Picking apples early for Cider

CheezePleeze

We're making cider again this year, but it looks like the crows are going to take all of our apples. Should we pick them before they're fully ripe, and bank on sweetening the brew later on with sugar?
One of the lads suggested this, but it sound like ballcocks to me...

loyatemu

I'd imagine they'll ripen slightly in storage, but they may not produce as much juice. The sugar all turns to alcohol during fermentation so you're not losing sweetness, but potential alcohol content. Perhaps some form of scarecrow?

oblivious

CheezePleeze wrote: »

We're making cider again this year, but it looks like the crows are going to take all of our apples. Should we pick them before they're fully ripe, and bank on sweetening the brew later on with sugar?
One of the lads suggested this, but it sound like ballcocks to me...

Usually it common to let the apples reset a week or two after picking before pressing . But I would opt of them to ripen on the tree rather than adding any sugar

Maybe netting over the tree maybe help with the magpie issue?

epicmoe

Should be ripe or almost so before picking. They should b left in a shed for a couple of weeks after, but this is to let them rest and mature, not for ripening.