Making Cider

[Rally1148]

Does anyone have any experience with making their own cider? My girlfriend and sisters LOVE hard cider, and I'm a big fan of the regular stuff. From what I've read online, it seems pretty simple... Basically like brewing, but you start with apple cider/apple juice.

I've heard that lots of crabs are good cider (or cidre?) varieties. Is this true?

 

[wooduck]

A mix of different apple makes the best ciders hard or soft , we attend a trade show in mich yearly for fruit growing and you would not believe the secrecy involved and competition between growers to win the cider making contest there. They all use a blend of different varieties to get that flavor they think is best . We have pressed cider here and are learning yearly but I will tell you this if you want it to turn hard all you need to do is press it and leave it at room temps for 6 days and it will ferment without adding anything may not taste very good as there are no controls that way may be vinegar or undrinkable but it will ferment

Lots of big orchards in some areas planting heirloom trees for cider blends right now

 

[Rally1148]

Does that show happen to be in Ann Arbor in July?
I've been thinking about (and doing a little bit of reading online) grafting some cider varieties onto our existing "orchard". I use quotes because it's about 10 trees, and a few will have to be removed because of fireblight. I've been reading that wickson, whitney, centennial, and dolgo are all solid cider varieties. I think one called Dabinett was on there as well. I figured that I'd give them a try because of their disease resistant qualities, and worst case I end up canning or making jam. From what I've gathered, which is about 3 hours of reading online, a mix of apples makes the best cider, which is why I'd want to do a bunch of them!

I wouldn't want to produce a ton... just enough for a treat for family and friends. Is this a pretty doable endeavor?

 

[wooduck]

yes , its hard to screw up an apple its all good , in our mix we use some chessnut crab harvested late as the flavor changes thru the season , we like some of the larger apples for a base and add crabs and heirloom as available .
The show I referenced is in grand rapids in dec. lots of cider apple and apple seminars there then .
Remember most home pressed cider can be put in gal milk jugs and frozen till needed , just leave some head space,, you try this you will never have enough and will never buy that apple juice in the stores again

 

[Rally1148]

yes , its hard to screw up an apple its all good , in our mix we use some chessnut crab harvested late as the flavor changes thru the season , we like some of the larger apples for a base and add crabs and heirloom as available .
The show I referenced is in grand rapids in dec. lots of cider apple and apple seminars there then .
Remember most home pressed cider can be put in gal milk jugs and frozen till needed , just leave some head space,, you try this you will never have enough and will never buy that apple juice in the stores again

What other larger apples would you use? Would Liberty, Enterprise, and Goldrush work? I only specify those because I've grafted them. I'm mainly focusing on DR varieties so I can avoid spraying as much as possible. I'm excited to get a start on this! If I get my 2 year old nephew to help, I might be able to make a lot! Do you use any special type of yeast?

 

[wooduck]

One thing about cider apples they don't have to be pretty , I would think any of the varities listed would work well as I said hard to screw up an apple , when you press, press your different ones separate to get a idea on the flavors and adjust to your preference . Look up cider presses on the net there are all kinds that a guy can make his own don't have to spend big bucks for a private project. On the yeast we have made hard cider without adding any yeast as there is enough natural yeasts on the fruit , but I would imagine any wine making store would have some to try . You could frezze the cider then ferment at a later date . Search ice cider on the net its a very different way to make hard cider

In a commercial setting current food law says pasteurization must be done on non hard cider, but not on hard cider as soon as the cider turns there are no bad bugs that's one reason founding fathers drank so much hard cider as that made it safe or at least that was the excuse

 

[Rally1148]

One thing about cider apples they don't have to be pretty , I would think any of the varities listed would work well as I said hard to screw up an apple , when you press, press your different ones separate to get a idea on the flavors and adjust to your preference . Look up cider presses on the net there are all kinds that a guy can make his own don't have to spend big bucks for a private project. On the yeast we have made hard cider without adding any yeast as there is enough natural yeasts on the fruit , but I would imagine any wine making store would have some to try . You could frezze the cider then ferment at a later date . Search ice cider on the net its a very different way to make hard cider

Thanks! I'll look up the presses!

I'm interested in freezing the stuff. That way we'd be able to have some all year round!

 

[Rally1148]

http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Cider-Press-Excerpt.pdf

Something like that might work? I don't think I'd use a jack... I think I'd rather use a hand crank thing. There were some others that used 2x4's to make the barrel with the openings, but if this works as well, it'll be cheaper and easier!

 

[wooduck]

For the barrel think hard wood for juice contact a source for an acme screw they can be ordered from Surplus Center they are on line and will have the heavy screw rods along with nuts to match if they don't have it look up MSC they will for sure . Take a look at youtube lots of different videos there .

You will need a way to shred the apples pre-press lots of ideas on line too

 

[Rally1148]

For the barrel think hard wood for juice contact a source for an acme screw they can be ordered from Surplus Center they are on line and will have the heavy screw rods along with nuts to match if they don't have it look up MSC they will for sure . Take a look at youtube lots of different videos there .

You will need a way to shred the apples pre-press lots of ideas on line too

If this ends up working well I might just have to send you some!