[chimp]

ok this is my first year of making cider and im hoping to make around 20 - 25 gallons of the stuff.

as the orchard i was going to use is not quite ready a kind neighbour of mine has a mature apple tree which started to drop apples so me and my daughter picked 2 large yellow containers of them just to do a test run before the orchard apples are ready.

after reading various methods of ways to make cider they say you should use a variety of apples but for this small batch of just 3 gallons i will just use one tree.

we used a garden shredder to pulp the apples, i was hoping it was going to be a matter of just lobbing in the apples and hey presto !! but unfortuantly i had to cut them in half to fit in the shredder slot , this can be overcome by removing the top of the shredder but i wasnt about to butcher it as it is the father inlaws.

here is the pulped apple
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing004.jpg

i was also amazed that i havent seen a wasp in my garden and soon as wiff of apple is in the air they come swarming !!

2 yellow containers of apples pulped down to fit in one so with the other empty container i could use to collect the juice.

so would my bodged up apple car jack press work ? well just say im the dog bollox as it worked a treat, the bottom 2 1/2 inch thick board was routered at an angle to all juice flows to the front of the press.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/scarecrowweek054.jpg

all wood apart from the frame was used out of oak as soft wood will taint the juice, i used oak for the slats as well.

2 pressings made 3 gallons with this press and i could use up to 8 cheeses if needed.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing002.jpg
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing001.jpg
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing005.jpg
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing003.jpg

next step was cleaning the demijohns and left them for 10 mins with the odd swirl.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing008.jpg

i then tested the sugar level of the juice that come up really short , i got a hydrometer reading of 1030 which would of made the strength of this batch about 5% (no good :) )
so to remedy this i melted 7 oz of sugar with some of the juice and added it to the whole batch which then made it slightly better 1060 so if all sugar ferments should get around 7% ( my orchard apples should get closer to 9.5 )
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing007.jpg
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing006.jpg

then on to the ph level which come up around 3.9 so should be ok for sharpness
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing009.jpg

so with everything ok pre fermentation stage i put them in the demijohns , im not sure to kill of the natural yeast and my own , i will see in the morning

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/mxyirabbit/ciderpressing012.jpg

This post has been edited by chimp: 01 November 2009 - 02:52 PM

[tiny 7]

Looks good mate,
How long will it be before you can sample it :drink: :drink: ... (bet you cant wait)
T 7

[chimp]

wont be for a few months as it will need racking a couple of times aswell

the best bit is..... i dont drink lol

i was just intrested in the process and i aim to put a bit of a party on when its ready , that and my paella ;)

[maltenby]

Nice one Chimp, looks an interesting process. :good:

[chimp]

its ok for the big cider farms as they just put it in casks and hope for the best , apparantly a lot of homemade stuff spoils quite easy so thats why im thinking of killing the yeast in it and adding my own along with a campden tablet to kill any nastys

[happy larry]

Well done Chimp. by the looks of your set up you have gone to great extremes for this cider,hope it turns out real good for you.even though you dont drink

[longbow]

Keep us informed on the progress. I tried to make some last year but it was spoiled & rank. Will definatly try introducing some yeast next time. I guess you can buy yeast for cider? or what would you use? Cheer`s

[chimp]

well i left it 2 days before adding a campden tablet per gallon , left it for 24hours and then added some standard yeast 1/2 teaspoon just to try and get it started , fitted airlocks.

it is slowly bubbling away but not as agressive as i thought it would .

im also making 5 gallons of red wine and that is going mental infact so loud you can hear it at night lol

[chimp]

a bit of an update on the cider , i made 20 gallons and i think where i had stored it in the garage it was being very slow to start the fermenting so i got some cider yeast and kicked it off.
well i made a mistake and didnt test it during the fermentation and have ended up with very dry cider.

i have been experimenting trying to make it a bit sweeter and added a bit of honey to some, you get a very slight hint of honey to the taste but tastes quite nice but very very strong :clapper:

i think i will try mollasis (spelling) to some aswell.

this years batch of dry will be called .........RHINO FART

and this years batch of honey sweet will be called ........... KNICKER DROPPER

[tjones3862]

well done any pics yet and i like the press tim :clapper: :D :blink: :icon_redface:

[JoeD]

How much did it cost you to make that press, I am impressed with that.

Well done.

JoeD

[chimp]

cost me £20 for the oak board which i cut down and routed out all the rest was soft wood that was laying around

[pluckers son]

looks like there a party at chimps then :drinks:

[ellir0305]

adding cambden tablets is adding nasties mate, au naturel is best. if you add the yeast early on you dont need to kill of the natural yeast as the prestarted added one will become dominant. if you are going to use yeast, use proper cider yeast but natural is better imo cultured yeasts are good forv acheiveing fairly consistant tastes and results.

stay away from sulphates and sulphides as much as possible

good luck with it though mate and i may only be 17 but i hav been making cider since i could walk and we have won many acalades and prizes :whistling:

atb rob