Homebrew Cider

[Shox Dr]

Every year I see Apples going to waste so this year I'd like to make some Cider.

I've started to read up on it, [lovebrewing], and I'd rather make something more natural.

Anyone made some?

 

[the snooper]

for something more natural look up scrumpy

look here

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I make about 40 gallons every year, mostly for parties/tractor runs etc.
I mince the apples in a plastic barrel with a stainless shaft with 3 kitchen knives welded to the end and powered by a drill.
It then gets pressed in an oak slatted frame on my log splitter, no added yeast, just the natural yeast on the apples.
For a decent cider you need a high proportion of 'sours', proper cider apples, if you just use eating apples you end up with tastless sweet crap.

 

[eSCHEn]

Been a while but what I remember:

You need a fair few of them
Use pectalyse enzyme (sp)
Mooshing them and pressing takes a while
A mixture of sweet and sour to about 70% sour was nice and bite

Proceed like a strong beer, aim for 6% - 8% plus finishining sugariness FG. Knock off with Campden as per usual.

 

[Shox Dr]

I was going to use a garden shredder, and I think a mates mate might have a press. I can get hold of 5 and 25ltr food grade drums.

 

[the snooper]

I was going to use a garden shredder, and I think a mates mate might have a press. I can get hold of 5 and 25ltr food grade drums.

id forget the garden shredder there is one really important rule with brewing and that is everything needs to be sterile, I doubt a garden shredder would be

 

[Shox Dr]

for something more natural look up scrumpy

look here

I dont want a scrumpy. prefer clear, and a few bubbles=

 

[Maker]

I mince the apples in a plastic barrel with a stainless shaft with 3 kitchen knives welded to the end and powered by a drill.

That sounds terrifying. If I were making as much as you, I'd make a grinder like this;

But from stainless, rather than wood.

I don't know how much you're intending on making Doc' but a food processor/blender would do the trick. It would be slow going compared to most other methods because of all the emptying and reloading.

EDIT; Just seen your post about a garden shredder, if the quantity you're thinking would require that then a blender is out of the question.

 

[the snooper]

I dont want a scrumpy. prefer clear, and a few bubbles=

there will be plenty of recipes online without all the chemicals

 

[Shox Dr]

100+ltrs Hopefully IBC amounts

 

[the snooper]

100+ltrs Hopefully IBC amounts

that's nearly 22 gallons, hope you have plenty of apples

 

[steviec_lj]

16lb of apples, 4lbs of raisins.

Cut the apples in to small chunks, cores, pips, skins and all.

Freeze them.

Around two days later, thaw them out in your bucket, with some boiling water.

Pitch the yeast at 21-25 degC, add the raisins, cover and wait.

Cant remember how long to leave it, but mine hasn't been touch for 6months, other than taking the sediment out and putting it in demi-johns.

I intend to use 300ml bottles, with 2.5ml Childs medicine spoon of priming sugar.

EDIT: That made 45ltrs at 9%.

 

[Shox Dr]

that's nearly 22 gallons, hope you have plenty of apples

More than I can cope with, I've spent the last few yrs, geotagging trees, either at the side of the road, and gardens/orchards, that people don't want.

 

[cumbriasteve]

When your cider is sorted convert the rest to chutney, spot on with bacon and egg or in a cheese sarnie

 

[pedrobedro]

When your cider is sorted convert the rest to chutney, spot on with bacon and egg or in a cheese sarnie

We make a recipe of Indian Apple Chutney that is perfect with curry, lovely stuff.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

That sounds terrifying. If I were making as much as you, I'd make a grinder like this;

But from stainless, rather than wood.

I don't know how much you're intending on making Doc' but a food processor/blender would do the trick. It would be slow going compared to most other methods because of all the emptying and reloading.

EDIT; Just seen your post about a garden shredder, if the quantity you're thinking would require that then a blender is out of the question.

The barrel mincer holds 50L and has a screw on lid. I fill the barrel with apples (or grapes), screw on the lid, and then attach a drill to the shaft that protrudes through the lid. This has the knife blades attached to it and slides up and down inside the barrel.
The knife blades have a stainless band around the periphery, imagine a bicycle wheel with blades replacing the spokes.
I start collecting apples about now in empty corn sacks and stack them somewhere cool until about the end of September/October when I start mincing and pressing.
When I press the pulp I make 'cheese's' by lining the frame with net curtain material, filling with pulp and then folding the excess material over to form a parcel, I repeat this until I have a stack of cheese's to press.
When you press the pulp its a slow and steady process, a little pressure every 20 minutes or so for about 3 hrs, then swap with a fresh pile of cheese's.
I ferment in a big blue juice barrel with a plastic lid held on with a stainless band, this has a big homemade fermentation lock in the top to allow the fermentation gases to escape but not allow any air in.
I have a pal in the village who makes about 600 gallons every year in his purpose built cider shed using a huge cast iron and elm twin screw cider press, he has a proper belt driven Scratter and ferments in old oak barrels but he must lose between 10-30% every year through spoiling as you struggle to clean inside the wooden barrels and if the tops dry out air can get in.
His definitely has that oak tannin flavour which can be good but I will stick with my plastic barrel as I get 100% results every time.

 

[cumbriasteve]

We make a recipe of Indian Apple Chutney that is perfect with curry, lovely stuff.

Yeah tried that..agree 100%

 

[rich r]

I use a cheap garden shredder to break the apples up, then put them in an old net curtain and press them with my homemade press. I made that from a fencepost, plywood and a car jack

Then it's just a case of taking the apple juice, putting it in a fermenting bucket with some wine yeast. I measure the specific gravity with a hydrometer, and have never needed to add sugar. Then let it ferment for a few days until the s.g. isn't dropping any more. Then filter it into a barrel, adding a little sugar to get a secondary fermentation so it's sparkling. Then leave it for a couple of weeks and it's ready.

 

[Keith 66]

Dreadful stuff scrumpy, i remember the Shipwrights arms at Hollowshore near Faversham used to sell a mean scrumpy brewed locally.
It acheived legendary status & was sold as medium & strong looney juice. It had a distinct bouquet of easy start & 2 & a half pints of the stuff reduced my good lady to gibbering idiocy.

 

[Paul99]

Dreadful stuff scrumpy, i remember the Shipwrights arms at Hollowshore near Faversham used to sell a mean scrumpy brewed locally.
It acheived legendary status & was sold as medium & strong looney juice. It had a distinct bouquet of easy start & 2 & a half pints of the stuff reduced my good lady to gibbering idiocy.

Sounds like the stuff the Cori Tap in Bristol served but if you managed 2.5 pints it must have been a fair bit better! I used to be into cider in my Uni days there but failed to drink even half a pint of it whether it was a bad barrel which was kept for students or if it was all like that I don't know as I never went back. If I get time I may well make a small batch of scrumpy myself this autumn been threatening it for years but never got around to it.