Hi after finding two apple trees that we knew nothing about , the apples were just past eating stage nearly windfall , so we decided to do a cider with them looked on-line to find numerous ways to do it and got totally kerfuffled.
We went into a wee home brew shop in Glasgow http://www.innhousebrewery.co.uk/
Very Very Helpful staff
So went in and told the story of the apples and she got out a book on various home brew things
What we bought
5 Gallon Fermentation bin
5 gallon Pressure keg
c02 injector
hydrometer
thermometer
siphon
couple of airlocks
cider yeast
totally bill £85
so onto the recipe
Get your apples and some other totally different apples about 5% of the volume you have
Wash them
Put in bags and Freeze for a couple of days
This destroys the cells in the apples meaning they will mulch easier
Deforst apples
We decided to squash the apples by hand , it was easier than a tattie masher
So apples in Fermentation bin , topped up with water to the 20 litre mark , add yeast . Put on lid , install air lock.
Thats the hard bit done
The fermentation bin went in the hot cupboard (boiler cupboard , hot water tank cupboard ) at about 20 ish oC
Left for 3 weeks or until the airlock stopped bubbling .
Mover the fermentation bin carefully to the kitchen worktop and put the pressure keg on the ground .
Let gravity do its work and siphon the cider into the keg , we got about half a keg (2.5 gallons ) .
Did a specific gravity test and its sitting about 4%
Put lid on Keg and pressure keg , couple of squirts of co2 and thats it , easy peasy no press cider.
Yes i forgot about the sterilisation of equipment but it was done , honest .
So the keg is now outside in a shed , to settle and to age a bit , will post taste test at Christmas .
Jamie
No Press Cider
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poppypiesdad
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No Press Cider
Last edited by poppypiesdad on Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:16 am, edited 3 times in total.
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
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preparedsurrey
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Re: No Press Cider
Last year a friend make quite a bit of cider, however lacking a press he put all the apples through a (hopefully cleaned) garden shredder, from a taste point of view it seemed to have worked quite well. I was hoping to try it this year but the pear tree was a bit of a disappointment (again) they all seemed to get a blight and rot on the tree before being ready.
If guns are outlawed then only the outlaws will have guns....
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poppypiesdad
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Re: No Press Cider
We were going to blitz them in a food processor but worriesd about the bitterness of the seeds .
J
J
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Re: No Press Cider
Interesting! Poppypiesdad, when you wrote this "5 gallon Pressure " in the list, did you mean that thats a pressure cooker? If so, that was a big part of the expenditure, presumably, and it'd be a lot cheaper in future?
For anyone who's into something really small scale, there's this: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/04/ ... own-cider/ its just using "good" juice from a supermarket, but of course windfall apples would do it too. Its American, so slightly different take on things, and unusual. In a good way
For anyone who's into something really small scale, there's this: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/04/ ... own-cider/ its just using "good" juice from a supermarket, but of course windfall apples would do it too. Its American, so slightly different take on things, and unusual. In a good way
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poppypiesdad
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- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
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Re: No Press Cider
Sorry no 5 gallon pressure keg , go hold the finished cider ,will edit first post sorry
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
-
ForgeCorvus
- Posts: 3055
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:32 pm
Re: No Press Cider
Technically, this is apple wine rather then cider as you're fermenting on pulp rather then juice.
But, who cares ??
It'll still drink just fine
(we need a 'Merry' emoticon)
But, who cares ??
It'll still drink just fine
(we need a 'Merry' emoticon)jennyjj01 wrote:"I'm not in the least bit worried because I'm prepared: Are you?"
"All Things Strive" Gd Tak 'GarLondonpreppy wrote: At its core all prepping is, is making sure you're not down to your last sheet of loo roll when you really need a poo.
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poppypiesdad
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Re: No Press Cider
Hi FC , right new to this so , you have to ferment ,beer and lager ? So why it it not beer wine/lager wine, no sugar was added .... Do you have to in wine ??????.
As I've said new to this, educate me
J
As I've said new to this, educate me
J
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
-
ForgeCorvus
- Posts: 3055
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:32 pm
Re: No Press Cider
Right, how I think it goes is:poppypiesdad wrote:Hi FC , right new to this so , you have to ferment ,beer and lager ? So why it it not beer wine/lager wine, no sugar was added .... Do you have to in wine ??????.
As I've said new to this, educate me
J
Beer, ale, lager and Cider (or Cyder as Herself says it is in the West Country) are fermented on the Liquor. This is just the liquid, juice for Cider (or Perry) and wort* for beer, ale and lager.
Wines are fermented on the Pulp. This is where the solid stuff is left in the liquid and removed later.
Either one can have sugar added.
Liquor fermentation tends to be faster to get a drinkable product but Pulp tends to give you something that will store well.
I too am just starting out on making boozahol, but I have a brother whos been doing it for a while.... And loves to tell his little brother all about it
*Wort is water thats had malt boiled (mashed) in it
jennyjj01 wrote:"I'm not in the least bit worried because I'm prepared: Are you?"
"All Things Strive" Gd Tak 'GarLondonpreppy wrote: At its core all prepping is, is making sure you're not down to your last sheet of loo roll when you really need a poo.
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poppypiesdad
- Posts: 1379
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
- Location: Area 11
Re: No Press Cider
Thank you .
j
j
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Re: No Press Cider
Does it matter what the apples are like? We have a couple of small trees and get a reasonable amount (but not excessive), but the apples are not sweet, even though the red ones look very appealing. Making something alcoholic would be a bonus 
. My Dad used to make "wine" or other alcohol with various things like rhubarb, but it was undrinkable in its purest form - it would blow your head off . I remember one of the demi-johns "exploded". Think I would feel happier actually watching someone go through the process before I invested in the kit. It's always nice to find edibles in the garden you didn't know were there.
. My Dad used to make "wine" or other alcohol with various things like rhubarb, but it was undrinkable in its purest form - it would blow your head off . I remember one of the demi-johns "exploded". Think I would feel happier actually watching someone go through the process before I invested in the kit. It's always nice to find edibles in the garden you didn't know were there.