Cider Recipe

[maytreefrannie]

Has anyone got a really good (foolproof) recipe for a really quick cider?

[bobleponge]

MTF
I havent drunk it yet so I cant tell you how good it is, but I just squeezed the juice out of about a million apples (I have 7 different sorts of trees and used some from all of them) until I filled a demi john.
I left it a couple of days and nothing had happened so I poured in about a teaspoon of brewers yeast.
When I left home 5 days ago it was fermenting away like a good'un, and slowly clearing as well.

The Scrumpy User Guide - Making Your Own Cider

Try that, its basically what I followed.

[liejay]

pure apple juice sachet of yeast and a brewing bin or similar and thats all you need. :-)

[maytreefrannie]

Thanks, bobleponge - I love that link and
thanks, liejay - I've got my cider started.

[bobleponge]

MTF, let me know how you get on. We can compare results at the end. Hic

[Capsid]

I couldn't squeeze enough juice out of my apples so I went with apple wine instead. It's bubbling away in the airing cupboard. It'll be ready to drink when I harvest the broad beans.

[bobleponge]

Capsid, we had real troubles getting enough juice as well. I couldnt borrow a press from anywhere so was pretty much all done by hand.
This is an experiment and if it works and its anything like drinkable I will beg/borrow/steal with menace/buy* a cider press and do it properly. I have 7 apple trees so will be in for a decent amount of cider if I can get them all squeezed properly.

[Capsid]

Cider presses are not cheap! I reckon you need a 6 litre one to make it worth while. Even second hand ones seem to go for a good price. I did make my own press but it was not very efficient at crushing the apples and extracting the juice. The juice was delicious though even from cookers.

Maybe I'll look again for a press out of season when they might be cheaper. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the wine.

[bobleponge]

No, not cheap you're right. My mate had made a cheese press but nowhere near strong enough.
I think I might resort to stealing with menace if the current lot turns out palatable.
Should be ready to rack off once I get back from work, which will be nice.

[maytreefrannie]

Bobleponge (love your name, btw), it's started fermenting now so am keeping everything crossed. Would love to compare tastes virtually - I just hope it turns out better than my last attempt a few years ago.

[Hilary B]

how are you chopping up the apples before pressing? the gadget you can attach to an electric drill is not very efficient (but better than nothing) and would be awfully slow for large quantities. I would have thought that properly chopped apples would press OK in a 'beam type' cheese press (which is the easiest to make, if you have the space) since 'real' cheeses need a LOT of pressure!

[bobleponge]

Hilary I chopped them into small lumps and then chucked them into the blender. I then squeezed manually through a piece of muslin until I filled the demijohn. Thats why I am only doing 1 this year. Took over 4 hours and I know I wasted so much juice. If it works, and is palatable, as said before, I shall somehow get some form of press for next time, and make a decent amount of the stuff. 7 apple trees produces a lot of apples.
MTF what did your last lot turn out like? When I left home I had a quick sniff and it still smelt very yeasty. Hope I havent overdone it.

[Brewer-again]

smells yeasty

rack the cider into another container, as the yeasty smells are more likely to be in the lees/sludge at the bottom. This will also help it clear and keep it free from taints.
I saw a a good press made from wood and a car bottle jack on the web, the press I saw had the jack on top and I was concerned about muck from the jack falling in. Reckon the jack should go underneath and it could be a trolley jack (£10). Needs an upright square metal frame then the rest could be wood. Could bolt together so that it could be put away.

[bobleponge]

MaytreeFrannie
How is your cider doing? I cant see mine but I know mine was in the demijohn about a fortnight before yours.
Is it still fermenting? Has it cleared?
I still have 3 weeks before I can see it again and am curious to know what its doing

[BrideXIII]

I couldn't squeeze enough juice out of my apples so I went with apple wine instead. It's bubbling away in the airing cupboard. It'll be ready to drink when I harvest the broad beans.

I just made a batch of spiced apple wine, store bought pure juice, bubbling away happily it is and smells divine, can't wait to taste it at racking time.

on another note, i just bottled the mead today, and the tea wine.
now the mead is delicious, my neighbour says it tastes of peaches ( odd cos there is only honey and spices in it) she is my 'taster' cos i am rubbish and will drink anything.

the tea wine , was cjj's recipe, and .......well its a bit of an acquired taste, I am hoping it may improve with aging, it's not dislikable, just strange, has anyone else made this?

I bottled another 6 of the rose/red i make from red grape juice, it is by far my favourite now, and so cheap to make, will keep me going until next season when i can try lots of other kinds.