First attempt at Scrumpy!

[falafael]

Well, yesterday me and my brother in law spent most of yesterday foraging for apples, and we did this by either from trees in woodland/side of a road, or being cheeky like me, knocking on peoples doors who have apple trees in their garden, and asking if i can have some of them! And that approach worked for us on the 3 occasions that i tried it!

We still have to collect some crab apples, but this is what we have upto yet!!




The apples will be mashed and pressed in the coming days, pics to follow!

 

[KevinH]

I'm looking forward to this!

Please do keep us updated!

 

[LeithR]

Knowing you from the shed build you will not be going for the straight forward Scratter and press approach so share piccy's with us. Its always interesting and often something we can use ourselves.

Good luck with the brew!! :

 

[Steam brew]

Good lot of apples will make several gls cider may I suggest if you have not made bulk cider before that you leave them tumpted up for at least 10 days to allow them to become sweet and the sugars to mature, I have just tumpted up just over a ton from my orchard we hope to press in 12 days hope this is of some help

 

[stevie1556]

*grabbing popcorn*

I'm looking forward to this!

 

[Crastney]

Good lot of apples will make several gls cider may I suggest if you have not made bulk cider before that you leave them tumpted up for at least 10 days to allow them to become sweet and the sugars to mature, I have just tumpted up just over a ton from my orchard we hope to press in 12 days hope this is of some help

Not heard this phrase before - SB - what does 'tumpted up' mean?
I assume you pick them off the floor or off the tree and leave them somewhere, but are there specifics, like amount of light, air, covered, in/outside? etc.

Thanks

 

[BrewDan]

Plenty of vitamin.c there!!

 

[falafael]

Hopefully plenty of vitamin c, crastney, i assume trumpted up means, leaving them to one side, so that the sugars form in the apples, so that they produce more juice when time comes to press!?

 

[Steam brew]

Hi all Tumpted up is the term that is used to store apples after picking or picking up you store with some cover to stop the weather causing problems checking for rot every 2/3 days when you use just wash the longer you can leave them the better , I worked for a major cider firm and we stored some for 6 week cookers need to be watched more than the others :

 

[Jonny69]

How do you keep the fruit flies off them SB?

 

[Steam brew]

Fruit flies were never a problem as the apples were covered with a small mesh the gardeners use against carrot fly etc I hope this helps , I have had the most enjoyable day making cider we have just pressed the first batch of Kingston Black cider apples which gave us 53 Gls with a sugar content of 1060 it looks good :

 

[falafael]

Picked 20kg of crab apples today, and if all goes to plan.....some unusual ways to get juice coming up!!!!
lol

 

[falafael]

Gone through the apples today, and moved some of them into those containers that asda use for home delivery, bout 9 of them, loads of apples, and have removed any suspect ones too.
All the apples are being moved into a industrial fridge on friday, ready for being juiced 7am saturday morning!!!

Pictures to follow them!

 

[evanvine]

You don't do things by halves do you Glen!
The rule of thumb is 20lbs of apples per gallon of juice.

 

[Steam brew]

If you wash the apples if they sink bin them if they float use them a little rot works well looking forward to pics :

 

[KevinH]

I'm interested, falafael. I may have the opportunity for some crab apples. Good luck, pal. :

 

[user 4004]

On the washing topic apples float, pears sink, so look them over if they sink they might not be apples. (some pears are nearly round)

 

[richy.d]

Hi guys ive recently brought a homebrew kit and I decided on cider I used 2/3 fresh apples and 1/3 apple kuice been about 5 days now and a thick crust/skin has formed on top is this normal as its my first atempt im unsure many thanks Rich

 

[calumscott]

Picked 20kg of crab apples today, and if all goes to plan.....some unusual ways to get juice coming up!!!!
lol

I cannot wait for this... make sure there is a healthy volume of photos please!!!

 

[evanvine]

a thick crust/skin has formed on top is this normal

Perfectly normal!