Pressing apples for cider

loyatemu

has anyone done this? I've looked at a few videos on youtube and it appears relatively straightforward to put together a homemade press

one thing I don't really know where to source is cheesecloth\muslin - Hickey's perhaps but I suspect that'd be the expensive option...

fryup

You can get those muslin cloths online or at your local homebrew store about €2 each.

As for the press i think thats fairly straightforward, but its the mulching beforehand that stumps me...i have a whole fruit juicer at home but thats take too long so has anyone found a quick & easy way to pulp apples?

loyatemu

fryup wrote: »

You can get those muslin cloths online or at your local homebrew store about €2 each.

As for the press i think thats fairly straightforward, but its the mulching beforehand that stumps me...i have a whole fruit juicer at home but thats take too long so has anyone found a quick & easy way to pulp apples?

you can buy one of these but some of the instructions I've seen online suggest just throwing them in a bucket and pulverising them with the end of a long stick or plank.

Hoof_Hearted

We used a press like this and used the gizmo that plasterer's use for mixing hardwall in a bucket (attached to a drill) to chop the apples, cleaned it first of course. Used an old net curtain instead of muslin to strain out the lumps (washed and scalded first) and that worked just as well. We made a hames of the fermenting though, too big a vessel, too much air and now we have a gallon of cider vinegar!

oblivious

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

We made a hames of the fermenting though, too big a vessel, too much air and now we have a gallon of cider vinegar!

That was an infection with aceto bacter, they oxidise the alcohol

Aln_S

Hi,

Just got my cider going last night bought one of these http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4200442/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CKitchen%2Band%2Blaundry%7C14418476/c_2/2%7Ccat_14418476%7CSmall%2Bkitchen%2Bappliances%7C14418587/c_3/3%7Ccat_14418587%7CFood%2Bprocessors%2Band%2Bmixers%7C14418606.htm in Argos and used the Grater attachment to shred about 15Kg of apples.

Then used a press very similar to the one in this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Cider-Making-Small-Scale/dp/1854861956/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286878358&sr=8-1 to juice the apples.

Worked very well and I now have 2 Demijohns of Cider fermenting away nicely.

Well worth buying that little book though, not expensive and contains so much info. Also tells you where to buy all the parts for the cider press.

Good Luck!

Edit: I just put them into an old pillowcase for pressing. No need for Muslin or cheesecloth. Works just as well!

HMD

I got that book too, it's was very helpfull.

Bought one of these to do the juicing. got 5 gallons from the apples.

loyatemu

Aln_S wrote:

Then used a press very similar to the one in this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Cider-M...6878358&sr=8-1 to juice the apples.

Yeah I have that book, its seems pretty good - the cider press in their design looks a lot of hassle to build though - did it take you long to source all the parts?

HMD wrote:

Bought one of these to do the juicing. got 5 gallons from the apples.

did that take long?

Aln_S

loyatemu wrote: »

the cider press in their design looks a lot of hassle to build though - did it take you long to source all the parts?

I didnt build it myself, I only got a loan of it from a friend. There would be a fair bit of work in building it, but if you did it would last forever.

HMD

loyatemu wrote: »

did that take long?

got it done in an evening between 2 of us. 1 person to half the apples and get rid of the pulp and one to do the juicing.

loyatemu

following up on my original post:

pressed about 40lbs of apples today, filled about 1 and half demijohns which was less than I expected. Perhaps not that juicy apples (they were mostly fairly small, a russet variety). Have another 25lbs or so of apples but not sure if i'll get the chance to press them.

Chopped the apples up fairly small then pulped them in a bucket with a heavy wooden post (this was a PITA, definitely go for a pulpmaster next time out). Filled 2 muslin bags from the homebrew shop with the pulp and then pressed them with the pressing frame I built and a long-handled carjack, which worked fairly well - I bought a cheap baking tin in tesco for the base & drilled a hole in the corner to allow the juice drain into the demijohns. A larger tray in the base would've made the job easier.

I've sulphited the juice now , and will probably top up with Lidl pressed cloudy apple juice before throwing in the yeast tomorrow.

johngalway

DIY scratter.

DIY fruit press.