Cider Brew Day

[D C]

Hi all, after a dismal year last year for apples and other hedgerow fruit, this year seems like it’s going to be a bumper year. After completing my cider press build and using it for the 1st time in anger back in the summer of 2011, I have been noting down locations of crab apple trees in my local area and watching the progress of the apples. After spending around 7 hour’s hand mashing and pressing during my last Cider Brew Day I reckoned I needed an easier way to chop/mash the apples prior to pressing. After a quick search of the internet I came across a video on Youtube of a guy using a garden shredder to chop his apples before pressing. So I thought I can do that, off to the Bay I went and low and behold I only score for a virtually brand new shredder the same as the guy’s on YouTube for £25. I decided not to butcher the shredder (cut the top off) so I had to chop the apples to get them to fit through the slot in the top of the shredder.

New Shredder


Top removed and cleaned and sterilised


Not bad for 1 ½ hours Scrumping


First batch of apples awaiting their fate


A quick video of the shredder in action
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho0A3bv2t8 ... load_owner

The Shredder made light work of the apples



The press is raring to go



Forming the cheese



Pressing commences


The first runnings


First batch just short of 15L


OG of 1036



All tucked up with Saflager S-23 Yeast as an experiment


2nd batch just short of a gallon to be brewed with Safale S-04 yeast


Cheers DC :wink:

 

[RobWalker]

great stuff :

 

[Cheshire muzz]

Very jealous. We burnt out our electric drill using a bucket scratter last year. Might have to check for more of those on ebay!

Your apples seem ready early. We did ours last week in October last year. I've seen the trees full of fruit already, so perhaps I should plan to bring our pressing day forward....

 

[Cheshire muzz]

£45 buy it now price. Even that's a cracking deal. Our rubbish scratter cost £30. Very tempted

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-gard ... 27d75cfc04

 

[D C]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies, @ muzz you won't be disappointed with that shredder mate mine works flawlessly :thumb: I am definitely going to remove the top part of the shredder and replace it with an open top chute so I can throw the apples in whole instead of having to chop them first. I will post pictures if I manage to find a suitable substitute

Cheers DC

 

[D C]

A quick update, the 1 gallon with Safale S04 yeast is going great guns after 24 hours.

Safale S04 batch

The 3 gallons with SafLager S-23 yeast has yet to spring into life :shock: maybe by tomorrow morning it will have started fermenting [-o<

Cheers DC

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Shredder looks pretty beast!

Do you get the same kinda juice yield from it as you would from hand pulping? The reason I ask is, it could be the small photo on my phone screen but the pulp looks pretty dry from here!

I've never made proper cider before, mainly due to the lack of a press, but I've also always worried about the juice yields relative to input fruit.

 

[D C]

Hi Monkey, in answer to your question yes the pulp is better when it's been through the shredder as opposed to hand mashing. The apple juice was running down the inside of the shredder into the bucket and by the time I came to fill the cheese mould with pulp the juice was collecting in the bucket. By the time I filled the cheese the juice was already flowing into the bucket without any pressure so the shredder is a God send. :party:

Cheers DC

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Fantastic! One to bear in mind for next year, I think!

 

[Mick May]

hi dc this is a great thread ... :thumb: .
that shredder certainly makes light work of it ...

and i love you cider press ... :clap:

did you do a thead on how you made it ...
as my son is thinking of making one ...

he loves cider... .


regards mick... :hat: .

 

[D C]

Hi Mick, I did do a post on my cider press but it wasn't a step by step guide on how to build a press, but there are a few pics of the press in the link below. Bare in mind I did redesign the base after its initial outing. Hope it helps a little if your son wants to have a go at building one


viewtopic.php?f=40&t=17969

Cheers DC

 

[Mick May]

Hi Mick, I did do a post on my cider press but it wasn't a step by step guide on how to build a press, but there are a few pics of the press in the link below. Bare in mind I did redesign the base after its initial outing. Hope it helps a little if your son wants to have a go at building one


viewtopic.php?f=40&t=17969

Cheers DC

thanks dc iv set it in my favorites for him .. :thumb: .


regards mick... :hat: .

 

[tazuk]

hi all i got one of thses last year when they was £199 shot up in price this year also there now have big shoot on :shock: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Great-Value-E ... 3f22a0f915

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Frui ... 5658cd386f

here is mine setup last you when i pop up to me m8 up north as he had old style scratter :thumb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyqtnKhZnu4

here is his new beast :thumb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHqJOHy_ ... mail_reply

 

[Cheshire muzz]

Just got myself a garden shredder. Hopefully will cut down the prep time quite a bit compared to our bucket and blade style scratter!

 

[JonnyD]

Hi DC, I've just done something very similar. Mines finished fermenting at 1010. Quick question, I'm about to rack in a week if say, how long would you leave it to mature? Cheers jd

 

[tazuk]

i leave mine to mature for 6 months after racking :thumb:

Hi DC, I've just done something very similar. Mines finished fermenting at 1010. Quick question, I'm about to rack in a week if say, how long would you leave it to mature? Cheers jd

 

[JonnyD]

Thanks taz

 

[Cheshire muzz]

I leave for around 6 months after racking too. May rack a couple of times more to get the cider off the muck.

 

[Redcar]

Hi D C!

I've just completed my first cider brew day! All small hand scratted apples and we only managed 10 litres, but the sound of apple juice dribbling into the bucket is the sweetest in the world.