Cider

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We had some very good years and some not so good, depending on how good the summers were. Best results were mixed apples, eaters, cookers and cider, fermented Nov - early January then bottled in old sparkling wine bottles from the pub with crown tops. A cheap electric garden chipper made a great pulp for pressing. The key was adding about a teaspoon of sugar to get a much more reliable secondary fermentation in the bottle that made it clear and sparkling, the old recipe we had said add a "walnut" of sugar.....and then leave it until June.....

No orchard here so taking a break!
 
GBR66 said:
We had some very good years and some not so good, depending on how good the summers were. Best results were mixed apples, eaters, cookers and cider, fermented Nov - early January then bottled in old sparkling wine bottles from the pub with crown tops. A cheap electric garden chipper made a great pulp for pressing. The key was adding about a teaspoon of sugar to get a much more reliable secondary fermentation in the bottle that made it clear and sparkling, the old recipe we had said add a "walnut" of sugar.....and then leave it until June.....

No orchard here so taking a break!
Click to expand...
I’ve still got a half crate of cider left over from a brew I made a couple of years ago in the shed, tbh its not a great tipple, but make pretty good Somerset pork chops, so it’s not wasted. The problem I have is that I need to done full face protection whilst handling them and can only open outside, they are that volatile! They literally go off like a grenade if dropped. Blossom is stunning at the moment, but I’m going to be a little more scientific in my approach to secondary ferment and conditioning this year!
 
Koenig said:
My last dealings with home brew was New Year’s Eve 1990…..As good student types we had a brew that in all honesty wasn’t quite ready in the airing cupboard. In we all came after the student union closed….whereby my mate decides to bet (against himself) that he couldn’t drink x5 pints of his own brew within 5 mins (as you do when already half cut). Anyhow…..he does it and everyone toddles off to bed. Fast forward about an hour…on waking up I can hear a women obviously upset. Imagine the scene….home brew man is as naked as a bobcat and being showered down in the bathroom. He’s only woken up bursting for a pee, walked into another blokes room (who’s brought a lady friend back) and hosed her face down😳 before doing the same to her pile of clothes🤣.🤣🤣……completely blotto obviously. At breakfast she was alright about it😳adding it was the golden laser arching off of her forehead and splattering up the wall that woke her up at all🤣🤣🤣. She went up in my estimation after that, I’d always found a bit snotty beforehand.
Click to expand...
I can't trump that!

K
 
Johnnywood said:
I’ve still got a half crate of cider left over from a brew I made a couple of years ago in the shed, tbh its not a great tipple, but make pretty good Somerset pork chops, so it’s not wasted. The problem I have is that I need to done full face protection whilst handling them and can only open outside, they are that volatile! They literally go off like a grenade if dropped. Blossom is stunning at the moment, but I’m going to be a little more scientific in my approach to secondary ferment and conditioning this year!
Click to expand...
Yes I should have mentioned that the verging on undrinkable stuff all got used, cooking the Christmas ham pork casserole.....just needed a dollop of honey to balance the sharp tang!
 
VSS said:
It's that time of year again, chaps! 🤪
Just finished cleaning all the kit and setting up.
Hopefully doing first press on Saturday.
🍺
Click to expand...
Did my first press last Saturday - the ferment is just starting nicely.
Smaller this year 120l and that might be it. A great mix of apples though, a good swathe of dabbinets in there, and the acidity is pretty good compared to some years.
That might be it this year.
Good luck with yours!
 
Essexsussex said:
Did my first press last Saturday - the ferment is just starting nicely.
Smaller this year 120l and that might be it. A great mix of apples though, a good swathe of dabbinets in there, and the acidity is pretty good compared to some years.
That might be it this year.
Good luck with yours!
Click to expand...
Got access to another small orchard this year, and the trees are absolutely laden! Never seen a crop like it!
Last year we managed 720 litres altogether, and I'd like to think we'll make a bit more than that this time around.
Only got about 30 litres left from last year 😁
 
VSS said:
Got access to another small orchard this year, and the trees are absolutely laden! Never seen a crop like it!
Last year we managed 720 litres altogether, and I'd like to think we'll make a bit more than that this time around.
Only got about 30 litres left from last year 😁
Click to expand...
I don’t know who is a better cider maker but you are a better cider drinker that’s for sure!
Still got 100l of last years 240 left. Mind you it’ll go quick as we get into winter. I have a policy of not drinking it until it’s over a year old, so obviously I’ve failed at that but there’s still some from the year before that to go at.
Basically when it’s excellent it doesn’t last quite so long but that’s the beauty of a once a year natural phenomenon!
Still tons of apples I could use here but I’ve had a hectic end to the summer and I need a rest!
 
VSS said:
Got access to another small orchard this year, and the trees are absolutely laden! Never seen a crop like it!
Last year we managed 720 litres altogether, and I'd like to think we'll make a bit more than that this time around.
Only got about 30 litres left from last year 😁
Click to expand...
annoyingly all orchards I can get at are full except the one with the best cider apples which was inexplicably thin this year.
 
Essexsussex said:
Just for you Tim @VSS I’ve decided to have a pint…
Click to expand...
I'm having a couple as well.
Essexsussex said:
I don’t know who is a better cider maker but you are a better cider drinker that’s for sure!
Still got 100l of last years 240 left. Mind you it’ll go quick as we get into winter. I have a policy of not drinking it until it’s over a year old, so obviously I’ve failed at that but there’s still some from the year before that to go at.
Basically when it’s excellent it doesn’t last quite so long but that’s the beauty of a once a year natural phenomenon!
Still tons of apples I could use here but I’ve had a hectic end to the summer and I need a rest!
Click to expand...
There are two of us drinking it! 😆
 
How is everyone’s coming along?
My reduced quantum for 2025 is now in 2x54l glass carboys safely tucked away.
It was very low in acid this year, I had to add back some from last year to protect it.
Tasting promising though.
The stuff from last year and the year before that went in the oak barrel for a few months is rounding out really well. Quite a “grown up” flavour but it’s decent.
 
Essexsussex said:
How is everyone’s coming along?
My reduced quantum for 2025 is now in 2x54l glass carboys safely tucked away.
It was very low in acid this year, I had to add back some from last year to protect it.
Tasting promising though.
The stuff from last year and the year before that went in the oak barrel for a few months is rounding out really well. Quite a “grown up” flavour but it’s decent.
Click to expand...
Haven't sampled the cider yet, but my pig is completely pi$$ed on the pulp.
 
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