Calling Cider Makers, or if you even know one.

[Slipper One]

Right, I recently moved and my new garden has a small orchard. The trees are laden with apples. I’m going to attempt to make cider and I was wondering, if anybody on here could give me any tips.

Best way to extract the apple juice?

and pretty much everything else involved.


Also feel free to tell me your funniest cider making anecdotes. If that’s even a thing.

Thank you in advance.

And a prize for the best name for my cider. If it works out. Great prize.

Once in a lifetime, life changing even.

I found this photo, it's the actual cider press that I walked Gypsy the horse around to crush the apples........60 years ago or so.

Probably an ornament in someone's garden now.

All you need to do is get one of these for yourself now Magicpole.........and a horse..........and some hay, and BINGO, you'll be self sufficient for next season!!!

 

[Marklr]

Methylated spirit, fizzy water, sugar/sweetener, apple flavouring makes White Lighting, I know that much..

 

[big gaz]

I also have whisky in case it doesn’t last.

What you have a still ?

 

[Maly]

An update I know you have all been praying for. We have now picked and pressed most of our apples. Keeping a batch for cooking and eating, but the vast majority are now wonderful apple juice. I have never really been a fan of apple juice, but we have combined three varieties of apple and it’s brilliant.

I was going to buy a press, but they all looked as if you would be totally fucked expending the energy to turn it. We managed to find a local group who we hired a apple masher and separate squeeze drum that uses a drum with a rubber balloon that fills with water, squeezing every drop out.

I am delighted to announce we have 15 gallons of the stuff and have added Champagne yeast to make it even better.

It works out at about 150 500ml bottles of the stuff. I love cider and I am hoping our stuff comes out good. You prayed for this update, now pray it turns out great. Praise Bacchus.

How many trees do you have pal?

Thinking of doing something similar next year, but I’ve only got 2 trees, although they seem to have excellent yields

 

[Magicpole]

How many trees do you have pal?

Thinking of doing something similar next year, but I’ve only got 2 trees, although they seem to have excellent yields

I have 4 that also have loads of fruit. You’re looking at about 100 bottles there. What you need is a press and masher the same as the one that we hired from a local community group. The masher chops all the apples up and you pour this into a large container that you fit up to a hose and it uses water pressure to inflate a rubber inner tube that literally squeezed every drop.

I had planned to get a small hand turned press. I would still be doing it now. We squeezed all the apples in about a day. You need to source this kit would be my advice. You should do it. We are about to bottle ours. I will update on how it turned out. I never underestimate my ability to fuck things up, but I am hopeful it turns out as good a cider as it was apple juice.

 

[Maly]

I have 4 that also have loads of fruit. You’re looking at about 100 bottles there. What you need is a press and masher the same as the one that we hired from a local community group. The masher chops all the apples up and you pour this into a large container that you fit up to a hose and it uses water pressure to inflate a rubber inner tube that literally squeezed every drop.

I had planned to get a small hand turned press. I would still be doing it now. We squeezed all the apples in about a day. You need to source this kit would be my advice. You should do it. We are about to bottle ours. I will update on how it turned out. I never underestimate my ability to fuck things up, but I am hopeful it turns out as good a cider as it was apple juice.

Cheers mate. Good info

I’ve got a couple of pear trees, damson & plum trees too, so might add them to the cider or maybe try making some gin :)

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

My B-in-Law has an orchard and he let the villagers have some apples and they bottled the juice. I got a bottle and the label said Cider Vinegar.

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

We are still working an a name. My shout goes to Co-ordination Denier. Or maybe if the alcohol level is above 7abv?

Who the Fuck You Looking At?

My darling for reasons best known to herself, isn’t keen on either. Where’s the trust?

I sought inspiration from one of my favourite writers…Irvine Welsh.


’Junky’s Limbo’

or

’Flakey Jakey’

 

[JASR]

Cheers mate. Good info

I’ve got a couple of pear trees, damson & plum trees too, so might add them to the cider or maybe try making some gin :)

Don’t know where you live Maly, but we got our apples and some pears pressed at Dunham Apple Barn, near Dunham Massey. Friendly people. You get your own juice/cider back - unlike some where you get a mixture of whoever gave produce.
I dont know whether it was the blend of variety’s of what, but people have said it’s the best juice they’ve ever had, and the cider was really dry and good, we got it in Feb (iirc) at 6.8% and we’ve got a couple of bottles left, which must be nearer 10% now.