Rack and cloth is good if you can bother.
The scratter is the other thing
Some people use a garden shredder or garbage disposal

 

[Fair Hill]

Pretty straightforward there are a few designs, use a car jack against a beam rather than a screw is my suggestions. Rack and cloth is good if you can bother.
The scratter is the other thing
Some people use a garden shredder or garbage disposal

I read somewhere that the car jack method is a bit laborious with the need to add extensions to maximise extraction.

 

[Essexsussex]

I read somewhere that the car jack method is a bit laborious with the need to add extensions to maximise extraction.

I guarantee that would be the least laborious part of a day apple pressing! I use a couple of large wine basket presses you have to do the same thing
You would just add wooden blocks