are you getting ready or thinking about cider.

elkhound · #1 08/08/12, 09:23 AM

do you make cider? what do you bottle it in? do you freeze it so it doesnt become hard cider....a local person here does that.i dont know a thing about cider myself....jjust wondering how,what yall do.also do you make hard cider? any books you would recommend would be great.thanks all.

jwal10 · #2 08/08/12, 09:36 AM

I make 40-50 gallons every year. I keep it in a large barrel. It will get hard after a while. I take some and make vinegar by dding a little mother from the prior jar. I keep the cider in my springhouse....James

elkhound · #3 08/08/12, 09:57 AM

thanks james....i totally forgot i have several plastic dr.pepper syrup barrels. do you leave a lose cap for some venting as it ferments.thanks for any and all info.

KIT.S · #4 08/08/12, 11:27 AM

We make a couple hundred gallons of apple juice and waterbath can it into 1/2 gallon and quart jars. I just don't have enough freezer space for it, and we can open a jar and serve it without planning ahead to thaw. It comes out lovely, and after a couple weeks is clear. There are some precipitates at the bottom of the jar, but they don't affect the flavor and have no mouth-feel if you drink them, anyway.

We also make vinegar and apple wine, although this year the apple wine was pretty awful.

My son set up a 12 ton hydraulic press for our juice press, and it does an exceptional job: 15 gallons of picked apples makes 5 gallons of juice, and the pigs eat the leftovers.

We're down to maybe a dozen jars or so, so I'm looking forward to next month and another batch.
Kit

Tana Mc · #5 08/08/12, 01:28 PM

We pressed 11 gallons this morning. My friend pressed 18 gallons yesterday to use for vinegar.

We try to go every year to his orchard to get apples for sauce and pie filling and press a bunch for cider. He is nearly 80 yo and it tickles him good for us to come with a bunch of kids.

I freeze some juice but it is much easier for us to use if I can it in jars.

Terrabus · #6 08/08/12, 04:17 PM

Does it count if I'm planning the party I'm going to have with the hard cider when it is ready?

Buffy in Dallas · #7 08/08/12, 04:32 PM

Google is our friend! I did some research on this just yesterday.

Make Your Own Hard Cider

EASY RECIPE: How to make Homemade Hard Apple Cider - Make your own Hard Apple Cider

Home Brew Hard Cider from Scratch

rancher1913 · #8 08/08/12, 04:34 PM

We are doing cider for the first time this year. Have already pressed 15+ gallons. We pasturized the first bunch, and canned it in half-gallon jars - froze the next batch and started some vinegar (we'll see how that goes).

DD loves the fresh pressed stuff, but hates the pasturized. Says it tastes "like liquid applesauce". Gotta admit, I prefer the fresh stuff too.

Moldy

blooba · #9 08/09/12, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rancher1913

We are doing cider for the first time this year. Have already pressed 15+ gallons. We pasturized the first bunch, and canned it in half-gallon jars - froze the next batch and started some vinegar (we'll see how that goes).

DD loves the fresh pressed stuff, but hates the pasturized. Says it tastes "like liquid applesauce". Gotta admit, I prefer the fresh stuff too.

Moldy

yea pasturization can ruin a good cider, there is a way to pasturize it without changing the flavor. It's some flash pasturization method but don't know the details. I don't make my own so am stuck buying it and it is very hit or miss on the pasturized stuff.

Once I have found a good source, I usually buy around 50 gallons a year and I always say that should be enough to last me but its always gone by december....lol...guess i should buy more this year.

As you may be able to tell I come from a big cider making family and can be quite picky about my cider but when i get some good stuff it goes down like water...lol

lemonthyme7 · #10 08/09/12, 08:57 AM

Last year was the first time we made cider and DH had bought a press - I think it may actually be a grape pressed but it worked. We had a grinder that was off my parents press that had broken and DH fixed it. We just did enough for fresh use but really enjoyed it. Last year the apples were plentiful but this year we won't have any (late freeze). When we were kids there was an old orchard down the road from us that we could pick apples at. They were thick on the ground and I remember as a kid sitting on the ground on a warm Autumn day among all the old knarled apple trees and picking apples for several hours, laughing and talking with my brothers and sisters and trying not to get stung by the juice drunk bees! We took it to the cider mill and had it pressed and there was usually over 55 gallons. Mom froze what we didn't use in 1 gallon jugs (leaving room for expansion). At that time she was running 2 freezers for our large family so had room to freeze it. It got drank all winter long. Just don't drink off the top of the jug before it's completely thawed or you will drink off the sweetest part and the rest will be bland. It turned out good like that but for me the only way to drink it is very fresh. I hate if it starts to fizz at all but my parents like to let it sit out for a day or 2 on the counter so it gets a bit of fizz. Have fun with all your cider making adventures!

elkhound · #11 08/09/12, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemonthyme7

Last year was the first time we made cider and DH had bought a press - I think it may actually be a grape pressed but it worked. We had a grinder that was off my parents press that had broken and DH fixed it. We just did enough for fresh use but really enjoyed it. Last year the apples were plentiful but this year we won't have any (late freeze). When we were kids there was an old orchard down the road from us that we could pick apples at. They were thick on the ground and I remember as a kid sitting on the ground on a warm Autumn day among all the old knarled apple trees and picking apples for several hours, laughing and talking with my brothers and sisters and trying not to get stung by the juice drunk bees! We took it to the cider mill and had it pressed and there was usually over 55 gallons. Mom froze what we didn't use in 1 gallon jugs (leaving room for expansion). At that time she was running 2 freezers for our large family so had room to freeze it. It got drank all winter long. Just don't drink off the top of the jug before it's completely thawed or you will drink off the sweetest part and the rest will be bland. It turned out good like that but for me the only way to drink it is very fresh. I hate if it starts to fizz at all but my parents like to let it sit out for a day or 2 on the counter so it gets a bit of fizz. Have fun with all your cider making adventures!

love your story...thanks for sharing

Tana Mc · #12 08/09/12, 12:22 PM

Let me tell you a story..... LOL!!

Several years ago we pressed cider and it was wonderful. But..... in the very bottom of the container there is always some "apple sludge". My kids just won't drink it.

One of those containers with just a little juice and sludge got left on the center island of the kitchen. We were off on a rare weekend trip and it sat on that countertop with the evening sun streaming thru the window-- right on to the dregs of the apple cider--- for 2 1/2 days.

We came home and I was totally exhausted. I remember relaxing in my recliner in the living room while the rest of the family stayed outside doing noisey stuff and letting me enjoy the peace and quiet..... briefly.

Suddenly there was a huge bang in the kitchen and I jumped straight up out of the recliner expecting to see blood because it sounded like someone had been shot. The jug had exploded and blew everything off of the surrounding countertop and broke the lights on the ceiling fan above. It smelled like a brewery in there and took forever to clean up. I ended up just painting the whole kitchen ceiling......

My kids talk about that every time we drink apple juice!

elkhound · #13 08/09/12, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tana Mc

Let me tell you a story..... LOL!!

Several years ago we pressed cider and it was wonderful. But..... in the very bottom of the container there is always some "apple sludge". My kids just won't drink it.

One of those containers with just a little juice and sludge got left on the center island of the kitchen. We were off on a rare weekend trip and it sat on that countertop with the evening sun streaming thru the window-- right on to the dregs of the apple cider--- for 2 1/2 days.

We came home and I was totally exhausted. I remember relaxing in my recliner in the living room while the rest of the family stayed outside doing noisey stuff and letting me enjoy the peace and quiet..... briefly.

Suddenly there was a huge bang in the kitchen and I jumped straight up out of the recliner expecting to see blood because it sounded like someone had been shot. The jug had exploded and blew everything off of the surrounding countertop and broke the lights on the ceiling fan above. It smelled like a brewery in there and took forever to clean up. I ended up just painting the whole kitchen ceiling......

My kids talk about that every time we drink apple juice!

oh my goodness i am laughing hard........lol.....great cider story

MOgal · #14 08/10/12, 10:13 AM

We started out with such a good apple crop--good bloom set, lots of bees to pollinate, then the drought started. The apples aren't very big, birds are damaging most of them just to find moisture so what we do have will go into apple butter this year. Of course, the fact that our press kit is still not sealed and assembled does have a little to do with it.

Love the stories.

ronbre · #15 08/10/12, 11:41 AM

not a single apple on my trees due to frosts