We were given a carrier bag full of apples from the in-laws and they're not eaters and there's too many to cook with, so I was thinking of trying to make cider. But this will be a micro, tiny, wee batch. So I don't want to buy any new equipment.
Was thinking of scratting them in the kitchen blender. Will this kill it, or should it be OK for a few small batches?
Then pressing - I don't have a jack or any way to knock up a pressing frame, so was just thinking of wrapping the pulp in a muslin and then squeezing it between two biscuit boxes (family circle plastic types) - bottom one with a small hole in it to let the juice out, top one weighed down with dumbells or tin cans or anything else I can find. Do you think this will work, or will I need much more pressure to get the juice out?
If I get juice out, I was then planning to add a campden tablet, then cider yeast, rack off after fermentation, mature and bottle.
Is this all too simple? Please bear in mind it's not worth me getting too involved for such a small amount of apples, but if I can get a few litres of drinkable cider in the spring, I'll be very happy.
Was thinking of scratting them in the kitchen blender. Will this kill it, or should it be OK for a few small batches?
Then pressing - I don't have a jack or any way to knock up a pressing frame, so was just thinking of wrapping the pulp in a muslin and then squeezing it between two biscuit boxes (family circle plastic types) - bottom one with a small hole in it to let the juice out, top one weighed down with dumbells or tin cans or anything else I can find. Do you think this will work, or will I need much more pressure to get the juice out?
If I get juice out, I was then planning to add a campden tablet, then cider yeast, rack off after fermentation, mature and bottle.
Is this all too simple? Please bear in mind it's not worth me getting too involved for such a small amount of apples, but if I can get a few litres of drinkable cider in the spring, I'll be very happy.