My first cider batch for 2017. A few easy steps

[Merle Hawggard]

Wonderful write up areo! I've never actually saw this done before so it's pretty neat to see it step by step.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Wonderful write up areo! I've never actually saw this done before so it's pretty neat to see it step by step.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

My pleasure. It's really easy and if you want to make hard cider you need an airlock and a bucket or carbon and some yeast and some inexpensive chemicals and tools and a good hard cider book

 

[NE PA QDM]

Very nice tutorial!!!
I second the suggestion to put the mash in front of your best trailcam. got lots of good pics last year of the critters cleaning up.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Very nice tutorial!!!
I second the suggestion to put the mash in front of your best trailcam. got lots of good pics last year of the critters cleaning up.

Well am looking for pics of your first batch also.

 

[sandbur]

I have the same press, but purchased the kit. Tomorrow might be the maiden voyage.

I will probably use Red Baron, Chestnut, maybe a few Hazen, and some seedling crabs.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Good luck and sounds like a great combo. What do you mean kit? I had to assemble mine also. That was a bit harder than I expected lol

 

[sandbur]

Assembly took me several days as the directions were not well matched. I bought the kit with the electric motor and iron wheel both, as well as wheels on the cider. There were general assembly directions. then directions for the e motor where you removed bolts. Some confusion about the bolt packs and they sent me another bolt pack.

Very nice people to deal with.

 

[sandbur]

Is there a way to wash the seeds out of the mash? I might dedicate a small area of my garden to seedlings.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Assembly took me several days as the directions were not well matched. I bought the kit with the electric motor and iron wheel both, as well as wheels on the cider. There were general assembly directions. then directions for the e motor where you removed bolts. Some confusion about the bolt packs and they sent me another bolt pack.

Very nice people to deal with.

I got it. I didn't get the electric motor as I need the exercise lol. Does it ever get stuck with too many apples? I agree assembly was not easiest and the tolerances were tight. But it's working great now. I don't have the wheels but I think will get as it's a mother to move alone. I think you can use a strainer that the seeds can fall through as you hose the mash

 

[SmallChunk]

Super cool, thanks for sharing!

 

[Dan Wombles]

Heck with those manual grinders! One of these will grind a 5 gallon bucket in under 5 seconds https://morewinemaking.com/products/speidel-motorized-apple-pear-crusher.html

 

[Don'tWorryIHuggedItFirst]

Heck with those manual grinders! One of these will grind a 5 gallon bucket in under 5 seconds https://morewinemaking.com/products/speidel-motorized-apple-pear-crusher.html

Ya but who wants to pay $1000 just for a grinder? If I need them that fast ill just buy the motorized option for $350. Doing it the slow way we still made 50 gallons of cider last year in about a day.

 

[KDdid]

I love cider making! Here's a photo of my wife's cousins and I pressing a few years ago. We did 90 gallons that day, and still had apples to do the next weekend. Cousin Andy's setup is a true antique, the old grinder has a patent date of 1887 on the logo.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Can anyone say hard pumpkin apple cider ? Mmmmm. Well they make pumpkin everything lol. I am ready to try

 

[H20fwler]

Very interesting thread!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

These Honeycrisps are too tasty for cider but will make a small batch from the uglies. The pure HC cider is awesome too

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Apples look really good, Aero. Are you selling any by the roadside yet ?? ( I asked the same ? of you on Greyphase's thread where you posted pix of your HC ).

 

[sandbur]

First cider is fermenting. The fresh cider tastes great. I have about 50% crab apples in the cider.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

First cider is fermenting. The fresh cider tastes great. I have about 50% crab apples in the cider.

Sounds awesome. My first batch with pumpkin, raisins, honey vanilla cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg is bubbling away. Don't know if it will good or god awful lol

 

[sandbur]

I am not sure if I posted this or not, but here are the apples that went into the first batch of cider.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk