Vindiv8
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This method is a slightly modified version given to me by the Lizard Cyder farm in Cornwall. I have made a few changes. It is a great way to make real cider without going to the expense of fruit presses.
Equipment (no I am not joking) :grin:
Old fashioned spin dryer (£10 ebay)
Garden Shredder
OR
Pulpmaster bucket (£20ish home brew shops)
Powerdrill
FV
large Sieve
The Apples.
I used some from my tree, crab apples from local field and apples from a friends tree. They cost me nothing. I used about a quarter crab apples for bittering, I wanted a very sharp dry cider. I have no idea on the variety. I had about 50kgs.
Washing the apples, you can see the mix of apples used.
Milling.
First wash apples in a bucket of Metabisulphate mix, and then rinse. Cut large apples into quarters, small ones in halves. This helps the milling process and lets you check the apples for grubs and quality. Dispose of any bad apples.
Then either:
Clean garden shredder, put a clean bucket under it, and chuck the apples through, collecting in the bucket.
Or:
Put quartered apples in pulpmaster bucket and fit lid. Start drill, and slowly lower and raise blades through the apples. Then take off lid and stir. Repeat until apples are nicely pulped.
I used the pulpmaster, so I cannot vouch for the garden shredder, but the cider farm assured me it is tried and tested, I cannot see any reason it won't work.
Apples ready to be milled in the pulpmaster bucket.
Pressing.
Once you have a bucket of pulp, it is time to press :thumb:
Before I started I gave the spin dryer a really good clean, then soaked a towel in a strong sterilising solution and then spun that dry. I then spun dry a clean towel soaked in boiled water. I did the final stage a few times until I could no longer smell the sterilising solution.
Put your sanitised FV under the dryer spout. Tip your first bucket of pulped apple into the dryer. Level the load a uneven load will result in apple EVERYWHERE possibly a broken dryer, broken kitchen and broken you. Trust me, I made this mistake. Close the lid to start the dryer, keep your hand on the open catch button whilst the load evens itself out. This is so that if the apples fail to balance you can stop it quickly before damage occurs.
Within a few seconds, golden apple juice will start to pour out of the spout! I placed a sieve on top of the FV under the spout. This caught any bits of apples that came through.
I ROFL'ed the first time this happened! :rofl: Apple juice from a dryer!
Whilst your apples are spinning, chop and mill your next bucket of apples.
Once the juice flow slows/stops, open the lid and remove the dried pulp. The easiest way I found was just to get my hands in there! SAVE THE DRIED PULP.
Repeat until you have pulped all your apples or you are happy with the amount of juice.
I had just over 4 gallon of very high sugar content juice once I had pulped all my apples. I wanted a quiet easy drinking cider, I have some in bottles at 15% , which is too strong for everyday. I was aiming for about 5% strength.
2nd pressing.
Put dried pulp in a bucket and just cover with water and soak for about 10 minutes, until most of the water has soaked in, a stir helps. Then spin this. Whilst that's spinning soak your next batch.
Keep doing this until you either reach your desired sugar content, checking with a hydrometer (of course) or you have collected the required amount of juice.
You may not need to do a second pressing, it depends on your apples. I left mine a bit too long and were past their best.
Fermenting.
Check your juice is around 20degC and pitch your yeast. I used Young's champagne yeast because A> I wanted it to be dry and B> I had a packet :)
I allowed it to ferment for a week, then dropped it into a second FV to get it away from the pulp that was floating on top.
After a couple of weeks in the FV's I transfered it to a keg. I like my cider with a bit of carbonation, so I did prime the barrel, as you would for ale. I could not believe just how good this was. :mrgreen: Easily the best cider I have drank! Just what I was aiming for, nice and tart, cloudy with a bit of fizz.
Cheers :drink:
Equipment (no I am not joking) :grin:
Old fashioned spin dryer (£10 ebay)
Garden Shredder
OR
Pulpmaster bucket (£20ish home brew shops)
Powerdrill
FV
large Sieve
The Apples.
I used some from my tree, crab apples from local field and apples from a friends tree. They cost me nothing. I used about a quarter crab apples for bittering, I wanted a very sharp dry cider. I have no idea on the variety. I had about 50kgs.
Washing the apples, you can see the mix of apples used.
Milling.
First wash apples in a bucket of Metabisulphate mix, and then rinse. Cut large apples into quarters, small ones in halves. This helps the milling process and lets you check the apples for grubs and quality. Dispose of any bad apples.
Then either:
Clean garden shredder, put a clean bucket under it, and chuck the apples through, collecting in the bucket.
Or:
Put quartered apples in pulpmaster bucket and fit lid. Start drill, and slowly lower and raise blades through the apples. Then take off lid and stir. Repeat until apples are nicely pulped.
I used the pulpmaster, so I cannot vouch for the garden shredder, but the cider farm assured me it is tried and tested, I cannot see any reason it won't work.
Apples ready to be milled in the pulpmaster bucket.
Pressing.
Once you have a bucket of pulp, it is time to press :thumb:
Before I started I gave the spin dryer a really good clean, then soaked a towel in a strong sterilising solution and then spun that dry. I then spun dry a clean towel soaked in boiled water. I did the final stage a few times until I could no longer smell the sterilising solution.
Put your sanitised FV under the dryer spout. Tip your first bucket of pulped apple into the dryer. Level the load a uneven load will result in apple EVERYWHERE possibly a broken dryer, broken kitchen and broken you. Trust me, I made this mistake. Close the lid to start the dryer, keep your hand on the open catch button whilst the load evens itself out. This is so that if the apples fail to balance you can stop it quickly before damage occurs.
Within a few seconds, golden apple juice will start to pour out of the spout! I placed a sieve on top of the FV under the spout. This caught any bits of apples that came through.
I ROFL'ed the first time this happened! :rofl: Apple juice from a dryer!
Whilst your apples are spinning, chop and mill your next bucket of apples.
Once the juice flow slows/stops, open the lid and remove the dried pulp. The easiest way I found was just to get my hands in there! SAVE THE DRIED PULP.
Repeat until you have pulped all your apples or you are happy with the amount of juice.
I had just over 4 gallon of very high sugar content juice once I had pulped all my apples. I wanted a quiet easy drinking cider, I have some in bottles at 15% , which is too strong for everyday. I was aiming for about 5% strength.
2nd pressing.
Put dried pulp in a bucket and just cover with water and soak for about 10 minutes, until most of the water has soaked in, a stir helps. Then spin this. Whilst that's spinning soak your next batch.
Keep doing this until you either reach your desired sugar content, checking with a hydrometer (of course) or you have collected the required amount of juice.
You may not need to do a second pressing, it depends on your apples. I left mine a bit too long and were past their best.
Fermenting.
Check your juice is around 20degC and pitch your yeast. I used Young's champagne yeast because A> I wanted it to be dry and B> I had a packet :)
I allowed it to ferment for a week, then dropped it into a second FV to get it away from the pulp that was floating on top.
After a couple of weeks in the FV's I transfered it to a keg. I like my cider with a bit of carbonation, so I did prime the barrel, as you would for ale. I could not believe just how good this was. :mrgreen: Easily the best cider I have drank! Just what I was aiming for, nice and tart, cloudy with a bit of fizz.
Cheers :drink: